Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

These Weeks in the Mission Blogosphere

From Mission resources, to the missionary spirit of Independent Baptists, to Swarming, over the last few week I have read many good Mission posts. Here are a few of my highlights from the last several weeks in the Mission Blogosphere:
  • MissionaryHelp.com - This is a site I ran across recently. He has recently pointed out several new resources that could benefit the Mission. Two resources deal with the reaching of oral peoples. They include a powerpoint and a book. While we may not adopt all of the approaches suggested, there is definitely some work to be done in this area. He also introduced Google Voice. I do not believe it will replace Skype any time soon, but I do plan to begin utilizing it soon for call management. It shows some promise even for missionaries.
  • The Missionary Spirit - Way of Life posted a wonderful charge to Independent Fundamental Baptists concerning their missionary fervor. It is a reprint of a 1997 article in The Fundamentalist Digest. After recapping the happenings among 100 seminary students at the Andover Seminary in the 19th century, the writer asks "Could a group of 100 students be found in any fundamental Baptist seminary in the USA today who have banded themselves together solely for seeking God's will concerning missionary service?" I pray that this exists, but I'm afraid to look.
  • This Generation in Mission - Missions Mandate posted some comments made by Southern Baptist Al Mohler concerning the future of missions in the hands of the next generation. They are worthy thoughts to be considered by Independent Baptists as well. What will the Mission look like in our hands? Is there really coming a "tidal wave of participatory missions unlike anything seen by the Christian church since the first century"? I pray so. How can we ensure it?
  • What Kind of Pastors Do We Look For? - Desiring God included a great post about qualifications for church leadership. While Independent Fundamental Baptists do not generally look for "the creative type," we do perhaps place a lot of emphasis in areas that God does not.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Resource: Books on Paul the Missionary

I think that sometimes we forget who Paul was. Oh, we always remember certain things about him. For example, he was an apostle - and not just any apostle. He was an apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, upon whom special revelation was showered, who acted with a special authority. This is the Paul we know. Is that the whole picture though?

Perhaps it would be convenient for us if that was the whole picture. It would allow us to remain satisfied with our faith, our methods, our results. We could continue to justify, "We are not apostles as he was, therefore we cannot expect his results, nor can we bind ourselves to his methods. Rather, we must work to develop our own methods, that will work in our time, in our contexts." However, if Paul is much more than the above, then we have serious grounds for self-examination.

Yes, Paul was more than that. Let's not forget that, though he was an Apostle of Christ, he was also an apostle of a church in Antioch. Always remember that he was Paul the apostle of Christ, but let us also remember that he Paul the missionary. He was fulfilling the same commands that bind us still. Not only that, but the principles that guided his missionary methods should be those that guide ours. I am convinced that, if we follow the same principles, we will use much the same methods, and get in many places much the same results.

That is where these resources come into play. I suppose there have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books written about Paul. However, it seems that relatively few have been written about Paul the missionary. I would now like to point to a couple that have been beneficial to my thinking.


Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours? by Roland Allen


This book shook my world when I had to read it for a class (I'm not sure my fellow classmates were nearly as enthralled). So often we hear people claim to use Pauline methods. But Roland Allen dared to suggest that we aren't really Pauline in our approach at all. As a result, we have long since lost hope of Pauline results. Perhaps the aspect of Allen's work that struck me most was the deliberate movement away from dependency upon the missionary toward dependency upon the Holy Ghost in our methods. Also significant was his suggestion that there are very few, if any, conditions present on any mission field today that would rule out doing the work the way Paul did, expecting the results that Paul obtained.

Allen was an Anglican. Therefore, as an Independent Fundamental Baptist, you will have to spit out the bones. In places, he is heavy on the "sacraments," and he would promote an ecclesiology that is foreign to us and Scripture (though he is closer than most other Anglicans). So read discerningly, but in the many places where he is Scriptural, learn and heed.


Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies and Methods by Eckhard Schnabel

Not all of Allen's suggestions are in line with Scripture and history. In many of the places where Allen lacked, Schnabel adequately supplements. Paul the Missionary is a much larger book, but it is well worth the time. His recollection of Paul's work is challenging to us today. You would do well to pick up this book and take the time to read it thoroughly.


I want to include here a few quotes from the Preface and Intro to Missionary Methods. They will give you a taste of what's coming:

"The fact remains that, where St. Paul conspicuously succeeded, we have conspicuously failed. May it not be because we have worked upon widely different principles?" (Henry Whitehead, in the Intro to the 1st ed.)

