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Brigada Today
12 May 2006

In this issue...

1. ORAL BIBLE RESOURCES
2. GET TOP-FLIGHT TRAINING ON ISLAM
3. WAYFARING.COM: COOL SITE, GREAT PRICE (FREE), NEAT MAPS
4. NATIONAL MISSIONS CALENDAR (USA)
5. FINALLY: THE SKINNY ON GOOGLE'S RANKING STRATEGIES
6. MORE SITES FOR WEB EVANGELISM
7. GET READY, GET SET, GO CROSS-CULTURALLY
8. CHURCH-BASED TEAMS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION
9. CATCH STRATEGY CO-ORDINATOR (SC) TRAINING IN SINGAPORE
10. OPPORTUNITIES AT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICES
11. WANT TO UNDERGIRD BRIGADA?
12. THE BACKPAGE: 3 CHEERS FOR MISSIONARY MOTHERS
13. CLOSING STUFF

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1. ORAL BIBLE RESOURCES -- Here's the perfect way to get started with biblical storytelling. Two great DVD workshops for only $24.95. Paul & Teresa have trained more than 100 biblical storytellers in Asia. Now they share their insights in these professionally produced DVDs, "Telling God's Stories," and "Multiplying Storytellers." Each 55 minutes long, these DVDs are full of excellent tips on how to become an effective biblical storyteller and how to train others to tell God's stories. Check it out at
   
   http://www.fullfaith.com/missions/paul.html 

   or email: storyteller(at)FinalApproach(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address, please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]. (Hats off to these folks for pitching in $25 toward the Brigada cause! Now we hope you'll order the DVDs, if for no other reason, just to tell them thanks for being a great Brigada participant! :-) )

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2. GET TOP-FLIGHT TRAINING ON ISLAM -- At CIU, catch July 3-7, Introduction to Islam (Johnson); July 10-14, Approaches to Islam (Parshall); July 17-21, Folk Islam (Larson); July 24-28, Revelation, Qur'an and Muslim Traditions (Masood) Distance Education: Introduction to Islam (Larson); and/or Women in Islam (Stacey) by calling 803-754- 4100 or by logging on at
   
   http://www.ciu.edu/muslimstudies/  
   
   (Many thanks to the folks at Zwemer for helping offset Brigada's costs to the tune of $100! Thank you, thank you, thank you!)

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3. WAYFARING.COM: COOL SITE, GREAT PRICE (FREE), NEAT MAPS -- I've been trying out
   
   http://www.wayfaring.com 
   
   Though I'm still looking for some shortcuts to save me some keystrokes and waiting time, I'm loving the way in which I can set up accurate maps to represent trips and field assignments. I've found I can always export the final product by printing it as a PDF (using Adobe Acrobat or whatever solution you've cooked up to process PDFs). I can indicate prayer points for various locations around the globe, or zero in on a particular country. Granted... sometimes it seems more difficult than it should be to pinpoint various overseas locations, but, for the price (free!), I can't think of a better value in real-time mapping. Go ahead. Try it out. Use it on your next prayer journey to leave with home-based prayer partners. (Don't forget you heard about this great resource on Brigada.)

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4. NATIONAL MISSIONS CALENDAR (USA) -- As a way to serve mission agencies and churches, Paraclete has developed a website called the "National Missions Calendar (USA)." The purpose is to provide a free location where missions-related events in the United States can be posted by any ministry group and thereby easily accessible to other churches and organizations. The URL is
   
   http://www.paraclete.net/web/WelcomeMissionsCalendar.htm 
   
   For more information contact renee(at)paraclete(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address, please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with.]

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5. FINALLY: THE SKINNY ON GOOGLE'S RANKING STRATEGIES -- Thanks to Brigada participant, Bob, I finally feel I have a better handle on how Google ranks pages. Let's use this reduced-weight URL for the email version:
   
   http://tinyurl.com/4zl8q 
   
   But I'll try to remember to expand out the web version to the "real" link in case you want to look at it there.
   
