In this issue…

  1. THANKS TO THE ANONYMOUS DONORS!
  2. GOTTA’ TRAVEL IN JAN? TRY KINGDOM TRAVEL
  3. NEW RESOURCE FOR CHRISTIANS RELATING TO MUSLIMS
  4. NOT YOUR TYPICAL MISSIONS VIDEO
  5. DISCIPLESHIP MATERIALS FOR FREE
  6. UNREACHED PEOPLES CONSULTATION
  7. MARCH 22ND ISSUE YIELDS RESULTS
  8. HERE’S THE SKINNY ON FULLER SEMINARY
  9. AGENCY PLACING LATIN AMERICANS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD
  10. MEMBER CARE IN CRISIS SITUATIONS AND DEBRIEFING WORKSHOP
  11. MEDICAL MISSIONS CONSULTATION EMAIL GROUP
  12. NEW REALITY SERIES AS EVANGELISM
  13. THE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CRUSADE
  14. SALES PEOPLE WANTED IN EVERY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD
  15. MISSION OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS
  16. MORE FREE IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY RESOURCES
  17. A STORY OF HOPE: EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING
  18. CLOSING STUFF

  1. THANKS TO THE ANONYMOUS DONORS! — Thanks so much to the family serving in Asia who sent $200 this past month, yet insisted on remaining anonymous. Obviously, the Lord knows who you are. As for the remainder of the hopeful salary for our Brigada Secretary ($15,600), we are just 10 days and $2980 short of finishing the entire year-long budget for our new Brigada Secretary. Bottom line: If you could possibly make a final push in your church, missions committee, mobilization group, or family budget, it would sure be great. If it’s a check, you could send it to: Team Expansion/Brigada, 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. If it’s to be made via credit card, jump on our Sponsors page at: https://brigada.org/sponsor.html to give via some kind of card. By the way, that anonymous sponsor in Asia wrote, ” I’ve been a member of the Brigada list since the first few months you existed if memory serves me right. … Somewhere in a stack of several hundred floppies I probably have a text archive of the first few messages. Brigada has been a tremendous blessing to me and I have referred hundreds of fellow workers to it as an excellent source of info. I wish I could calculate all the savings and value I have received from the resources you’ve helped us locate over the past years.” Whoa. Thanks for the encouragement, brother! May God bless you mightily in your work and family!

  2. GOTTA’ TRAVEL IN JAN? TRY KINGDOM TRAVEL — If you have to travel internationally in January anyway, please try Kingdom Travel (otherwise known as CV Travel). They’ve pledged to contribute $20 *per ticket* for those who, during January, book travel at already-great-low-rates. Learn more at: http://www.kingdomcompany.com (Thanks, too, Donald, for the $100 donation to help us through 2003!)

  3. NEW RESOURCE FOR CHRISTIANS RELATING TO MUSLIMS — Dawson Media has released a short, easy-to-read book offering Christians a crash course on how to relate to Muslim friends, neighbors, and coworkers. “A Muslim’s Heart” was written by Dr. Ed Hoskins, a physician who has spent more than 25 years relating to Muslims in the U.S. and Middle East. Hoskins focuses on the similarities of the two faiths rather than the differences, and offers specific instruction on how to use the Qur’an and Muslim traditions as a bridge to talk about Christ. “A Muslim’s Heart” is ideal for anyone considering short-term missions to a Muslim country or for U.S. churches wanting to reach out to Muslims in their communities. To reach Dawson Media, a ministry of The Navigators, call toll-free (888) 547-9635 in the U.S. or (719) 594-2100 elsewhere, or fax them at (719) 594-2553. Visit their web site at http://www.dawsonmedia.com (international orders must be placed by phone or fax).

  4. NOT YOUR TYPICAL MISSIONS VIDEO — The Yali Story is an award- winning documentary released by Vision Video, great for small groups, college class and Mission Festivals. It’s about a stone-age tribe in Papua that has been transformed by the Gospel … from cannibals to people who walk in faith, hope and love. It will excite people about missions. The tape includes a roundtable discussion, “Lessons from The Yali Story” which will ignite discussion regarding church planting and contextualization. You can link to http://www.worldteam.org and click on “The Yali Story.”

