Showing posts with label UPGs. Show all posts

Monday

Brewing a Better World (Part 4): The 10/40 Window & The Coffee Belt

Now into part four of this series of musings about how magical beans are going to usher in the millennial reign of Christ . . . well, that's not it exactly, but you know, something big and lofty and mission-y and such . . . I want to begin to muse specifically about the commodity of coffee. I hereby introduce a phrase sure to take the world by storm, "Great Commission Commodity" and ask:

Is coffee the perfect Great Commission Commodity for 21st century missions?

I will dedicate a couple posts to this question but begin today with a very intriguing image:

Original image by Coffeeforless.com, modified by C. Lorance

Intriguing, isn't it? Or is it just me?

The "10/40 Window" has long been associated with the world's least reached peoples. If this is a totally new concept for you, please read up on it at Joshua Project here. Of course, one of the great passions of my life is to travel around and spread the news that God has "opened the window" and scattered unreached peoples from there to everywhere else in the world. And most of time time when I talk about this, I am addressing people in the West who need to be awakened to the presence of 10/40 Window peoples in their own cities and thereby mobilized to reach out to them with the hope and wholeness of Lord Jesus. BUT, it is also true that global migration occurs as much on a "South-to-South" trajectory as it does "South-to-North". What that means is simply that as much as the world's least reached peoples are moving to the great cities of the Western world, they are also moving to Manila, Bolivia, Lima, Accra, Dubai, and Nairobi. The Kampala skyline is now dotted with many Hindu temples, groups of Arab businessmen can be found in every major airport in Southeast Asia, and Addis Ababa is being rebuilt practically from the ground up by the Chinese. The reverse is also true, East Africans travel down the Nile to North Africa. Filipinos work as mariners on cargo vessels which travel to every port in the Global South. Girls from Indonesia and India are trafficked into China and elsewhere. And everyone seems to eventually pass through Dubai.

The phenomenon of South-to-South migration is an ever-increasing force in the world today that inextricably links the destinies of peoples of the 10/40 Window and those living in the Coffee Belt - the region of the world in which all coffee is grown. This geographic juxtaposition means, among other things, that the unreached billions in the Window have close, regular, normal commerce with scores of potential lay-missionaries living in the Belt.

If we have come to embrace the notion that we now live in the era of missions from everywhere to everywhere (and I know that many in my country have not embraced this) then we must begin expecting and planning for the raising up of countless missionaries from the majority world. Indeed this is already happening on a large, albeit difficult-to-measure scale. The Coffee Belt is home to most of these would-be missionaries as it passes through the most populated portions of Latin America, Africa and Asia. Here is a major "what if":

What if we found a way to pair coffee as a positive, sustainable and profitable business presence with not only evangelism and disciple-making but full-on mission mobilization?

This is what I mean by musing and pushing yourself to the "what if" questions. I don't know what those questions are for you and your mission context. I can only tell you where they are - further. And I can tell you that the Holy Spirit is waiting for you there.

Reflections on the Past Decade of Missiological Research

Recently the International Bulletin of Missionary Research came out with their latest review of doctoral dissertations for the field of missiology. This is something that they try to do every decade in order to try to understand trends and possibly to identify gaps in missiological research.

Okay ... so most of you are probably asleep right now. Sorry. This is something that I'm interested in and ... well ... ultimately, that's what I write about. It's not like any of you are paying for this. ;-)

Anyway, I read through IBMR's review and had some random thoughts that I felt like sharing. Here you go:

1. I notice that it is still the case that the overwhelming majority of doctoral projects focus on the past hundred or so years of missions. Roughly 85% of "historically-oriented" dissertations focus on the period of time since 1800 meaning that we continue to understand very little about the first 1,800 years of mission history. That's a problem, I think. Because, you know, history is really important.

2. There are a couple interesting nuggets about gender in IBMR's report. In particular, three-quarters of the dissertation authors were men. The article points out that with about half of all missionaries and more than half of the world's church members being women, this signifies an important under-representation in the field of missiology. I want to register my personal surprise given the fact that most of my classmates at Wheaton College who were earning the MA in missions and intercultural studies were women. It was like 4 out of 5! But then again, whenever I'm hanging around at missiology society meetings, it tends to be a bit of a boys club. I'm not sure what exactly is going on here. Are women just more interested in getting to work than in research and lecturing? Thoughts?

