tellm a g a z i n e

of Gateway

Spring 2009

Challenge

ConnectionsShort-Term trips part-nered with CrossRoads Missions - Overseas!

Team Expansion’s Log of Love www.teamexpansion.org

Journey toSoutheast Asia

Security in the Mission World

Local church beginsnew work through PACE

The

2 spring 2009 • tell

Team Expansion exists to partner with the local church to send and sustain teams of interdependent mis-sionaries to plant indig-enous churches among the least-reached people groups worldwide.

Team Expansion4112 Old Routt RoadLouisville, KY 40299

www.teamexpansion.org

1.800.447.0800 (toll-free)502.719.0007502.719.0008 (fax)

What is the tell?

Revelation 7:9-12 paints a beautiful picture of ev-ery nation coming before the throne of God to wor-ship Him. The tell, Team Expansion’s Log of Love, has functioned as a bridge between ministries around the world and the local church since 1992.

It has been our hope to radiate the goodness of God and the progress that we are making together through this publication. Until that moment before the throne, may we all con-tinue to play our part in fulfilling the Great Com-mission!

tell is produced by Team Expansion, all rights re-served and implied.

Edited by John Palmer Greggpgregg@teamexpansion.org

Designed by Shauna Petersonspeterson@teamexpansion.org

tellm a g a z i n e

Team Expansion’s “Leadership Task Force” (our board of directors) just wrapped up their annual retreat, held this year for the first time in the newly-finished Prayer Center & Atrium building at our new 61-acre campus, Emerald Hills. It was one of our best retreats ever, identifying several trends that will undoubtedly impact us over the coming years. I’d like to share some of those high-impact themes with you.

The economy has slowed radically over the past year, but thankfully the supporters of Team Expansion’s work in Louisville, as well as the works in nearly 50 other coun-tries, has progressed well with very little, if any, impact so far. Because all our workers report monthly, the reports we’re reading predict that the economy should straighten out and pick back up sooner, rather than later. We will praise God if that happens.

We moved to our new Emerald Hills campus on March 17, and it’s already making a profoundly positive impact on our work. We can’t express how encouraged we are to have more adequate meeting spaces, rest rooms and parking. Actual office space hasn’t picked up all that much, because we’re temporarily working in what will actually be our future atrium, but we’re loving it that we no longer have to park three deep, with 40 cars in a lot with only 25 parking spaces.

We’re also very excited about the new PACE Project initiative (see the article) that might result in virtually doubling in size in the next three years. In short, we’re at-tempting to launch 25-50 new least-reached people projects simultaneously by relying heavily on local church partnerships. We’ve *been* needing some seven or eight years to double in size, so this new PACE Project focus is an encouraging development.

We’re also in the middle of a 20-month study on how to improve everything from member care to equipping to our application process. Each parameter we study is get-ting better. We’re constantly encouraged by the positive feedback we’re seeing to the steps we’re implementing. “Boy,” said one missionary couple as they were leaving, “they sure know how to take care of their workers.”

This past year we grew from 311 full-timers to 320. Countries with active projects went from 44 to 46. “Completed teams” went from 43 to 47. (We use the term “com-pleted team” to describe a team that has the people on field, the language, the strategic planning and the staffing to begin their outreach strategy.)

In each of our fields we’re seeing growth like never before. Some works experienc-ing a 200-500% positive growth over the past year. Some might attribute this growth to a “perfect storm” of right strategy, combined with right leadership, combined with long determination.... Certainly those factors are contributors, but the truth is, we are quick to point out, that ultimately it *all* should be viewed in light of the reality-check that God is on the move, redeeming His lost mankind throughout the globe. Many dozens, maybe *hundreds,* have been praying fervently for this day in each of our 47 lands. We give praise to Him, and Him alone, that He is now answering those prayers with a firm “Yes!” He’s a great God.

Naturally, none of this work would be happening if it weren’t for His people, work-ing together to take His message to the lost people He loves. Thank you for the part you play each and every day as you pray, give and even go to partner with us to tell the Good News to those who know Him least. May He continue to multiply His harvest, for His glory.