  5. DISCIPLESHIP MATERIALS FOR FREE — Thanks to Brigada participant “Ed” for his tip about the free discipleship materials at… http://www.discipleship.info

  6. UNREACHED PEOPLES CONSULTATION — Have you answered the call to reach the unreached? AFMA in partnership with AIMS, CBN, and Regent University will hold an Unreached Peoples Consultation entitled “Transformations” March 15-18, 2004 at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. Learn how to create functional strategies for unreached people groups and plan short-term trips that will have a long-term impact from ministry professionals working in China, East Africa, Ethiopia, India, and Indonesia. Register by March 1st and pay only $149. After March 1st, the registration fee will be $169. For more information or to request a brochure, call AIMS at (757) 226-5850 or e- mail aims@aims-usa.org or log on at… http://www.aims.org

  7. MARCH 22ND ISSUE YIELDS RESULTS — Remember that March 22nd item entitled, ” NEW TRIBES MISSION’S FIRM FOUNDATIONS VIA RADIO?” I didn’t think so. Neither did I. :-) But Mark did. He’s the guy that asked for the input about “Firm Foundations.” Turns out he found that FEBC New Zealand have already turned Firm Foundations into 104 radio scripts and produced them in Asian English (in the Philippines). He has since secured permission from NTM to use their material and work with Janice Reid who wrote the original radio scripts. It now appears that he’ll help launch a Firm Foundations Radio project in Africa, working in Johannesburg with World Mission Communications in Africa and Radio Training Services in Asia (Cambodia) – where Janice is now working. In the process he may also be introducing training for Interactive Radio Instruction, to help develop use of radio in Africa for education and discipleship. Pretty cool. If you’re interested in learning more, write him mdtaylor@mweb.co.za . And when you talk to him, thank him for keeping his word about updating us after he conducted the research! :-)

  8. HERE’S THE SKINNY ON FULLER SEMINARY — Thanks to all those who responded about Fuller Theological Seminary’s project with Muslim leaders. Thanks to your info., we were able to do everthing from read the actual press releases all the way to dialogue directly with the public relations person at Fuller. Turns out that, as is the case with many rumors, the “legend” had become larger than life. True: Fuller is launching a study on the impact of recent events, along with that nature of the conflict between Islam and Christianity. And … true: for the purposes of the study, the parcticipants (all very high level in each respective faith) have covenanted together not to seek out conversion during the project. However, it is important to understand that the position being taken by Fuller is a very specific one, aimed at all situations relating to the *project*. As for the rest of Fuller’s teachings in the School of Church Growth, they remain intact… and those profs. continue to teach those disciplines. It’s only this specific dialogue that is affected. Again, thanks for the input! For more information, see the article at: http://www.fuller.edu/alumni_ae/E-News/2003-12/conflict_resolution.asp

  9. AGENCY PLACING LATIN AMERICANS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD — Vision Euro- Africa (VEA) is a missionary agency with a heart for mobilizing the Latin American Church for missions amongst Muslims. VEA’s general director, Omar Selther (pseudonym), was one of the first full-time missionaries to be sent from Mexico 13 years ago. Since then he and his family have been focused on reaching North Africans for Christ. Three years ago he took over the directorship of VEA, which is committed to getting mature, well-trained Latino workers in the Muslim world. For those interested in learning more, please visit their website http://www.visioneuroafrica.com or email vea@visioneuroafrica.com