3. Only 3% of dissertations had a primary focus on the unevangelized world -- i.e., where missions and missionaries are needed most. That seems sad to me and kind of wasteful. We've long been saying that only 1 in 10 missionaries works among the unreached and this research fact makes me wonder if part of the reason for that is that too few teachers of mission are focused on pioneer missions. If there is a hidden bright light here, it is that a number of dissertations were focused on the unevangelized living in diaspora in the so-called "World C" (evangelized) nations. Does this reflect the fact that diaspora missiology is catching on as a new pioneer missions priority? Does it reflect a move of the Spirit in the Church and the world to complete the Great Commission through the movement of people from everywhere to everywhere?

4. Finally, I was kind of surprised to see that over 1500 missiology dissertations were written during the past decade (roughly the same period of time that I have been involved in missiology). Of course this doesn't count missiology dissertations completed as a part of a D. Miss or D. Min degree. Does this mean that there are about 2000 new missiology "doctors" out there? And if so, what are they doing? Are they all battling for the seemingly small number of teaching positions available? Since I still don't have a doctorate, should I be nervous that when I finally do get around to it that I won't be able to land a professorship?

Read the full IBMR report here.

[Photo by AstronomyBlog]

Bracing for the Syrian Refugee Tidal Wave: Preparation Points for Churches

Photo by United Nations Photo

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 - UPDATES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW

The growing crisis in Syria is grabbing the attention of more and more people as the United States considers the possibility of a military strike. In case you haven't been tracking this story very closely, let me suggest a couple great places to begin:

1. Infographic- Will Strikes End Conflict in Syria (Maps of World): Not everyone loves infographics, but well-designed ones are very effective ways to communicate information. I this one is really good. As the title suggests, it puts the question of U.S. military involvement front and center rather than some of the other critical questions. Still, I recommend it as a way to get caught up. (Note: link is to my "pin" of the infographic).

2. Nine Questions about Syria You were too Embarrassed to Ask (Washington Post): If you prefer just a straightforward textual summary of the Syrian situation, here's an article from the Post that I thought did a great job.

3. Infographic- Syrian Refugees: Here is a simpler infographic published by PBS Newshour that focuses specifically on the refugee crisis.

Of course, the purpose of my post here is especially to inform and prepare the global Church (and especially the North American) to respond well to the situation. Personally, I believe that the most important issue facing the followers of Christ with respect to Syria is the refugee crisis. There are now more than 2 million Syrians that have been forced to flee their homeland and at least a million of those are children! It has become the worst refugee crisis on the planet today and the Body of Christ must respond!

Indeed there are other critical questions. In particular, many Christ-followers are now debating the pros and cons of military intervention. Should the United States strike? This is certainly the opinion of President Obama and his administration. With evidence suggesting that the Bashar Al'Assad regime has used chemical weapons against civilians, certainly we must be asking God for justice. It is not my desire to wade very far into this aspect of the Syrian conflict. I have lived long enough to become very skeptical about the idea that violence and war can bring about anything positive. However, I strongly believe that evil leaders should not be allowed to simply do whatever they want and to kill and oppress whomever they want with impunity. On this, I have found a post from Jonathan Merritt to be especially helpful. Merritt provides three "Christian" perspectives on the issue of military intervention. It is a very good read. By the way, I personally found the pacifist view to be the weakest in terms of its presentation in the article. So, to give it a boost, take a look at the recent letter from Pope Francis to Vladimir Putin on the subject.

Now, back to my main focus.

How can local churches, especially in the US and Canada, prepare themselves for the potential of future resettlement of refugees from Syria? At TIBM, we believe it is important to be aware of what has quickly become one of the worst refugee crises of all time. We believe it is important to pray for the situation. And we believe it is critical to prepare for the wave of resettlement that is very likely coming.