Sincerely,

State of the MissionPresident, Team ExpansionDoug Lucas

3 tell • spring 2009

Table of Contents

on the cover

River traff ic under the haze of smog in Gateway. (Photo by Doug Lucas)

Features 5 Security in the Mission World

Including the top 10 hints for safety and security.

by Jim Richter8 The Challenge of Gateway Journey through the streets of this South Asia country

with one of our PACE churches on a research trip

by Dan Burks, photos by Doug Lucas and Dan Burks14 Southeast Asia Experience the peoples and lands of Southeast Asia through a

photo essay by John Palmer Gregg

4 We’ve Moved to Emerald Hills! Our new campus

6 Enlarge the Harvest A new opportunity

7 Motherhood Evangelsim An encouragement to mothers

13 Introducing FAMCare Field Advocate Member Care Volunteers

18 News and Notes Updates and news from Team Expansion’s

fields worldwide

20 Connections God’s call brings couple out of careers to

head up short-term missions

22 Full-time Opportunities List of our most needed positions worldwide

23 Strategy For the local church

Contents

4 spring 2009 • tell

We’ve Moved to

Emerald Hills!

www.emeraldhills.info

Subscribe to

n March 18, Team Expansion moved into its new temporary office space at Emerald Hills, located just five miles away from its previous offices. We are thrilled to be at the new campus. It is a beautiful building in a beautiful setting, and we can’t wait to share it with all of our missionaries.

Around 200 people attended the building’s dedication on March 28. We worshipped together, heard from speakers like the chairman of our board of directors, the president of the bank that loaned us the money, a long time supporter of Team Expansion, and even our district councilman.

For those who have seen the development of the campus from the very beginning, it was an unreal experience. There were definitely days where we thought we’d never move in. Now that we’re here, we eagerly anticipate the day that all of the buildings are finished and we’re using the land to its utmost potential.

We can’t wait to bring our missionaries here and tell them, “Welcome home.” After all, this is for them. This is their home. As workers around the world, they often are in urban areas where the only color they see is grey from the concrete and steel skyscrapers. Several work in desert climates where the main color in their landscape is brown. Having a lush, green area for them to enjoy will be a balm to their senses. Even those who haven’t yet seen it in person are able to enjoy the beauty of the campus thanks to a live webcam.

One of our urban workers logged on a few weeks ago to look at the building through the internet with his family. After admiring it, he put his family to bed, and came back for another look at the green space. He saw three deer grazing in the field immediately behind the Prayer Center and Atrium. Because of the time change, it was early morning here, and the sun was beginning to rise. He sat and wept with joy at how good God is and had his own private worship time. He then wrote us to share of his experience and to say, “thank you,” for building a campus that was so beautiful and that so perfectly drew people to God.

If you’ve not yet seen the campus and enjoyed its beauty, please come for a visit! We’d love to show you around and help you see the glory of God so perfectly exhibited in this place.

Welcome Home!

by Emily Heeringa, Photo by Shauna Peterson

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The VisionaryA monthly newsletter focusing on Emerald Hills and its impact on reaching the least reached. Email info@teamexpansion.org to subscribe.

5 tell • spring 2009

Security in the Mission World

he missionary of today serves in a different world than 15, 10 or even five years ago. Therefore a differ-ent approach must be taken to the

safety and security issues that impact the mission environment.

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:19 sends the missionary out to “make dis-ciples of all the nations,” but all the nations do not agree with the commands of Jesus Christ and can act adversely to the spreading of the Gospel message. These actions have great relevance and significance to the mis-sionary working in sensitive or closed coun-tries. Sending and sustaining agencies must take proactive steps to assure the safety and security of all their workers. Team Expan-sion strives to set up appropriate policies, procedures, and contingencies so that mis-sionaries serving with the agency experience an achieved reality of safety and security.

That reality is often difficult to accom-plish. Many missionaries maintain that their security is provided by God. However, we are not here to dispute the omnipotence of God but to acknowledge the skills and tal-ents that God has provided us and effectively apply them to the implementation of a pro-tective frame of mind in the mission field.

The anti-Christian approach and terror-ism that sometimes confronts a missionary in today’s world is negatively compounded by the trend of terrorists to shift from hard targets to soft targets including activities in the mission fields. In years past, terrorist ac-tivity centered on striking military and gov-ernmental facilities. Yet since the shift to soft targets, terrorist now strike out at civilian

and religious entities, thereby seemingly creating a more effective means to promote their ideologies and political agendas.

This trend has evolved dramatically across the world in recent years and poses a significant threat to the missionary in his desire to carry forth the message of Jesus Christ.

The threat of violence directed at the missionary is a genuine reality in to-day’s world. Successfully dealing with that threat requires preparation, training, and acknowledgment of the dangers that exist in the multiple environments in which the missionary functions. A failure to recog-nize the dangers encountered in the mis-sion field and a failure to make preparative steps to deal with those dangers allows for grave consequences and potentially perma-nent disruption of mission objectives.

Team Expansion makes a concerted effort to assure that compliance and pre-paredness are vital components of every operational team in each field. The Team Leaders and Team Security Coordinators of each team, along with the Global Secu-rity Director, strive to prepare and educate each team member to an optimal level of functionality in relation to safety and secu-rity issues. The primary objective of Team Expansion’s security operations is to attain this level.

