Resource: Strategic Network

Occasionally I will be introducing various missions resources. Some will be web-based, others in print.

Disclaimer: Nearly all of the resources introduced will be Evangelical in nature, i.e. they will not hold to many Baptist distinctives. Also, they will follow a critical text translation, be more ecumenical than we are, and hold a wide range of doctrinal traditions. Therefore, none of them should be taken as perfectly representing my personal beliefs. All should be used with discretion. However, many are nonetheless very valuable, even for Independent Fundamental Baptists.

The first resource is one that has been extraordinarily valuable to me. It is the Network for Strategic Missions. It is actually a collection of resources produced by a non-Independent Baptist missionary in Southeast Asia. These resources are meant to "Help believers passionately, quickly, and effectively reach the least-reached 27% of our world." There are several of these resources that I want to draw your attention to:

• The Knowledge Base: This is a collection of over 16,000 articles from some of the most noted Evangelical mission magazines, journals, etc. You can find what you want through a search engine or by digging into their multitude of topics. Most of the articles can be viewed for free. Others can be viewed after subscribing ($20/year). I would highly recommend subscribing.


• Google Mission Search: This is accessed through the small search bar at the upper right of the home page. It will allow you to search 60 mission-related sites. This is a valuable tool for web-based mission research.


• Momentum Mag: In the world of online magazines, this is a keeper. With a free subscription, you will receive daily or weekly updates. The updates include links to the latest Momentum articles and to important off-site articles. I have found many resources and articles pertinent to world missions through the daily updates.


• Missiopedia: Wikipedia has added a new dynamic to the encyclopedia world. It is now doing the same thing to mission knowledge. Though this open source mission encyclopedia is yet at a fairly low level of development, one can still find good up-to-date information.

This resource is one of the most worthwhile investments of your mission-related time and $20 (though most of the resources are free) on the web today. Try it out. Do you know where missions has been and where it is going? Do you want your thinking challenged? This is a good place to start. Start with the Knowledge Base. Look for a topic of interest, think critically, and grow.