I am using this article as a launching pad or as a place for churches to begin their preparation process. I'm glad you are reading it and hope you will bookmark it and return from time to time. I will update it as I learn more and as things develop. Here you will find several critical considerations and key questions for you and your ministry to consider. I will also post helpful resources at the bottom as I discover them. If you have things to add, please mention them in the comment section.

The Scope of the Crisis
The Syrian refugee crisis is one of the worst in history. Currently, more than 2 million people have fled Syria (http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/syria.php) for neighboring countries and the United Nations is predicting that the number will surpass 3 million by the end of the year. The main nations to which Syrians have fled include Jordan (500K), Lebanon (720K), Turkey (460K), Iraq (170K) and Egypt (100K). Officials in these nations report that they are completely overwhelmed by the massive numbers and need substantial help.

The Nature of the Crisis
The displacement of Syrians has stemmed from a violent military conflict in that nation that originated in 2011. The struggle is essentially between government forces under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups which want to see him ousted. The resulting violence has resulted in more than 100,000 deaths (mostly civilians) and the displacement of millions (for more on the death toll, see this helpful article from The Atlantic).

Photo of the "Houla Massacre" by Syria Freedom. Over 100 people were killed, most of them women and children.

The United Nations has published a short video on the crisis which provides a heart-wrenching summary of how things stand right now. Here it is:

Who are the Refugees?
Syria is a nation of more than 20 million people, the largest bloc of whom (14+ million) are Syrian Arabs. Other major people groups include Kurds, Najdi Bedouins, Alawites, Palestinians, Druze, Assyrians, Turkmen, and Lebanese. New reports I have seen specifically have referenced Arabs, Kurds, Bedouins, Palestinians, Assyrians, and Lebanese as being among the refugees. Additionally, smaller people groups have been mentioned including Armenians. Religiously, greater than 90% of Syrians are Muslim. Some 6% follow some form of Christianity (54% Orthodox, 37% Catholic, 4% Protestant, 3% "other"). According to most reports, the vast majority of the refugees are women and children.

The Response by the Global Community
Syria's neighbors have largely welcomed the refugees but are totally overwhelmed by the numbers. Jordan has reported a water shortage. Turkey is pleading with Western nations to pitch in. Still stories of great humanitarianism and hospitality have emerged. The Kurds of Iraq have constructed multiple camps and expended millions of dollars. Israeli Jewish volunteers have tirelessly served in Jordanian camps. Cyprus has announced its willingness to receive as many as 200,000 refugees! Sweden has recently shocked the world by announcing that it will grant "blanket asylum" to Syrians refugees! Germany likewise has a plan to provide temporary resettlement to as many as 5,000 and reports are regularly coming from Italy of refugees arriving there by boat.

Reports are now coming in of Syrian refugees flocking to Latin America. Both Brazil and Columbia have welcomed 100% of Syrians who have applied for asylum. Apparently, there are large Syrian communities already in Latin America (as many as 3 million in Brazil alone?!?!)

In North America, Canada has agreed to resettle high need refugees and the United States has agreed to open its doors to 2,000 refugees. Pressure is beginning to build from some quarters for Canada to resettle more than the thousand or so initially committed to.

There are, tragically, other stories which highlight the darker side of humanity. Reports have come of Syrian refugees trying to cross into Greece by boat only to have their vessels intentionally capsized by the Greek coast guard. Hundreds have reportedly drowned as a result. Many women and girls are being victimized in the camps as lack of security and high poverty is creating a human trafficking crisis. Other reports are emerging of price gouging as refugees are being financially exploited. In some cases, life in refuge is so bad that many are opting to return to Syria and fight. They do so expecting to die, but, according to one Syrian refugee, "We would rather die with dignity in Syria than beg in Jordan."

Photo courtesy of BBC News

What Should we Expect?
It is pretty impossible to predict when and how many Syrian refugees will eventually be resettled in North America. Canada has announced earlier this summer that they will be working with the UN to resettle refugees. This initial announcement was of a "very small and discrete resettlement program" that will focus on refugees determined to be in high need. I suspect that this will not exceed 1,000 before the end of 2013. Additionally, pressure is growing for the government to create a special expedited program to process family reunification visa applications for Canadian-Syrians who have family members in harms way. With a population already over 100K, Canada's Syrian population could absolutely surge simply through normal immigration routes even without a special commitment to resettle refugees.