Working together to assure the safety and security of our missionaries worldwide is paramount and involves participation in all fields by all workers serving with Team Expansion. The proper sense of prepared-ness requires informational awareness

Top Ten Safety and Security Hints for Missionaries Around the World1. Always be aware of what is hap-pening around you. Be alert to the people and situations that are near you or occurring close to you.

2. Understand and practice the concept of Attack Recognition, watching for red flags and actions that would alert you to impending danger directed at you.

3. Try hard not to establish pat-terns in the activities you do and the places you go. Think of doing things regularly irregular.

4. Vary times and routes to and from your work and other locations you go to on a daily basis.

5. Attempt to maintain a low per-sonal profile by not doing anything that draws attention to you while out in public.

6. Keep your doors and windows locked and closed in both your residence and vehicle. Use secure locks with double-keyed dead bolts preferred.

7. Make sure that others are aware of your itinerary and activities both on a daily basis and when traveling outside your normal field.

8. Be extremely cautious about giving out personal or work related information. Shy away from an inquisitive or questioning person on the street.

9. When in traffic, always attempt to assure open space around your vehicle so that you may exit if necessary. Avoid any and all choke points in traffic.

10. Be prepared to respond to situ-ations, knowing your own capabili-ties and thinking matters through in advance. Always keep in mind that flight is preferred to fight.

Aftermath of terrorist at-tack on the Twin Towers. (Photo by Jim Watson, Department of Defence)

Tby Jim Richter, Global Security Director

Security

- continued on next page

Security

coupled with experiential involvement, so that all team members will benefit from the protective effort. Acceptance and acknowledgment of a security based mindset better prepares us to deal with problems that come our way while ful-filling our objectives in the Great Com-mission.

It is truly the desire of Team Expan-sion to assure the overall safety and se-curity of our workers around the world, but this requires the compliance and cooperation of all those workers. The fundamental aspects of this desire are: situational awareness, a genuine sense of preparedness, understanding the means to establish a secure environment, and working to see that it is accomplished.

Establishing these objectives for workers requires that all strive to func-tion within the guidelines and param-eters that are set up. Each team should have contingency and evacuation plans established and in place. For help in establishing a plan the Global Security Director at International Services in Louisville, is willing and able to assist at any time.

As an example for the Team Ex-pansion workers around the world, you will find incorporated in this article a list entitled‚ “Top Ten Safety and Secu-rity Hints for Missionaries around the World.” Please read this list and strive to apply them to your daily activities. The list can also be located on the Team Expansion Website under the “Resourc-es” tab. Thank you for your effort and cooperation in striving to make Team Expansion a safe and secure agency to carry out the Gospel message.

Seen from the Gra-nary Burying Ground, Boston, MA. (Photo by Katherine Hala)

Team Expansion is building its capacity for tomorrow’s harvesters, while stepping up ef-forts today for the sake of the world’s least-reached peoples. This new thrust, “Enlarge the Harvest,” will provide for:

• The launching of 25 new outreach proj-ects among unreached peoples• Stipends and scholarships for new train-ees to build ministry partnerships with lo-cal churches and to get the equipping they need prior to going overseas• Completion of the new Prayer Center and Atrium at Emerald Hills• Regional “member care retreats” for workers in far away placesspring 2009 • tell6

VolunteersNEEDED

With over 200 MKs and only two Team Expansion staff in the MK Ministry, quality volunteers are vital. Most volunteer opportunities are on an occasional basis, such as when we are providing child care for babies and kids programs for MKs during specific training times or events. Whatever amount of time volunteers can give during these events is ex-tremely help-ful. We are also looking for people to volunteer on a weekly basis to assist with ad-ministrative tasks.

Missionary Kid Ministry

Contact Heather Harris, at hharris@teamexpansion.org, for more information.

Evangelism

few months ago, a fellow worker in our country gave an intensive training on a new form of evangelism for Muslims that is beginning to bear fruit in other countries. In all honesty, I went to the training thinking that I would never be able to use this being a mother of a small child. I’m doing good to get a shower in the morning, much less evangelize the masses! But once

again God was gently teaching me that He is the one who controls my day and enables me to do all that He desires.Some of the ladies on my ministry team had a separate time of training with Jennifer, the wife of the man who did the original train-

ing. She is a close friend of mine, but we had never talked about evangelism strategies. I sometimes felt that I needed people to pour into my life during this time of motherhood, and I mourned the loss of opportunities to be involved in things like MOPS, a ministry to mothers with young kids.