  10. MEMBER CARE IN CRISIS SITUATIONS AND DEBRIEFING WORKSHOP — What constitutes a “crisis situation?” How should your organization respond? How can you use “Peer Responders” to care for people in crisis? These and other questions will be the topics of this year’s Member Care in Crisis Situations Workshop, sponsored by the Member Care department of Wycliffe International. The workshop will include peer-to-peer debriefing training and practice and would be valuable for administrators, member care personnel, or church mission committee personnel. The six-day workshop will be held in Dallas, Texas, USA, April 26-May 1, 2004. Costs of the workshop include a $100 registration fee and approximately $145 room/board. Participation is limited. For information contact member_care_intl@wycliffe.org

  11. MEDICAL MISSIONS CONSULTATION EMAIL GROUP — A medical missionary in Papua New Guinea has started an email group for missionary doctors who have difficult cases that they want to consult with other doctors about. He’s hoping that a wide spectrum of physicians will join. This may include both active and retired missionaries, and non-missionary physicians in a variety of specialties who are sympathetic to the cause of missions, and who are willing to offer consultation and advice. To join, send a blank email to MedMissCons-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . You will get an email enquiry from the moderator asking for a brief introduction, but all interested physicians will be placed in the group. For more information, you can contact Andy andybennett@reachone.com .

  12. NEW REALITY SERIES AS EVANGELISM — You may be interested in checking out a new reality series on TBN starring Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort, teaching and demonstrating personal evangelism techniques and how to answer the 100 most common objections unbelievers have to the Christian faith. The series is already airing on Saturdays at 12:30 pm. Starting Jan. 5th they will begin showing it a second time on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. I haven’t seen it, nor has Andrew himself. But based on past similar programs, it should be good. :-) (Thanks for the tip, Andrew!)

    The project already has a cool and tech-laden web site at http://www.wayofthemaster.com


  13. THE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CRUSADE — Check out the new article entitled, The Chinese Christian Crusade at: http://www.backtojerusalem.com/

  14. SALES PEOPLE WANTED IN EVERY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD — Commit Ministries & Integrated Pest Management Tech, Inc. have joined forces through their “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program. IPMT has developed about two dozen cutting edge pest control products for improving health, and is now seeking men and women as independent representatives worldwide. A laptop computer connected to the World Wide Web and a reasonably priced sales kit are required for the perfect opportunity to own your own business. Contact Art Simpson art@worldpestcontrol.com or check out http://www.worldpestcontrol.com which is just beginning.

  15. MISSION OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS — Wesley International School is a school for MK’s and other expats located near several major unreached people groups in East Java, Indonesia. Several mission organizations have teams in the area. For the 2004/05 school year, WIS is seeking an elementary teacher, a high school biology teacher and an ESL teacher. If you or someone you know is interested, contact WIS via email principal@wesleyinterschool.org or see their website at … http://www.wesleyinterschool.org

  16. MORE FREE IN-DEPTH BIBLE STUDY RESOURCES — Over 7000 pages of FREE commentary on all 66 books of the Bible are available from http://www.soniclight.com . They represent 20 years of work by Dr. Tom Constable of Dallas Seminary and are intended to help anyone better understand God’s Word. Another entry for “best-kept secrets of the Internet” is http://www.e-sword.net .

  17. A STORY OF HOPE: EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE LEARNING — Be better equipped to learn the language and culture in which you serve. This virtual tutor, a set of three instructional DVD’s, will guide language learners of all expertise levels. Complete with interactive resources, “Effective Language Learning: A Story of Hope” was designed for the international worker with limited access to effective language learning resources. Follow the dramatized story of a young couple as they learn the language and culture overseas so that they may personally engage the community around them. Your Price: $60.00 Order. Request the order from IMB, SBC — http://resources.imb.org/index.cfm/fa/prod/ProdID/1086.htm

  18. FUN FACTS TO KNOW AND TELL — Did you ever wonder, “I wonder who might have invented the ‘smileyface’ :-) that is so popular now on instant messaging and emails?” Check it out at: http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~sef/sefSmiley.htm and the original message: http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~sef/Orig-Smiley.htm and http://research.microsoft.com/~mbj/smiley/smiley.html See the “real” press coverage at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/sci_tech/newsid_2257000/2257532.stm