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Brigada Today
01 Jul 2005
In this issue...
- LEARN HOW TO LEARN A LANGUAGE
- LEGAL & TAX INFO FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
- LEARN TO PRODUCE MAPS FOR YOUR MINISTRY
- NEW PIROLO BOOK: DO YOU THINK GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A MISSIONARY?
- WANT TO LEARN RUSSIAN OR ARABIC FOR MINISTRY?
- TRANSFOMRING NATIONS COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY
- REACHING NOMADS & RURAL UNREACHED PEOPLES
- SEND GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL AIRTIME
- DO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK?
- THREE CHEERS FOR PARTNERS AND SPONSORS!
- TNX FOR YOUR HELP ON FOLLOWERSHIP: ABOUT 150 TO GO!
- SPONSOR OR DONATE TOWARD BRIGADA COSTS?
- THE BACKPAGE:
- CLOSING STUFF
- LEARN HOW TO LEARN A LANGUAGE -- Fuller Seminary's School of Intercultural Studies (Pasadena, CA) is offering the course MB530 "Language/Culture Learning and Mission" July 16 (Saturday) to July 29. This 4-unit (quarter system) practical course teaches language and culture learning skills, and includes field-work in one of the many ethnic communities in the Los Angeles area. For more information about the class, please see the course description on Fuller's website http://www.fuller.edu/swm/ecds/053/MB530_Brewster_053.html or contact Dr. Betty Sue Brewster brewster(at)fuller(dot)edu [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] call 1-800- 235-2222 (USA toll-free) ext 3751, or 626-304-3751. You can enroll for audit or credit - for enrollment information call 1-800-AFULLER (USA Toll Free) or 1-626-584-5400.
- LEGAL & TAX INFO FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS -- The latest issue of the Nonprofit and Church Legal Trends Memorandum is now online. Here are some of the items covered: Federal minimum wage and overtime requirements do apply to churches and religious nonprofits but not to ministerial staff; IRS releases guidelines that can help nonprofit organizations with their employment taxes; principles of international charity have been developed by a working group of charitable organizations; churches, religious schools, and camps may be legally responsible for injuries resulting from failure to exercise adequate supervision of their programs and activities; IRS denies tax deduction for the educational expenses of obtaining an advanced degree. A part of each paid subscription goes to Brigada. Check out more at http://www.npchurchlaw.com or email info(at)npchurchlaw(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Make sure you type "Brigada" in the "How did you hear about us" field. Thanks!
- LEARN TO PRODUCE MAPS FOR YOUR MINISTRY -- Chris is hosting a workshop on the use of the Global Ministry Mapping System (GMMS) for ArcView in Cape Town, South Africa, rescheduled to 22-26 August 2005. Tony Caito from GMI Global Mapping International will be the trainer. / GMI normally asks that people indicate a strong intention to acquire and use the GMMS before they are invited to participate. GMI is committed to training and supporting people who are committed to doing mapping for church/mission work. http:www.gmi.org You must register by 21 July 2005. To find out more, send a blank email to: map-ct-subscribe(at)strategicnetwork(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- NEW PIROLO BOOK: DO YOU THINK GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A MISSIONARY? -- Neal Pirolo has done it again! If you are in a Youth Group, a Short Term Team, or a High School or College Graduate, a Youth or Missions Leader, any part of the missions endeavor then you need Neal's latest book, "I Think God Wants Me To Be A Missionary".
This exciting story features four young people who believe God wants them to be a missionary. Join them as they deal with issues everyone considering going to the mission field should consider long before saying good-bye.
To find out about a special pre-publication offer and to place your order, visit ERI's website at http://www.eri.org or call 858 292-7020.
- WANT TO LEARN RUSSIAN OR ARABIC FOR MINISTRY? -- Studying at the Institute of Strategic Languages and Cultures (ISLC) (Formerly Russian Language Ministries) will give you a good head start in learning the needed language and culture. Their experienced staff is called by God to equip you with the language & cross-cultural skills you will need to be effective in ministry to Russian and Arabic speakers. Courses are tailored to your learning needs and offer an intensive and focused experience with, gradual effective immersion in the language, communicative learning methods & flexible duration for all programs. Their U.S. based courses are taught in an encouraging spiritual atmosphere with a focus on future ministry. They have classes forming for Fall (Aug. 29 - Dec. 16). In the USA, call toll Free: 1-800-799- 7976 or 1-803-333-9119 or see them on the web a: http://www.strategiclanguages.org or email them at RLMoffice(at)juno(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- TRANSFOMRING NATIONS COMMUNITY BY COMMUNITY -- Are you interested in establishing a Community-Based Health Care Program which integrates the physical and the spiritual? Medical Ambassadors International's Training of Trainers (TOT) introduces people to Community Health Evangelism (CHE).This strategy teaches concepts, gives vision and practical How Tos for implementing and managing CHE in your ministry. Training dates for USA:October 11-16, 2005. Additional information can be found at http://www.med-amb.org/What_We _Do_TOT.htm or Helen(at)med-amb(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- REACHING NOMADS & RURAL UNREACHED PEOPLES -- 3 months of structured learning followed by 2 months of practical overseas application from Aug. 22- Jan. 31, 2005 is being offered by YWAM Western Frontiers (formerly Cowboys With a Mission) in Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park. Prerequisites are a high school diploma and a passion for Jesus. Check out http://www.WesternFrontiers.com or contact DTS(at)WesternFrontiers(dot)com
- SEND GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL AIRTIME -- Here's a service that allows missionary families here in the U.S. to keep in touch with their loved ones serving on the foreign mission field. They have outstanding rates to anywhere in the world with clean, quality connections. Can be used with any cellular or land line phone. Find out more and read other missionary testimonials at our website. You can even try it out for free! Look up rates to anywhere in the world at http://www.global-airtime.com