Thankfully, Jesus saved me from my pity party and replaced it with a new outlook on how I could combine motherhood and evan-gelism. It was a win-win situation. Not only would I be able to use the language I spent so many years learning, but I would also be able to disciple and mold the heart of my daughter to really love the lost and live out faith.

After Jennifer encouraged us and gave us examples from her own life on how motherhood and evangelism could go hand in hand, I knew I needed to spend time learning from her. As a mother of two small kids, she was burning with passion for the lost, and it was inspiring. She agreed to teach me Motherhood Evangelism so that I would be able to do it on my own as well as teach others.

We started by selecting a short period of time every week that would be devoted to “treasure hunting” as she called it. I had a list of girls who I was friends with but had not yet presented the gospel to. Jennifer helped me to polish the sacrifice story, an overview of God’s plan of salvation from creation to Christ, and my own personal testimony. During a two-hour time frame we would meet sepa-rately with each of these girls, present the gospel, and see if they were interested to learn more. If they were, we would meet with them weekly and go further into the evangelism/discipleship process. If they weren’t hungry, we would move on to another girl who might be. We learned it is best to go in pairs as moms with our children, because it allows one person to focus on presenting the gospel and the other can watch the kids and pray. We have been doing it for a month, and it has brought such amazing joy!

The first girl, Dorra, wasn’t interested, but our second try has been surprisingly hungry. She is a friend of a fellow teammate and lives in our neighborhood. We have met with her several weeks now. She is reading the Bible and asking questions. We’ve covered all kinds of questions that Muslims typically have concerning Jesus and Christianity. After our last meeting, she asked if we could tell two of her friends about Jesus too.

You know, I never thought that evangelism could be so fun. I was scared to death of evangelism, but I know God called all of us to “go and make disciples.” I would have much rather hid behind my gift of hospitality, but God gently encouraged and enabled me to do much more than I could have asked or imagined.

Jennifer and I have now started a ladies discipleship group on Sunday afternoons. We love presenting God’s love together so much that we are going to keep doing it as a team of ragamuffin mothers. How great is our God to use even the weakest of these. He has taken this selfish and scared mother, I still am at times, and enabled her to be a shield maid of evangelism for Him. How great is our God, for whom nothing is impossible!

• A Biannual Team Leaders’ Summit, to train and encourage our team leaders• A desperately needed missionary guest housing “East Wing” at Emerald Hills• Special field projects among our various ministries around the world, such as: fresh water wells for Mongolia, a goat herd in Bosnia, a home for battered women and neglected children in Peru, etc.

Visit www.enlargetheharvest.org to find out how you can help or request a brochure by emailing info@teamexpansion.org.

Motherhood Evangelismby an Anonymous Worker in a Muslim Field

A

tell • spring 2009 7

Local rickshaw drivers. (Photo by Doug Lucas)

8 spring 2009 • tell

Challengeof Gateway

Story by Dan Burks Photos by Doug Lucas and Dan Burks

The

10 spring 2009 • tell

ur taxi driver speeds around a rickshaw cutting just inch-es in front of another car. He plays chicken with an oncom-

ing bus then finally swerves back into his lane at the last moment. He drives with only his right hand using the left to hold down the horn. Its noise is add-ed to the blasting horns of trucks, the honking of vans and cars, the beeps of CNG’s, small three-wheeled vehicles that squeeze three people into a small bench behind the driver, and the ring-ing of rickshaw bells. This racket in-

termingles with the roar of engines to create a never-ending din of noise. All this takes place within the first forty yards of leaving our hotel for our first appointment during our exploratory trip to Gateway, the pseudonym for a sensitive country in South Asia.

According to a recent census there are 306 million people living in the United States. Imagine for a moment taking 150 million Americans, half of the U.S. population, and squeezing them all into the state of Iowa. That would mean 2,685 people for every square mile. This would inevitably stress the fertile farmland of Iowa be-yond the breaking point. The state’s legal system would be overburdened, with no way to keep up with the mas-sive caseload. Gateway is slightly

smaller than Iowa and is teeming with over 150 million people. The country is predominately Muslim and one of the poorest nations on earth. The needs are staggering.

We make it across the capital city to our first appointment. There we are told that the constitution of Gateway allows not only for freedom of religion, but also for freedom of conversion. This is wonderful news. In many Muslim lands, such constitutional guarantees do not exist. But the reality is, while the constitution gives people the right to choose their religion and to change their religion, there is enormous pres-sure from families and from the Muslim religious structures not to change.

One of the great needs in this coun-try, as it relates to the spread of the

Dan Burks is a member of Okolona Christian Church and Team Expan-sion's equipping department. Dan joined this research trip as a church member.