In the United States, word has recently come that 2,000 refugees will be welcomed for permanent resettlement. Traditionally, the U.S. is the largest recipient of refugees, often permanently resettling as many as all other Western nations combined. But the political climate now is tenuous. Many Americans feel a renewed sense of fear and suspicion towards Muslim immigrants in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings and the still unresolved debate over immigration reform has further complicated the scene. So, we can expect that this process could be very slow and subject to extra security measures. Whether or not the U.S. will ultimately increase that number is difficult to predict.

Back in June, I predicted that the United States would announce plans to resettle a small number of refugees from Syria sometime during 2013. My guess was that the number would be higher (10,000), but I'm glad that even this small number has been announced. I believe that this number has been floated by the State Department as a trial balloon. I still believe that if things go well in terms of the public and political response to these efforts that we can expect a much larger announcement by early 2014. There are a lot of variables, of course, and a tremendous amount of politics and public relations involved for the Obama Administration. However, in a matter of months, media images of snow covered refugee camps and freezing Syrian children will likely call greater attention to the already desperate humanitarian crisis. I still believe that churches and agencies should ready themselves for a resettlement effort in the United States as high as 100,000. Additionally, as in Canada, family reunification visas will increase so that Syrians arriving via traditional immigration routes will go up. Refugee resettlement of course will occur along the patterns that many of us have grown accustomed to. Resettlement agencies will be used to facilitate the process and thus the Syrians will initially be resettled in areas where other refugee communities are located.

The newest variable in this situation is whether or not the U.S. will engage Syria militarily. I believe that this will impact the future of refugee resettlement, but I am not sure how. Here are a few things to consider:

1. If the U.S. topples the current Syrian regime, what percentage of the displaced will be able to return home? Will widows and orphans be able to return home? What about those whose homes have been destroyed? Whatever happens, I think we must accept the fact that many have become permanently displaced.

2. Will U.S. military involvement lead to a more generous resettlement effort similar to the resettlement of Iraqi refugees?

3. Will non-involvement mean that Assad completes his victory over the rebels and thus permanently displace those who have become refugees?

The following paragraph is maintained for archival purposes. I think it helps us to understand the pressure points behind the U.S. resettlement announcement. I wrote it in June 2013:

I suspect that Canada's recent announcement to resettle paves the way for the United States to make a similar announcement. Incidentally, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has just publicly called upon the US to open their doors to Syrian refugees. In a press release, Archbishop Jose Gomez said, "We have an obligation to help these vulnerable populations, including and especially the most vulnerable refugees: unaccompanied minors and those that have become victims of human trafficking." Gomez called the US the "world's leader in protecting refugees" and wants to see the country do much more in the face of this crisis.

Tweets about "syrian refugees"

Questions for Churches and Ministries to Consider:

1. Syrian refugees will not have spent decades in refugee camps like the Bhutanese or the refugees from Burma. They will not be as far separated from the horrors of war. How can we bring hope and wholeness to them? How will we address emotional, physical, relational needs?

2. There are likely to be larger numbers of fatherless families resettled due to two things. First, over three-quarters of Syrian refugees are women and children (men being involved in the fighting). Second, the UN is especially emphasizing the most vulnerable for resettlement to Western nations. How will you prepare to address this?

3. Do you know where the nearest refugee resettlement agency is in your community? If not, leave a comment below and I will help you locate it. Have you begun a relationship with that agency?

4. Have you begun or are you partnering with another organization to offer ESL (English as a Second Language)? If so, how can you prepare your church/group to double your capacity for the number of students you can handle? For related ministries which are attractive and helpful to refugees, consider how you can double their capacities within the next 2 years.

5. How much Arabic do you know? Have you learned anything about Islam? Do you know where are the local stores and markets which sell "halal" products? Prepare yourself now so that when Syrians come to your cities you will be better able to befriend them.