   Someone recently asked why we'd want a higher ranking with Google. Call me foolish, but I guess I just want to make it easier for people to find us. For example, we hope by Christmas that we'll be officially locating the Brigada office at Emerald Hills, in Louisville, KY:
   
   http://www.emeraldhills.info 
   
   If someone forgets that we're ".info", but searches for us on Google, I'm a *whole* lot more comfortable if they find us on their first search screen than if we're buried several screens deep.

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6. MORE SITES FOR WEB EVANGELISM -- Looking for tips on developing an evangelistic web outreach? Try these:
   
   http://bridgesites.org 
   
   The Bridge Site Strategy is explained. You can use your hobbies & interests to "bridge" into the world of one who does not know the Lord. Opportunities are also to join a "Bridge Site Team" to develop an evangelistic website centered on one of your favorite interests.
   
   http://webevangelist.blogspot.com 
   
   "Adventures of a Web Evangelist" by Scott Reese, on how the Internet can be used strategically for world missions.
   
   http://internetminister.org 
   
   A good place to go to learn about Internet Evangelism. (Thanks, Scott, for these suggestions!)
   
   As always, you can learn tons just by going to the Brigada site...
   
   http://www.brigada.org 
   
   Just click on "Evangelism" in the top line menu. (By the way, if you do a Google search on the word, "Evangelism", the Brigada article comes up 9th in the rankings. If you check it out, please do us the favor of clicking the Google link so it continues to affirm the relevancy of the material there, largely gathered by our good friend and partner, Tony. (Thanks Tony!)

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7. GET READY, GET SET, GO CROSS-CULTURALLY -- The Center for Intercultural Training (CIT) provides a complete, cross-cultural training program in 9-10 weeks that includes culture prep, language acquisition, and team and relationships skills. A shorter program is also available that includes culture prep and language acquisition. Training is available for the entire family during the spring, summer, and fall terms and can be taken as a complete package or in individual modules. Bible Intensives are offered during the summer months. A Debrief and Reentry module is also offered twice annually. For more information, call 800.887.1786 or visit
   
   http://www.cit-online.org .
   
   

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8. NOW GET THE BIBLE ON A TALKING CHIP -- Thanks to Ken for bringing our attention to:
   
   http://solarpoweredbible.com/ 
   
   Basically, it's a small bible that fits in the palm of your hand and now speaks all the books of the Bible, old and new Testament, in a real human voice. You can jump from book to book, and chapter to chapter with the press of a button. You can also jump ahead or back in 15 second intervals. It's easy to use and the batteries are built into the unit. It can be powered by the sun or a light bulb or charged from a 9 volt DC adapter (not included). Fully charged batteries will allow the unit to play for approximately 10 hours. You can listen to the human voice reading the bible through the Bible's excellent speaker, or through ear phones (included). The unit measures 4 1/4 by 2 1/2 by 7/8 inch. This would be great for the visually impaired or for your next road trip.
   
   In spite of costs as high as $110 at other sites, Ken found it at:
   
   http://www.kingdom.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SOLBIB 
   
   for just $40 with accessories at
   
   http://www.kingdom.com/category.aspx?categoryID=602 
   
   Quite a deal. Good find, Ken!

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9. CHURCH-BASED TEAMS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION -- Catch this on May 22 from 2-4 pm at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue Washington following the Pastors Luncheon in preparation for Mission Fest Seattle. As a neutral missions organization, Paraclete
   
   http://www.paraclete.net 
   
   is hosting a series of Round Table Discussions on timely missions topics in order to facilitate communication, understanding and kingdom- cooperation. The church-based team strategy is a growing method for doing missions. Fostering a climate, in which the church-based team is more widely understood and where past challenges and best practices can be learned and shared, would be a kingdom win for all interested in global disciple-making. RSVP to pastorsluncheon(at)comcast(dot)net For further information contact Don don(at)paraclete(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

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10. CATCH STRATEGY CO-ORDINATOR (SC) TRAINING IN SINGAPORE -- Take in this meeting from 07 to 31 August 2006 with Asia Pacific Mission Limited (APM) in partnership with the Singapore Centre for Evangelism and Missions (SCEM). Learn the work of a Strategy Coordinator (SC) to focus on Unreached People Groups, Cities or Regions. It's happening at the Global Training Centre, Singapore for US$600.00 per single person or married couple (plus your airfare, board and lodging). Sign up before 15 JULY, 2006 or you'll pay a $50 late fee. For more info, write scanet(at)gmail(dot)com with subject: SCT06 or contact Frank (Mobile: +65-9682-4493; Fax: +65-625-777-29)