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The Challenge of Gateway

gospel, is for culturally-equipped, patient and persevering workers to come and live among the people as children of light. People living in darkness are attracted to light. People living in spiritual darkness are likewise attracted to spiritual light whenever that light is lived out in a culturally appropriate way.

Riding the train from the capital to an-other city we notice large smokestacks off in the distance. Next to the smokestacks are small struc-tures that do not fit proportionately in

regard to the size of the smokestacks.

We learn these smaller buildings are kilns. These kilns, scat-tered throughout the country, are responsible for baking bricks used in building projects.

While walking the following morning, we notice a group of men in a lot pounding bricks into small pieces with ham-mers. It seems a strange sight after passing all the

kilns the day before. We ask why they make all the bricks

only to haul them some place and smash

11 tell • spring 2009

them with hammers?We are told that because Gateway

is primarily a large delta, the amount of gravel needed to make cement is not available. So the bricks are smashed in order to make gravel to mix cement.

Someone asks, “Wouldn’t it be easier to get a machine to smash the bricks?”

Yes, in one way, but if there are ten men in a lot smashing bricks, and you bring in a machine that only needs one person or two to run it, then you have put the rest of the men out of work.

A couple of interrelated needs in Gateway are in the areas of education and economics -- from the standpoint of industry and business. It is a dif-ficult problem. We talk to some who

People living in darkness are attracted to light.

The Challenge of Gateway The Challenge of Gateway

have education but cannot find a job because there are none available.

So, how does a country become economically viable?

In my mind, this points to the need for believers who not only know how to share the gospel but also have skills in business and an understand-ing of how to help people grasp eco-nomic principles that will help change some of the structures holding people back.

Please Pray for:Please join us in prayer for the country •of Gateway.

Pray that God will work in the coun-•try to prepare the way for the gospel.

Pray that people with the determina-•tion to stay for the years it will take to bring change come forward and go to Gateway.

Pray that those who do come forward •will have the skills needed to be effec-tive in Gateway.

Pray that in everything, the Lord will •be honored and the people of Gateway will gather to sing His praises.

The Challenge of Gateway

Member Care

13 tell • spring 2009

by Doug LucasPresident, Team Expansion

ver the past five years, we’ve been extremely blessed by the volunteer work of a certain married couple, John and Judy, from southern California. Month after month, they have invested deeply in loving and encouraging one of our field teams.

Since we’re in the middle of a 20-month study on member care, we decided to study their work, break-ing it down into its smallest components, then seek to replicate it in the other nearly 50 countries where Team Expansion is working around the world.

What will this mean to our field teams? They’ll become the recipients of some of the greatest outpouring of love and mercy ever, as we document and train these volunteers to duplicate what John and Judy have been doing.

What will it mean for new FAMCare Volunteers? They’ll have an outlet for ministry in which God can all the more utilize their unique gifts, as well as their life inventory of skills.

This past May, Team Expansion staged an event during which John and Judy, together with members of International Services, introduced others to the FAMCare role. John and Judy came personally, and with their help, and the help of others, we implemented this new strategy to ramp up, all the more, our ability to effectively address the needs of the world while our workers remain more effective.

If you’re interested in learning more about FAMCare vounteers, please visit www.teamexpansion.org. Click on “Involvement,” then com-plete a profile and mention in it that you’re interested in learning whether or not you might fit into this new role.

Note: FAMCare Volunteers are just that -- volunteers. They are non-salaried positions. (It is possible, however, to raise money for out-of-pocket costs such as airfare, food and other travel expenses.) Our goal is to raise up an entire brigade of these new workers, until each and every team has its own FAMCare Volunteer.

Introducing FAMCare Field Advocate Member CareVolunteers

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The Challenge of Gateway

14 spring 2009 • tell

Southeast Asiahe people of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia hunger for hope in their world.

In Southeast Asia as a whole there are approximate-ly 568 million people. The region includes Cambodia,

Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Burma (Myanmar), as well as Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.

For many, living in these countries their only hope lies in the Hindu and Buddhist influenced idea of samsara, a cycle of death and rebirth that is never end-ing unless one reaches nir-vana, an impossibly perfect state of spiritual, physical and emotional purity.

The millions that live underneath this spiritual op-pression strive to improve their karma, a virtual score-card of good and evil actions, so that during their next re-incarnation they will be one step closer to reaching nirva-na. Many in these countries also live without the hope of physical security. They live in the midst of overwhelm-ing poverty, violence, gov-ernmental oppression and disease.

For many of them the struggle of surviving even this life seems to much to bear, much less the hopeless struggle of reaching nirvana.

Islam has also continued to gain influence and power in some of these countries as well. In Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia it has become the majority religion. Evan-gelical Christianity averages less than three percent of the total population of these countries.