"We can more easily believe in His work in us and through us, than we can believe in His work in and through our converts: we cannot trust our converts to Him. But that is one of the most obvious lessons which the study of St Paul's work teaches us."

"Like the rest of the Holy Scriptures it (the record of Paul's church planting ministry) was 'written for our learning'. It was certainly meant to be something more than the romantic history of an exceptional man, doing exceptional things under exceptional circumstances - a story from which ordinary people of a later age can get no more instruction for practical missionary work than they receive from the history of the Cid, or from the exploits of King Arthur."

"Either we must drag down St Paul from his pedestal as the great missionary, or else we must acknowledge that there is in his work that quality of universality."

Are you willing to have your minds and methods challenged by Paul the missionary? Do you want to find the secret of his success as a missionary? Do you want to truly work from the same principles?

These books are a good place to begin that challenge. Read them, and tell me what you think.



Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Resource: Etnopedia

For those who have been waiting for a next post, sorry. I've been out of town for a bit, but I'm back now - crazy summer! I'll start back with this short post concerning another Mission-related resource online.

Etnopedia is primarily a Wiki translation project, aiming to provide multiple language groups with unreached people group information. It remains a helpful tool for English-speakers though. Of course, it is not as complete as English information that you could get elsewhere, at Joshua Project or Peoplegroups.org. Nevertheless, it can prove useful in coordination with other tools.

As with many people group-oriented sites, you can browse for people groups by name and nation. Being yet at the early stages of Wiki-development, perhaps some in this audience would be able to contribute to the community. This could be done by providing more people group information or translating existing profiles.

Posting Soon:
Solution to the Missionary Support Crisis: Supporting Fewer with More

Monday, July 27, 2009

Resource: Mission InfoBank

There are few places on the web (that I've found) where you can get more Mission-related stuff
than at the Mission InfoBank. The InfoBank is coordinated by Global Mapping International, with such contributors as Operation World, Joshua Project, Peoplegroups.org, and Ethnologue. All of
these collaborate here to offer Mission resources to Christian leaders.

For my purposes here, it is made up of basically two parts: the database and the library.
  • Database: Drawing from many different sources, this resource allows you to view, sort, and filter data about countries, people groups, languages, and denominations in a way that you get what you want. On top of this, you can sometimes generate a map that represents the data. For a simple example: Click on the "Database" tab at the top of their page. Select "Countries" under "Geography". Press "Save & Continue". Click on the "Filter" tab at the top of the page. Under "Christianity" it says "Annual Evangelical Growth Rate". In the drop-down list to the right, select the 'greater than' symbol, >. Then type in '10'. Save and Continue. Now you have a list of the 15 countries that are experiencing an increase of over 10% in their evangelical population every year. Now click on the "Map" tab at the top of the page and you will get a map representation of this data. Now tinker with the Database yourself!
  • Library: This is a very helpful feature. Here you can find pictures of people and places, maps that give valuable information, and more. For another simple example, click on the "Library" tab at the top of the page. Now search for "China map". This search reveals 61 maps covering political regions, dialects, population, percent Christian, etc. The great thing is that most of these resources can be used freely for personal and limited non-profit use.
The Mission InfoBank is yet another great online Mission resource. Use it for research, presentations, and more.

While I have many other resources that I will introduce in the future, please let me know of any that you have found valuable in the comments section below.

Other Resource Posts:






Monday, June 22, 2009

Resource: World Map

Need help visualizing the remaining World Mission task? Statistics and words sometimes do not help us to realize the condition of the world as they should. Sometimes pictures can provide a needed supplement to statistics. This is where resources like World Map come in.

The World Mission Atlas Project (MAP) has turned statistical missions data into maps, allowing us to visualize the status of global evangelization. There are several things here that I would like to draw your attention to:
  • Getting Started - On the home page you will find an interactive globe. Just spin it around and click on a region that you want to know more about. Another way to get started exploring their site it to choose a country or region in the drop down bloxes labeled "explore a country. . ." and "explore a region. . ."
  • The World - On this page you will find a valuable map. Under the heading "Downloads" and sub-heading "Global Status of Evangelical Christianity" there are two downloads. They are the same map in different forms (.jpg and .pdf). The .pdf download is large, but allows you to view the document in greater detail. Notice where the least unreached peoples are on the map. Where are we doing the most work? Is there any discrepancy?
  • Nations and Regions - I pointed out under "Getting Started" a couple of ways to find the information you want. Here is an example. Click on Central Asia, either in the "explore a region" drop down box or by clicking (twice) on that region in the interactive map. This will take you to a map of the region. Below the map are three .pdf map downloads. Download these to see how we are doing in the region with evangelization and translation. Now click on Iran back on the Central Asia page. You will see a map of Iran with several relavent .pdf map downloads below it. How can we get the Gospel to this needy nation? Now you can go to the region/country of your choosing.
Any of the maps on this site can be used freely, just be kind enought to credit them as the source ("Map Source: www.worldmap.org"). Use this resource to better your understanding of what is going on in the world, and what remains to be done. Seek to spread the Gospel where it has yet to be heard!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Resource: Skype and Its Potential for Missions