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11. OPPORTUNITIES AT INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICES -- Here's a spot in Istanbul, where you can serve the missionary community in the following positions for 2006-7: Middle School (6-8) Math teacher, Middle School (6-8) Science teacher, High School (9-12) Math Teacher, Secondary Principal (6-12), Computer Technician/Computer Curriculum Development, and School Librarian. IES, a K-12 International School, has an enrollment of over 150 students, and although staff members are responsible for raising their own financial support, furnished housing and local transportation is provided. For more information, check out their website at
    
    http://www.teachingadventure.org  or email Karen recruit(at)teachingadventure(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

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12. WANT TO UNDERGIRD BRIGADA? -- When you empower Brigada, you keep Brigada Today editions cranking out each week to people all over the world who perhaps can not, at this time, pay a subscription fee. We keep sending them Brigada Today on a weekly basis -- and you have the opportunity to make that possible for them. Just click on "sponsor" in the top menu (to use PayPal or a credit card), or if you prefer, send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 11327 Jefferson Trace Blvd., Louisville, KY 40291. 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. In any case, thanks for considering Brigada in your estate giving, your monthly church missions fund, and/or your own personal giving for this calendar year.

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13. THE BACKPAGE: 3 CHEERS FOR MISSIONARY MOTHERS -- We lay aside our series on "24" to focus this "BackPage Editorial" on mothers of missionaries and mothers of missionary kids. On this weekend in the USA, Sunday is "Mother's Day", a time to remember and say thanks to those who gave us birth. While shopping for a card recently for my wife, the mother of our children, I couldn't help but notice how many cards seemed aimed at sons and husbands with guilty consciences. "I know we don't talk much any more..." began one card. Another said, "Perhaps I don't tell you very often, but I truly do love you." After seeing entire *rows* of this kind of card, I began to piece together a trend: Hallmark thinks we're scoundrels, guys. How do we break this mold of "being a guy", i.e., forgetting holidays, birthdays, and other special events in the lives of those we love, and all the while, ignoring the "regular maintenance" that would kindle a close and warm relationship. Well I, for one, am not about to dismiss their market research casually. How do we turn it around? Here's a handy 3-point response. Note we're working under the assumption that your mother (and/or the mother of your kids) is still alive; if she isn't, you have our deep sympathy. In that case, please just help us convey these thoughts to others:
    
    
      *** Communicate: Here me well -- Write, Email, or call your mother once a week, if she's still alive. Use a calendar, Day-timer, Outlook, or some other device if you must. Schedule it in advance. Treat it as an appointment much the same as you would any other fixture in your work or home life.
    
    
      *** Mentor: If you've got kids, teach them to do the same. Remind them of the importance of recognizing their mother, especially on those special days like birthdays, Christmas, and Mother's Day (if applicable where you live). Talk about why you set the pace, then walk the talk.
    
    
      *** Be faithful regardless: Maybe your mother has written you off (or so it would seem). Perhaps she just isn't very good at communication. No matter. Follow through with resolve anyway. As far as it concerns you, keep extending an open hand to her regardless of whether or not she reciprocates. The truth is, she probably extended a hand to you when you couldn't, or wouldn't reciprocate anyway.
    
    Many of us have just heard Mother's Day messages with inspiring mandates to start making a difference with our mothers. Now, let's put them into action. Because, for the moms of this world, it's a real jungle out there.

Brigada Website: WebServant@brigada.org

For sponsors only: Brigada Customer Service Manager: Penny Lucas, help@brigada.org

Brigada Coordinator: Doug Lucas, Team Expansion & Brigada, editor@brigada.org

"If you've been asked to lead, you've been asked to serve."
Brigada Home Page	Doug Lucas editor@brigada.org	Phone: 502-719-0007	Brigada Today Index
	3700 Hopewell Rd.	FAX: 502-719-0008
	Louisville, KY 40299-5002	Organization: Team Expansion

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