Siem Reap, Cambodia is the home of the largest religious site in the world. Angkor Wat was originally built in the 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, the supreme god of

A Photo Essay by John Palmer Gregg, Photojournalist

T Hinduism. The stone structure, now used as a Buddhist temple, is a focal point of Cambodia’s culture. It appears on their nation-al flag, various denominations of their currency, and is the main tourist attraction for the country.

Through the efforts of Team Expansion’s workers on the field and the support of prayer and financial backers in the United States, Team Expansion is working to give these lost people real hope -- a hope in an eternal life that does not rely on our perfec-tion, but on the perfection and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

15 tell • spring 2009

16 spring 2009 • tell16 spring 2009 • tell

17 tell • spring 2009 17 tell • spring 2009

News and Notes

18 spring 2009 • tell

News and Notes

1 - Japan - New LifeKeiko Shichiri, a mother of three, has

chosen to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of her life. This decision was many years in the making. She explained that she had at-tended both a Christian kindergarten and high school in rural Niigata on the west coast of Japan. Then, 11 years ago, she started attending a Bible study led by mis-sionaries.

At the point where my wife and I met Keiko-san, her children were enrolled in a Christian English conversation school, we became the third missionaries to lead the Bible study she was a part of. At one point she admitted she understood the Bible and that she needed to be baptized, but she

Updates and information about a few of Team Expansion’s other f ields around the world

1

We are praying about working together with rural community people to drill water wells as an integral part of CHE (Commu-nity Health Evangelism) work.

The bottom half of Mongolia has insuf-ficient surface water resources.

Work-ing on this big felt need will be the first step in building r e l a t i o n -ships in new com-m u n i t i e s and would give local c h u r c h e s a natural, p r a c t i c a l way to work together with others in the community. This kind of heavy work is also a great way to connect with men.

The vision is exciting, but we need well drilling equipment. This equipment will be the hub around which the community de-velopment and church planting work in the countryside will turn. For more information about this work visit our website at: www.teamexpansion.org/mills.

by Bill and Donna Mills

didn’t want to make a commitment at the time because she wanted to be sure that she could spend eternity with her children.

What led to her final acceptance of God’s love?

Just months after that statement about spending eternity with her kids, Keiko-san became very busy at work and could no longer attend the Bible study. She ex-plained that she was suffering, trying to decide on her own how to live.

At that time, she continued to read the Bible on her own and to pray. She realized at some point that she only partly under-stood the Bible, and that understanding was with her head, not her heart. She felt

that it was time to rely on God. She furthermore realized that giving herself to Christ and being baptized was the best example she could pro-vide for her children so that they too would make the same decision someday.

Her decision to be baptized came in January, and while many baptisms in Japan are done in warm weather at the beaches or rivers, Keiko-san no longer wanted to wait. Her decision forced the church as-sociated with her kids’ language school to clean out its baptistry so that she could be baptized as quickly as possible.

by Nicki Shields

2 - Mongolia -

Water Wells

3

2

4

56

19 tell • spring 2009

News and Notes

3 - Thailand - Political UnrestMany of you are aware of Thailand’s

political situation as the national news has begun to cover the escalating violence. As the situation continues to worsen, we wanted to help you understand the crisis a little more and give you an opportunity to pray strategically for Thailand.

Since 2006, the red shirts and the yel-low shirts have become fierce rivals jockey-ing for power and control of the country.

The red shirts are mostly uneducat-ed farmers from the northeast who have power in voting through their large num-bers. They feel that their democratic right to vote has been taken from them because both of their elected prime ministers have been kicked out on corruption charges.

The yellow shirts, who make up the influential and wealthy, have fought those who supported and elected Prime Minis-ter Thaksin because they feel that Thak-sin bought the red shirts’ votes by giving the farmers hand outs. The yellow shirts became famous when they protested and shut down the airport leaving over 100,000 tourists stranded in Thailand last year. The red shirts vowed that the war was not over and the recent violent protests have been

the fulfillment of that promise. Presently, the yellow shirts are in sup-

port of the current prime minister Abhisit, while the red shirts are demanding another election, which would inevitably start this vicious cycle all over again. Simply put, there are no easy answers and it doesn’t look like this is going to get better any time soon.

The three pillars for the Thai people are their country, their king, and their religion, which is Buddhism. As the king’s health declines and the political climate begins to heat up, many Thais are being shook up.

We believe that this could be an un-precedented opportunity to share with the Thai people the hope we have in Christ - to share with them how Jesus can give them peace in the midst of the uncertainties of the future.