6. Do you know were refugees are initially resettled in your area? Do you know where they tend to move to after 3-4 years? Can you predict where resettlement will take place over the next decade? Since new refugees often have transportation challenges (no cars or driver's licenses) are your ministries accessible to them?

Resources to Consult:

There are too many resources to mention. For now, let me suggest a couple things:

1. The Latest on the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Make it a point to check out the United Nations site devoted to the Syrian Refugee Crisis. http://syrianrefugees.eu/. This site isn't being updated as regularly as I would like, so also check out http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/syria.php. Surf with discernment through other sites realizing that there is an especially large amount of anti-resettlement sentiment against the Syrian refugees due to the fact that they are predominantly Muslim. Additionally:

The UNHCR YouTube Channel has some compelling videos on the situation. I also like to keep an eye on Journeyman Pictures for the same reason.
Angelina Jolie has been serving as a UN Special Envoy to Syria and has released a video report that is also worth watching.

2. Missions and Missiological Preparation: I recommend that you read up on diaspora missions (here and/or here) and consider taking the Perspectives course within the next two years so that you can gain a better sense of God's heart for the nations. Regardless of what happens with this specific crisis, it is clear that the Lord is bringing many of the world's least-reached peoples to areas of the world where they suddenly have unprecedented access to the Gospel. Followers of Christ should be embracing this growing phenomenon.

Friday

Scattered and Gathered in My House

We are big fans of making the most of space that we have. Our home has been very well-stewarded during the past decade that we've been in Chicagoland. Today was just a nice, cool example that I felt like sharing with you:

At one point today, the upstairs of our little house was devoted to training Karen S'gaw younger leaders. Katherine (my wife, in case you didn't know) has been taking time regularly to meet with these cool folks to teach them how to take care of their church finances. They have been eager learners and It's encouraging to see one of our diaspora church plants investing real responsibility and ministry into the next generation.

Meanwhile downstairs, TIBM's research team was busy working to finish "Stage 1" of our four-part diaspora people group research and mobilization plan for Chicagoland. We're working on a list of priority people group clusters and multicultural residential patches (think Move In, because we are). The list is nearly complete after today's blitz. So, here's senior interns Abby and Andy along with my oldest son, Christopher (the one shoving a donut into his face). Christopher rocks the missiological research pretty darn good for a 10-year-old!

Monday

The Frontier of Mission Advance is Shifting

By pam's pics-

During my recent tour through Michigan teaching the infamous "Lesson 14" of Perspectives ("Pioneer Church Planting"), one of my primary emphases was that in the 21st century, the frontiers of mission are shifting radically. In the latter part of the 20th century, Ralph Winter (following McGavaran and Townsend) opened the eyes of the Church to the reality of unreached and unengaged people groups. Frontier missiology was thought of as primarily a discussion of how to get the gospel to unreached peoples who had never heard. It was critical in those days to de-emphasize geography in order to help mission leaders and practioners realize that the "unfinished task" was about reaching peoples rather than about merely establishing the church in every geo-political country. As Winter said strongly, "Geography is not as important as peoples."

Today, frontier missions is still about unreached peoples and this has become the overwhelming majority opinion of the evangelical world. But Winter had also seemed to believe that understanding what was happening to peoples geographically was key for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. So, to quote Winter with a bit more context, “Geography is not as important as peoples. Once that is clear, the question of where they are is a very exciting one." (Unreached Peoples: What Are They and Where Are They?, 1984)

Today, we must ask afresh the geographical question of where are the unreached peoples of the world. Indeed, it may be more appropriate to ask where they are going. In a new era of mission history, we see a borderless and wireless world of instant communication, high-speed travel, and ever-accelerating mass migration. People are on the move like never before. My friend, Joy Tira, likes to refer to this as a "Human Tidal Wave" which is an image that captures well the magnitude and power of diaspora phenomena.

I have much more to say on this issue. But today, I would rather you take a look at an excellent post by another friend, Justin Long. In "Shifts in the Remaining Task", Justin writes about the traditional understanding of "World A, B, and C" or "evangelized" and "unevangelized" and reflects upon how migration and urbanization totally transforming the mission field in our day.