- DO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK? -- "The Writer's Workshop" is a free monthly e-letter designed to help you write your book and get it published. To subscribe, write to workshop(at)peapodpublishing(dot)com. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address, please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Type "subscribe" in the subject line, and include your name and country in the message box. E-letter editor Diana Scimone has helped numerous people write and publish their books. She's author of "Adventures With PawPaw," a series of children's books about a little dog who travels to a different country in each book, introducing young children to other countries and cultures. A portion of book sales goes to PawPaw's Pals, an international relief agency helping children in disaster and crisis situations around the world. For more information, visit http://www.adventureswithpawpaw.com and http://www.pawpawspals.org
- THREE CHEERS FOR PARTNERS AND SPONSORS!-- Thanks to the anonymous partners who pitched in $25, $35, $50, $100, $50, $50, and $100. One donor wrote, "It's quite generous of you to let donors voice some preferred interest...but mine is just thanks. I read your newsletter to get a sense of the pulse of missions of folks personally living the Great Commission. ... So keep me anonymous and let me say to YOU, thanks for all you do!" Whoa. Thank you out there! Another said, "I live in the Middle East and work with an org. I can't mention here. I'm originally from Switzerland. I just want to support that this helpful snippets of information continues to go out. Let the people know that there are many more workers needed a) in the arab/muslim countries and b) among muslims in the west (France, GB, Africa, ...)" In addition to the above gifts, DialAbroad sent commissions for April ($136) and May ($136). Thanks to anyone that has signed up for long distance as a result of this great phone service. The April Commission was $136 and May brought $132. For more on their ministry, click to: http://www.dial-abroad.org/brigada.htm and choose the long-distance service, "Dial-Abroad".
- TNX FOR YOUR HELP ON FOLLOWERSHIP: ABOUT 150 TO GO! -- Great progress this past week on the dissertation research. I only need about 150 more completed sets of followers and their respective leaders. If you work for a church, mission or other non-profit, I'd sure appreciate your help. Would someone out there help me find just 150 more pairs? Just click to: http://www.brigada.org/followership First, click on the link for "Team Members and staff persons" and make sure you supply the info. on your team leader -- totally secure. (No lists are being created from this data. It's pure doctoral research.) We'll report back the findings in Brigada Today. Thanks for your help.
- SPONSOR OR DONATE TOWARD BRIGADA COSTS? -- Would you consider helping with the costs of our webspace, some secretarial help, and a small amount of advertising? We're thankful for the $6,107.36 that has come in so far toward our 2005 goal of $16,576 (about 36%). To chip in or make a substantial donation, just log on at http://www.brigada.org then click "sponsor" in the top menu (to use PayPal or a credit card), or just send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 11327 Jefferson Trace Blvd., Louisville, KY 40291. Thanks! As always, be sure to let us know if you'd like us to promote any particular service or ministry, or if you'd prefer your gift be anonymous.
- THE BACKPAGE: WHAT DO CHURCHES WANT? -- Lately I've been wondering... what do local churches want back out of missions? Over the past 27 years in this business, I have detected a slight shift in motives among certain kinds of churches. For example, these days I seem to hear more about local churches wanting to have a role in visiting and advising their workers overseas. Maybe 25 years ago, some lay people hadn't traveled as much, so they wouldn't have presumed to be advisors. And maybe, with the advent of the "megachurch" (congregations of 1,000 or more members), there's a greater sense of responsibility to give back something to the mission field -- besides a monthly check. What's more, over that same time period, several news stories have emerged which perhaps have given way to doubts about the use of funds designated for foreign outreach and nonprofit use. We hear a whole lot more of the stories about the certain humanitarian aid organizations refitting administrative offices with newer fax machines . . . and less about troubleshooting the urgent flood, earthquake, or fire in whose name the gift was donated. So, in response, perhaps local churches want to create a gentle accountability via their onsite visit. And beyond all this, the short-term missions movement, which began in earnest in the 70s and 80s, is now producing a generation of leaders who aren't a bit shy about visiting the bush. Their passport is already full of stamps from multiple continents.
Meanwhile, many missionaries and humanitarian aid workers have perhaps been laboring under the false assumption that motives and methods have remained unchanged back home. So when leaders of the local church mention their upcoming visit, perhaps it strikes the on-site worker with a bit of surprise. He or she might be tempted to feel singled-out or put on the defensive. In reality, it's perhaps a nationwide shift, or even a global one.
What's your opinion? Want to register your thoughts? Jot a note to this email address: brigada-feedback@googlegroups.com You won't have to join the group or register in any way. Your feedback can even be anonymous, if you desire.
We probably need to delve deeper into this question of "what churches want"... because it's a financial jungle out there. Doug
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COPYRIGHT -- This issue of _Brigada Today_ is Copyrighted 2005. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute these materials, including those available on the Brigada website, provided that such redistribution is to those who will help the Good News of Jesus Christ to reach the unreached.* To copy or reproduce _Brigada Today_ for any other reason is illegal and is not permitted. * When you quote or paraphrase material from Brigada, please include this phrase: "For a free subscription to Brigada's weekly missions publication, write brigada-today-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and/or visit Brigada on the web at www.brigada.org."
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