Please pray for us to be sensitive to the emotional, physical, political, and spiritual climate in Thailand right now. Pray for op-portunities to share Christ in the midst of a divided people, pray for wisdom and also be pray for the leaders so that they might know what to do next.

by A Worker in Thailand

Din Daeng interesection in Bang-kok, Thailand, during a military crackdown on Red-shirt protesters. (Photo by interactimages)

4 - North Africa

Center OpeningIn April, God confirmed the many ways

that we are needed here in this city. Although renovations are not yet completed, nine fami-lies already came to our center and asked when their disabled child could receive therapy!

This shows that we will not be lacking for children to serve, and that news is spreading by word-of-mouth. We were also able to meet several times with one of the new believers in the city. He is facing some major life decisions, and we have been able to offer some input from the Scriptures, give him a Bible and help to connect him with believers in other cities.

After many years of talking, planning, and praying to bless this city, we feel that we are just on the brink of blessing dozens, or even hundreds, of people here, physically or spiritu-ally.

In addition, we thank God that we have received our one-year residency visas this month! It has been at least 10 years since a Christian worker received this in our city.

Praise God for the many opportunities that we have to demonstrate His love here!

by Anonymous

Please be praying for many of the families here who have been affected by chinese drywall. A very large shipment of drywall imported from China, that was used in Florida and most of the Gulf Coast, was tainted with several differ-ent substances that corrode copper and other metals, as well as cause health dif-ficulties for people whose homes are af-fected.

Currently there are two families in our congregation whose homes have chinese drywall. There are numerous families throughout St. Bernard Parish whose homes have been affected.

We are looking for ways to help them find other housing as well as help-ing them take down, and then put up, new drywall. Most of these families have been in their homes less than a year. Having to start over again is devastat-ing for them.

by Matt and Andrea Woodward

6 - New Orleans

Chinese DrywallAs the radio ministry continues on

Thursday and Friday nights, we are happy to say that Jorge and José, along with Yorman and Ricardo, two men in training, have a new following that is pretty amazing.

After an episode in their series on how to deal with discouragement and depression through knowing Christ, they received multiple messages from the police, firemen, the national guard, the marines, and a group of visiting doc-tors that all were on duty at the time and listening to the program in their patrol stations.

On the radio program, they often pray for God’s blessing and protection over the local authorities who put them-selves in harm’s way to protect others. Please pray with us that these groups who are following the program will know Christ and become active in the church.

by Jorge and Sara Navarette

5 - Venezuela

Radio Program

10 weeks

3-12 mo.

Missi, left, and Tim Balch, right, unload drywall out-side a shelter in inner-city Louisville, during a Cross-Roads Missions event. (Photo by John Palmer Gregg)

Connections

Connections

20 spring 2009 • tell

If your passion is to serve, our desire is to allow you to do that. Let us plan and facilitate your short term mission trip.

od is amazing and worked in our lives, preparing us for this mission without us even realizing it. Tim, a former firefighter and paramedic

with the City of Springfield, Ohio Fire De-partment, was less than six years from full retirement when he felt called into the mis-sion field. I am a Registered Nurse who loves to care for others in need. We are blessed to have been called into the mission field at the same time.

We attended First Christian Church in Springfield where we were exposed to mis-sions. They are big supporters of missions, and many from the congregation go on an-nual mission trips.

One day, Tim and I were talking and were praying about which of us would go on a mission trip. We couldn’t agree because we both wanted to go. So, we decided that we would go together. We didn’t know how we could afford for both to go since we still had four kids living at home. But, we made the commitment and experienced firsthand the blessings of God. He made the way possible for us to go to on the trip to Honduras to-gether.

The trip changed our lives. We knew that God was calling us to serve in missions. We went on several other mission trips over the next few years to Honduras, Brazil and a few places in Africa. We did not know how or when God would use us, but we were willing to serve at His will.

We worked in the church by serving in several ministries. Tim taught Bible study classes often, but we knew we needed to do more. We both enrolled in Bible college. Tim graduated from Cincinnati Christian Univer-sity in Ministry and Leadership, and I from Kentucky Christian University in Nursing and Bible Studies. We are both seeking Mas-ters Degrees as well. I am working on an MA in Ministry and Intercultural Studies and Tim on Ministry and Leadership, both from Hope International University.

Unsure of where we were to serve, we

God’s call brings couple out of careers to head up short-term missionsby Missi Balch, Photos by John Palmer Gregg

stepped forward with a leap of faith at the National Missionary Convention in 2007, giving our lives to God to be used in mis-sions. We applied and were then accepted by Team Expansion. We currently serve as the Overseas Short-Term Ministry Co-ordinators with their partner CrossRoads Missions. We both left our secular posi-tions in the workforce and relocated our family to the Louisville, Kentucky area to work from the office of CrossRoads Mis-sions.