Here's an excerpt:

Most World A (unevangelized) individuals are found in heavily World B peoples, cities and countries. And more and more, we are seeing World B provinces and cities in World C countries. This is especially the case because of the movements of diaspora peoples into World C countries. Europe today, according to the Atlas of Global Christianity, is home to 28 million unevangelized individuals. I know some will think the number is far higher. My point is only that the West is not 100% Christian, and there’s plenty of room for work. One can’t say that Europe or America is completely evangelized–only that it is largely evangelized.

Please take careful look at Justin's entire article. He has done a great job of helping us to understand the exciting and complex nature of today's shifting mission frontiers. Now consider:

1. Do the mission structures of your church reflect the realities of these shifting frontiers?

2. Who are the "World A" peoples and the "unreached people groups" that live near you?

3. How do you see the "Human Tidal Wave" powerfully changing the dynamics of your city?

People Group Mapping: Religious Centers in Chicagoland

Here at TIBM we are partnering with the International Mission Board, Send Chicago, and others to engage in a major research project seeking to identify all the people groups of Chicagoland. Our hope is to ultimately provide the Church information about all the diaspora peoples in the metro area through an online database called Peoplegroups.info (scheduled to be re-launched). I think that a bunch of mission thinkers are becoming increasingly convicted by the fact that the North American church is still suffering from severe "people blindness".

Currently, we are in the beginning phase of our research. During this time we are collecting what we refer to as "people group indicators". These essentially are signs which point to the presence of people groups. One piece of this is to aim at discovering all religious centers in the Chicago area which have a high probability of being associated with diasporas.

We've published the results of our work in a simple, interactive map that you can view on the main TIBM website.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the larger project to map the top 100 MSAs in the United States, please visit USAPeoplegroups.com to find out more.

Wednesday

Cody's Scatterings: My Journeys • At #NAYLG12 - Unreached People Groups work group....

Please Check this out for immediate prayer!!

Cody's Scatterings: My Journeys • At #NAYLG12 - Unreached People Groups work group....:

Bhansala of India Ethnic People Profile

At TIBM, we have adopted for prayer the unreached and unengaged Bhansala people of India. I invite you to pray for them for 2 minutes today. You can find their Joshua Project profile here:

Bhansala of India Ethnic People Profile

Here's a prayer for you to pray:

Lord, You own everything. The earth is Yours, and everyone on it. You open doors that no man can shut. You are sovereign. If You are for us, no one can be against us. Lord of the Harvest, please send out workers to reach out to the Bhansala Of India. Lord, I ask that Your favor would give them access to people and places that are impossible to reach. Let Your favor smooth the path before them, and open doors for them that no man can shut. Let Your wind be at their back today, Lord and enable them to push forward the cause of Christ among the Bhansala Of India.

Best Practices for Reaching People Groups

Truth be told, I spent most of my time in meetings today rather than enjoying the official proceedings of the North Central States Rally here in Indianapolis. However, I did get to enjoy participating in a little panel discussion entitled "Best Practices for Reaching People Groups." Though brief, we had a good discussion with a number of church leaders about discovering and reaching out to various people groups in their contexts. And, well, since I have nothing of much pith nor wit to share tonight, let me share some of the resources from that session.

1. You can go to this page if you'd like to download a copy of the powerpoint presentation that Dr. Van Kicklighter prepared for the session.

2. I shared a few web-based tools designed to help you discover people groups in your context. Here they are:

http://www.islamicfinder.org (to help you find Muslims around you)
http://www.anywho.com/whitepages or http://www.whitepages.com (to search for other people groups by looking up last names and plotting resulting addresses on http://maps.google.com)
http://www.rudhratek.com/ (to find Hindu temples in your area)

3. Beyond this, I was asked if I had written other things that might be available. I will direct you to my Lausanne Conversation page for a bunch of stuff. Also, you can check out the following:

Lorance, Cody C. (2011). The Third Lausanne Congress: Assessing Cape Town 2010’s Contribution to the Cause of Christ. In A. Scott Moreau & B. Snodderly (Eds.), Evangelical and Frontier Mission: Perspectives on the Global Progress of the Gospel. Oxford: Regnum.
Lorance, Cody C. (Ed.). (2008). Ethnographic Chicago: Considering College Students and Ethiopian & Tamilian Immigrants Missiologically. Chicago, IL: Chicago Metropolitan Baptist Association.
Lorance, Cody C. (2006). Contextualization in church-planting missions: What is it?, Chicago-Style Church Planting 2(1), 1.
Lorance, Cody C. (2006). Holistic spiritual conflict in a folk Hindu context, Dharma Deepika 10(2), 55-67.
Lorance, Cody C. (2006). The Holy Spirit and the pace of mission, Evangelical Missions Quarterly 42(3), 326-332.
Lorance, Cody C. (2005). Cultural relevance and doctrinal soundness: The mission of Roberto de Nobili, Missiology: an International Review 33(4), 415-424.
Lorance, Cody. (2002). Islam: The missing peace, Midwest Christian Outreach Journal 8(2), 12-15

Finally, don't forget that you can invite me to speak/teach at your church or conference. Just keep in mind that I only fly first class and prefer my grapes peeled.

That was a joke.

Sunday

What Languages Should You Learn to Reach the Least-Reached?

What languages should missionaries learn in order to reach the absolute least-reached peoples in the world? Here is an article and a list of 112 languages that was featured in a recent edition of Lausanne World Pulse:

Lausanne World Pulse - Perspectives Articles - No Christians, No Scripture, No Missionaries: Update to the List: "It is imperative for those of us who follow Christ to disciple all peoples. Of the many peoples that need missionaries, which are highest priority? We believe it is the groups which, so far as we know, have no Christ-followers among them, no books of the Bible, and no missionaries with the intent of bringing the gospel to them."

Thursday

The Rohingyas of Myanmar

Who will reach these people?

FACTBOX-Stateless groups around the world | News by Country | Reuters: "MYANMAR: The Rohingyas from western Myanmar have suffered a history of abuse. Unlike the majority population, they are Muslims of South Asian descent. In 1982 Myanmar passed a law which made it impossible for them to get full citizenship. Many fled to Bangladesh in 1991 and 1992 following a government crackdown. Today, an estimated 800,000 live in Myanmar, up to 300,000 in Bangladesh and many more have fled to Southeast Asia, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Some end up sold into slavery on fishing boats and plantations.
"

Monday

Photos of Bhutanese - Nepali Church Learning, Discussing, & Praying About Global Challenges

Yesterday, the members of TriEak Parmeshwar Mandali -- a Nepali-speaking Bhutanese church in the Chicago area -- spent time learning, talking, and praying about three great global challenges. Human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, and unreached people groups were the topics of focus for this young church made up entirely of refugees. The primary question before them was this: "What would God have us do?"

The discussion was tremendously fruitful and I look forward to seeing what develops from here. Some of the ideas that came forward including planning dedicated times of prayer and fasting, getting more education about these issues as a group, hosting fundraising and awareness events, and sending mission teams and even full-time missionaries from our church. Little attention was paid to the fact that the ones having the conversation were mere refugees and thus typically considered unable to even attempt such things. The belief was firm that with God's help, we could accomplish anything.

Now, I want to simply share some of the photos from our time. These are some of the coolest photos:

Ganesh leading a conversation about Human Trafficking

Dikura explaining the concept of Unreached People Groups to members of UPGs

"Round-Robin" Style Conversations on Global Issues

Krishna explaining how HIV/AIDS & poverty are connected

UPGs praying for UPGs

Our Commitment: To Do Something Before Oct. 31, 2011

Sunday

LORD WILLING: WE'LL DO SOMETHING!

Today at TriEak Parmeshwar Mandali, our Bhutanese-Nepali church -- a refugee church -- we are going to have a discussion about three huge global challenges. We will discuss HIV/AIDS, Human Trafficking, and Unreached People Groups / Diaspora. We will talk, pray, and ask God what He would have us do. That's right, the congregation is entirely refugee, poor, new followers of Christ. Considered by most to be mere objects of charity. No, we are in Christ. Christ has something for us. We will rise up and do something.