I love Skype. We use it for all of our calling (in and outbound). It saves us money and has allowed us to do things we wouldn't normally have been able to do (like letting grandma see her grandson regularly via a free video conference). So, I have regularly promoted personal use of Skype.

What excites me even more about Skype is its potential for missions.

What is Skype? I am no expert, but here is my explanation. It is a VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) platform. This allows you to make 'phone' calls over the internet. All you need is an internet connection and the program (which is free to download).

What's the cost? Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls are free anywhere in the world. On top of this, you can purchase a local number and an unlimited calling plan. At the time we purchased all of this (about a year ago) it cost us around $60 . . . . for a year!

On a recent trip to an Asian country, we were able to log on to our Skype account and make and receive U.S. calls as if we were making local calls.

What is the potential benefit to Independent Baptist missions?

Many of our missionaries are already using it. It allows them to call home very affordably (even for free). It also allows home to call them with the same benefits.

That is how it is already being used. This is awesome! However, let's take it to the next level.

It is my experience that neither Independent Baptist missionaries nor IB laypeople are completely satisfied concerning their connection with each other. It isn't uncommon for missionaries to feel disconnected from the ministry of their sending and supporting churches. They can feel as though they are all alone. In some isolated fields, this can bring unnecessary stress and pressure. On the home front, pew-setters often feel they are disconnected from the work their missionaries are doing on the field. It is my conviction that connecting members with their missionaries is a key factor in mobilizing a church for missions. I believe it increases passion, sending, going, giving, caring, and much more. There are many ways in which this connection can be fostered.

Here is one of them:

Imagine a missionary on an isolated field. There aren't any working close by who are of like faith and practice. If it weren't for the connection he is able to maintain with his sending church, he would feel the isolation much more, reducing his overall effectiveness. But his sending church has taken many active steps to avoid this. One of the steps involves the use of Skype. The pastor voice and (when possible) video conferences with the missionary weekly. This allows him a way to affordably and very personally care for the member of his church that is working overseas. In addition to this, once a month the missionary joins the church for a Wednesday service. Part of these special services includes a video interview conducted by the pastor. During this time, the church can see and hear the missionary and vice-versa. There is also time given for some members of the church to ask questions or make comments. This part of the service is closed as the missionary hears and sees the church praying for him. The rest of the service is seen by the missionary on the other side of the planet.

This is a scenario that can be a reality in almost any church. Many already have the equipment they would need to make it possible. The rest could make the worth-while investment. Video conferencing would be possible for any missionary on a field that has high-speed internet access (which includes many fields that you wouldn't normally think of). Voice conferencing usually just requires dial-up access. There are many possibilities. It is not too difficult logistically Be creative.


Disclaimer: Skype to Skype calls are encrypted, and should be perfectly secure. However, Skype is 'closed source', and many have raised concerns over how secure it actually is. It seems to me that it is secure enough to use comfortably even in restricted-access countries (China being a possible exception). Because of Skype's 'closed' nature, it is difficult to be certain though. Right now third-party encryption platforms (such as PGP) are not able to be used with Skype. Again, I do not think it is anything to worry about. Certainly, there are less worries with Skype security than there are with typical emails and even phone calls.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Resource: Joshua Project

Much of the talk in missions (not among Independent Baptists though) over the last several decades has been about people groups, especially unreached people groups (who they are, how to reach them, etc.). As this discussion has been taking place, several related resources have been developed to help reach them. Perhaps the most well-known and valuable of these resources is Joshua Project.