In Louisville, we plan, organize, and oversee all short-term mission trips, main-ly focusing on Team Expansion’s fielded missionaries. The goal is to share the love of Christ to the participants, the full-time missionaries, and those who need to see God’s light. This is accomplished through many methods, including: medical clinics, sports camps, construction, Bible teach-ing, and Community Health Evangelism among others.

After moving here in July of 2008, we have been open and receptive to God’s leading. Thus far, we have plans to serve Team Expansion missionaries in Taiwan in July, assisting with a sports and Eng-lish camp. We also are going to work with another Team Expansion missionary team in Tanzania in September, providing lead-ership and Bible training for the leaders in several church plants. In addition to these, we will be reaching the Alaskan people through a medical clinic and several com-munity outreach projects in August.

Our future plans are to bring short term mission teams to all Team Expan-sion fields, where appropriate. Mobilizing the local church into missions is an amaz-ing way to see the hands and feet of Christ in action. God is moving in the hearts of people all around the world, and we are blessed to be a part of His plan to bring all who want to hear the message of Jesus Christ.

Connections

G

Connections

21 tell • spring 2009

22 spring 2009 • tell

Full-time jobs

All holistic ministries lead to church planting

Our current list of the most needed openings are just some of the many positions

available throughout the world

Full-time Opportunities

Church Planter: Taiwan, Romania, South East Asia, Hungary, Japan, Gateway

Team Leader: Japan, Gateway

Discipler: East Europe, Mongolia

Teacher: Thailand, East Asia, East Europe, South East Asia, Mongolia

Campus Minister: Spain

Youth Minister: Taiwan, Tanzania, Japan

Coffeehouse Worker: South East Asia, Mongolia

Counselor: Japan

Children’s Worker: Romania

Information Technology: USA-International Services, Thailand

Nanny: Thailand

Radio: East Europe

Physical Therapist: Romania

Dentist: East Europe, Mongolia

Medical Worker/Nurse: East Europe, South East Asia

Humanitarian Aid Worker: Romania

Veterinarian: Mongolia

Farmer/Agriculture: East Europe, South East Asia

Accountant: Middle East

Business Management/Marketing: East Europe, South East Asia

by Tim StapletonChurch Mission Consultant

y first wood working project was to build a simple rectangular box as a carrying case for an electric piano.

I laid out my tools and material next to the college dorm. Then I quickly cut the bottom section and started on the side pieces as a friend walked by.

“Where are your plans?” he asked.

“It’s just a simple box,” I said with a smug look on my face. “I won’t need plans.”

He shrugged and walked away. I proceeded to cut the side and end pieces the same length as the bottom section.

You probably figured it out quicker than me – I forgot to allow for the width of the overlapping side boards. Since they were half inch boards, I was a full inch short on my measurements.

Fortunately, I had allowed extra space for the piano accessories and was able to reduce the overall size to fix my mistake.

The box, though still functional, was not what we hoped for.

I had a mission. I also had a vision to accomplish the mission. What I failed to do was formulate a strat-egy to bring the vision to reality.

Strategy is a part of everyday life and sometimes we don’t realize it.

We determine a best driving route to work, or make a meal plan for the family. Pilots determine weather conditions, wind currents and check the planes safety before filing a flight plan and beginning a journey. Teachers lay out a year-long lesson plan before the first day of class. Fishermen study waves, weather and currents before dropping their nets.

Jesus spoke of the importance of strategy when He said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.

PACE

23 tell • spring 2009

Formulating a Mission’s Strategy

It’s just a simple box...

Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fel-low began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.” Luke 14:28-32 NIV

One of my favorite definitions of ‘missions’ is: Determining what God is doing in the world and deciding how to join Him in His mission.

If missions is that important, then we must think strategically about how to accomplish God’s vision. We cannot simply leap forward with-out a plan. Instead, we must take hold of God’s vision of worshippers

from every people group (Revelation 7:9,10) and follow God’s guidance to map out a strategy for fulfilling His mission on earth.

So what does a church’s mission strategy look like?

It will be different for each church. It should be based on their strengths, weaknesses and resources and, above all, it should be based on God’s guid-ance. Strategy must be covered in prayer. It may take time. It must glorify God!

Take a close look at your missions ministry. Is it a box that is just barely functional? Is it just another program of the church? – Or is it a way to join God in what He is accomplishing in the world? Is it big enough to allow for God’s vision of eternity?

Answering these questions will help your church formulate a stra-tegic focus on missions. The worst strategy is to have no strategy at all.

M

God is working through Team Expansion and you!

As of May 2009: 310 missionaries serve worldwide We are working in 47 countries 9,000 nationals have been baptized 205 churches have been planted