Last night, I appointed three of the churches leaders to be conversation leaders today. Each will lead the conversations and prayers about each of the key challenges. The rest of the congregation will be divided into three groups that will spend about 15-20 minutes on each topic. At the end, the leaders will report back on what they have heard from God and His Church. Below, is the conversation outline that will be given by the leaders. It is Palm Sunday. Hosanna to the King! Save us! A good time to ask the Lord how He wants to use us as an instrument and vessel of His salvation to those who are crying out around the world.

Basic Facts and Information about Human Trafficking

What are the Facts?

1. It is estimated that there are approximately 27 million slaves around the world.[1]

2. Around half of trafficking victims in the world are under the age of 18.[2]

3. The average cost of a slave around the world is $90.[3]

4. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.[4]

5. Trafficking victims normally don't get help because they think that they or their families will be hurt by their traffickers, or that they will be deported.[5]

6. In Nepal, every year 10-15 thousand women are trafficked to India alone.[6]

How can we pray?

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

(Isaiah 61:1)

· Pray that God will end human trafficking in the world.

· Pray that God will use governments and churches around the world to stop human trafficking.

· Pray that God will show our church what we must do.

What can we do as followers of Jesus?

What are some small things we can do this year about human trafficking?

What are some big things that we could do if God really helped us?

Basic Facts and Information about HIV/AIDS

What are the Facts?

1. More than 30 million people in the world today have HIV/AIDS.[7]

2. HIV/AIDS is among the leading causes of death worldwide and the number one cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa.[8]

3. HIV/AIDS cases have been reported in all regions of the world, but the large majority of people living with the disease (approximately 95%) reside in low-and middle-income countries.[9]

4. More than 2/3rds of people in the world with HIV/AIDS are in Africa.[10]

5. More than 2 million children in the world have HIV/AIDS. More than 200,000 die every year.[11]

6. 15 million children across the world have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS.[12]

7. Asia is believed to have nearly 5 million people living with HIV/AIDS, with India accounting for 2.4 million cases.[13]

8. HIV/AIDS is a growing problem in Nepal because of poor education. Most Nepalis (80%) who have AIDS don’t know that they do.[14]

How can we pray?

And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

(Matthew 10:7-8)

· Pray that God will use governments, churches, scientists, doctors, and others to end HIV/AIDS by discovering a cure.

· Pray that medicines will be available to the poor in the world who have HIV/AIDS.

· Pray that good education will be provided around the world that will help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

· Pray that God will show our church what we must do.

What can we do as followers of Jesus?

What are some small things we can do this year about human trafficking?

What are some big things that we could do if God really helped us?

Basic Facts and Information about Unreached Peoples & Diaspora

What are the Facts?

1. A “people group” is a group of people that share certain things like language, ethnicity/race/caste, or other cultural traditions. For evangelistic purposes, a people group is the largest group within which the gospel can spread without facing obstacles of understanding or acceptance. There are about 16,000 people groups in the world.[15]

2. An “Unreached People Group” is any people group in which less than 2% of the population follows Jesus. There are more than 6,000 of these in the world.[16] In Nepal, there are many unreached people groups. Some include: Magar, Maithili, Darjee, and many others. Bhutan also has many unreached people groups including the Dzongkhas, Sherpas, and Lhotshampas.[17]

3. There are only about 100,000 missionaries in the world. Only 3% of them are working among unreached people groups. There is a great need to send more missionaries.[18]

4. An “unengaged unreached people group” is an unreached people group that has no missionaries or churches. Most of these people have no opportunity to hear the message of Jesus in a way they can understand. No one is trying to reach them![19]

5. Today, more than 214 million people live outside their home country. These are diaspora or “scattered” people. Many are from unreached people groups.[20]

6. Nepalis live in countries all over the world. 600,000 live in India. 215,000 live in Saudia Arabia. 125,000 live in Malaysia. 73,000 live in Hong Kong. 2,000 live in South Africa. More than 50,000 live in the USA. Most of these people do not know Jesus and have no one to tell them.[21]