"Joshua Project is a research initiative seeking to highlight the ethnic people groups of the world
with the least followers of Jesus Christ." They have broken the people in the world up into people groups and have used various criteria to classify them as reached or unreached. The tools that they have available can be used to make our missionary work more strategic, and to ensure that no people groups are ignored. Here are some things that are available to you:
  1. Resource Page - PDF's, Powerpoints, and beyond are available for download on this page. Browse through the downloads, do some reading, and you will find yourself understanding the remaining world task that much better.
  2. Countries - Click a country on the map or choose one from the drop-down list on the upper right to view extensive people group info for each nation. Clicking on the column titles will allow you to arrange the information in the way you wish.
  3. People Selector - By entering the information you want here, you can get a people group table taylored to your specific needs.
There are many other ways to utilize Joshua Project's resources, but these will get you started. This is an amazing strategic resource. The benefit of viewing the world in people groups (as opposed to mere political nations) can hardly be overstated. Joshua Project is sure to be referenced frequently on this blog in the future.

What peoples are unreached? Is anyone trying to reach them? Go to Joshua Project to get an idea. But do note that this doesn't tell you where Independent Fundamental Baptists are working, and who we're reaching. So what are the implications for us?

Monday, June 1, 2009

Resource: Valuable Mission Links

It can take quite a while to find what you want on the web. This can be frustrating. I have felt this frustration while attempting to learn about and research missions. In order to help myself and others, I have compiled a list of (what I consider) the most valuable Mission-related sites on the net.

You can download it for free by clicking here.

The links are contained in a table on a pdf document. They have been arranged by general topic and name. In the far right column are brief descriptions of the resources to aid in discerning their usefulness to you. The titles in bold are those that I feel are most valuable. Almost all of the resources are free to access (which was one of my main criteria). You should be able to access all of the sites directly from the pdf document. 

As usual, I feel compelled to add a disclaimer: Very few of these resources are of an Independent Fundamental Baptist persuasion. There are nevertheless useful. Use at your own Holy Ghost-guided discretion. 

I pray that this resource will be useful. Please comment on this post if you have any other online resources that you would recommend. I am constantly searching for more and your imput would be considered valuable. Feel free to distribute, reproduce, or use this document as you wish.

You must have the Acrobat Reader installed to view the document. If you do not, you can download it for free from Adobe

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Resource: FirstBible International

Dedicated Mission resources are rarely provided by Independent Fundamental Baptists. Instead, an IFB must wade through faulty views of the church, missions, and Scripture to benefit from the available resources. There are several reasons why this is our situation, but it ought not to be so.

Thankfully, I can report at least one IFB local church-based organization that is attempting to reverse this dilemma. It is FirstBible International.

Charles Keen is the former pastor of 1st Baptist Church of Milford, OH and co-founder of Bearing Precious Seed, a Scripture printing ministry. His growing vision for the unreached combined with his background in Scripture printing eventually birthed FirstBible International, a ministry of Franklin Road Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, TN

FirstBible exists to promote the training of nationals and church planting among unreached people groups by translating the Bible into their languages. This is an impressive endeavor for IFB's, as anyone with a knowledge of Bible translation history knows. While I differ with a few of their teachings (e.g. - the idea of 'closure', and of diversity of the saved taking priority over numbers saved in the Mission of God and the churches), I am in hearty agreement with the bulk of what they teach and do.

There are several resources provided by FirstBible that I would like to draw your attention to.
  1. The Unpublished Word Journal - "A quarterly publication designed to inform, inspire and revive the church for missions." The journal is only printed in bulk for churches and colleges. However, any individual can view it for free online in pdf format. This is a great resource for Mission minded IFB's (as I hope all are). I would recommend starting with the journal on unreached people groups.
  2. Videos - On their multimedia page I would recommend watching all three videos. "What is First Bible" and "Emergency" are short videos that give a 'feel' for their ministry and the state of the Gospel in the world. "The Mongolia Project" is a 30 min video which provides a 'close-up' of what FirstBible does.
  3. Resource Page - This page has a good number of valuable downloadable resources. There are a few that I would especially suggest you take a look at:
  • Missionary Statistics - This is a large table representing where various Independent Baptist mission agencies had missionaries in 2004 (does not include workers not affiliated with any agency). Not all of the agencies are TR-Only. Some also accept a Universal Church view, though usually having a very local church philosophy of missions. Take special notice of page 2 and of the last column of the tables which indicates how many millions of people a nation had for every Independent Baptist missionary. The situation in some of the most unreached nations has only gotten worse since 2004.
  • Missionary or World Christian - This is a thought-provoking, and perhaps convicting, comparison between missionaries and world Christians (all of us are supposed to be at least one of them).
I hope that you will utilize this Independent Fundamental Baptist Mission resource, because they are scarce. Learn of missions to unreached people groups, of Bible translation, and of becoming a World Christian. Get involved in the Mission!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

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.