My New Gig
By Bryon | January 5, 2009
Coinciding with my move back to Florida was a change in my job description. My official new title with Shepherd’s Staff Mission Facilitators is Regional Mission Pastor.
Meeting with missionaries is the part of my job I love the most. While I enjoy the administrative side of providing missionary care, nothing beats sitting down at a table filled with lunch with a guy or gal fresh from the field. Today I met with Ken Dinnen, a missionary sent out from Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale.
Dinnen serves in Vajta, Hungary, at Calvary Christian Academy. The Calvary Christian Academy is the Eastern European outpost of CC Ft. Lauderdale’s Calvary Christian Academy. Dinnen is a teacher at CCA, Vajta.
Dinnen is part of the staff that teaches the children of Pastors and Missionaries at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Not only is he working in the classroom, he participates in outreaches regularly and has launched a youth ministry serving both missionary kids and locals. He gives Bible teaching and godly guidance to both groups.
"It’s the perfect environment for making disciples," Says Dinnen. "I’m being discipled while I make disciples."
Dinnen’s excitement and passion are infectious as he shares about his work. "I’m a part of giving the students that come to Hungary a bigger view of the world."
Keep up with Ken as he update’s his blog. Pray for his work and the lives he’ll touch.
Topics: Calvary Chapel, Hungary, Shepherds Staff, doing missions right, long-term training, missionary care, missions, sending | No Comments »
Mission Network News - Persecution in 2009
By Bryon | January 5, 2009
International (MNN) ― Persecution will probably continue to intensify in the year 2009, as nations struggle through economic troubles and the Untied States inaugurates a new president.
"I think this is an extremely volatile time, and I think Christians around the world are more and more subject to persecution in the name of false gods and false philosophies," said Carl Moeller of Open Doors.
"Of course we’re not prophets, but we do sense that there will be an increasing amount of tension, an increasing amount of violence against Christians, increasing to a fever pitch in some parts of the world like the Middle East."
Moeller said the world should particularly watch the countries of Iran, North Korea, Nigeria, and India. Although the violence has thankfully abated in recent days, Christians in Orissa have been suffering severe persecution at the hands of Hindu radicals in the latter half of 2009.
The country of Nigeria is also showing signs of serious religious division.
"Nigeria…has a very extended line of demarcation religiously between Christians in the south and Muslims in the north, and all along that line. Sort of like a California grassfire, there have been explosions of violence," Moeller explained.
Free countries are able to support and stand up for persecuted Christians around the world, not only because their citizens have the freedom to do so, but also because many of them have the economic ability to do so. Moeller is concerned that the current economic instability could interfere with this support.
"As governments are increasingly faced, worldwide, with turning inward to domestic issues, their economy, and helping to prop up industries, and to create some sort of stability economically at home, they’re going to be less and less available to turn the world’s attention on totalitarian governments and their treatment of the minority religions like Christians," he said.
"Frankly, as western governments are less and less able to economically intervene on behalf of those persecuted minorities, or even militarily if the case arose, that’s going to expose more Christian communities to a greater amount of persecution in the years to come."
However, Moeller is hopeful that the administration of Barak Obama is willing to work for religious liberty. He anticipates that Open Doors will "have the opportunity to help shape some of that discussion," he said.
"We believe that there is an openness to that in the new administration," Moeller said. "If you remember the civil forum that Pastor Rick Warren had, he brought up the question of religious liberty around the world. And Barak Obama had a response that said, ‘We would pursue and support those who will be persecuted around the world and pursue those forces that would persecute them.’"
Moeller is thankful for the Bush administration’s commitment to religious liberty.
"There’s never been as open and positive an administration towards religious persecution specifically than the Bush administration," he said. "The Bush administration took a great deal of heat because it took a positive approach, a pro-active approach to promoting Christian rights within the context of persecution around the world."
Overall, Moeller believes that Christians will always live with persecution because the Bible teaches that persecution will only worsen as time goes on.
"The Bible tells us that there will come a time that people will kill Christians and persecute Christians and think they’re doing God’s work," he said. "Around the world, in the Middle East and places like Iran, in North Korea, and in Africa, and in Nigeria, Christians are being killed, and people think they’re doing the work of benefiting society by ridding their culture of the Christians."
"So unfortunately, as Brother Andrew likes to say, our work is increasing, because we have many more places around the globe where Christians are subjected to extreme persecution — everything from harassment, denial of basic human rights, all the way to torture and martyrdom."
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Great Commission Initiative - International Orality Network
By Bryon | January 5, 2009
About six years ago, the International and North American Mission Boards of the Southern Baptist Convention convened a 2 1/2 week meeting outside of London. They invited megacity DOM’s and other urban church planting strategists from North America to hear what God was doing around the world. The IMB brought in its best practitioners and strategists to talk about church planting movements, chronological Bible storying, and obedience -based discipleship.
At the end of the retreat, several of the participants were "commissioned" to find out why God was not doing these same things in North America, and to see what could be done about it. The result was what has become known as the Great Commission Initiative.
Great Commission Initiative (www.pantataethne.org) provides comprehensive training to pastors, church planters, strategists, and laypersons. Our goal is to facilitate church planting movements. The training is divided into three phases conducted over the course of a year. Each phase involves a three-and-a-half day workshop. Participants complete assignments relating to their personal ministry interests in between conferences.
Phase 1 teaches the biblical, missiological, and historical foundations of unreached people group evangelization.
Phase 2 teaches the principles of church planting movements and the discipleship methods that facilitate them.
Phase 3 teaches oral strategies for people group evangelization.
By completing all three phases of GCI you will not only know "how" to story; you will also know "what" to story.
To find out more about us, we invite you to visit our website (www.pantataethne.org). Aftger you have looked around (it won’t take long), we invite you to become a member. Membership will give you access to megabytes of documents relating to storying and other topics. We also invite you to participate in our training.
Great Commission Initiative - International Orality Network
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WORLD Magazine | Today’s News, Christian Views
By Bryon | December 29, 2008
CIA officials lied to Congress about a tragic drug war shoot-down that killed Baptist missionary Veronica Bowers, 35, and her 7-month-old daughter Charity, according to a CIA Inspector General (IG) report. The Bowerses died in April 2001 over a Peruvian jungle when a Peruvian air force jet shot down their plane after receiving a CIA tip that it could be carrying narcotics. The single-engine Cessna, owned by the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE), had been flying at a normal altitude in Peruvian airspace after having filed a detailed flight plan to a nearby consulate to obtain a visa for newly adopted Charity. The shoot-down, which injured three others including Bowers’ husband, Jim, and their 7-year-old son, prompted the suspension of the CIA-aided drug interdiction program known as Narcotics Airbridge Denial.
WORLD Magazine | Today’s News, Christian Views
via: Missions Mandate
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Brigada Today: Gaining Understanding And Building Relationships With Muslims
By Bryon | December 27, 2008
Muslims, Christians and Jesus is a readable, interesting guide to understanding Islam, its culture, and its followers from an Islamic expert who has lived in the Middle East for over 25 years. With practical information and fascinating stories, Carl Medearis shares culturally sensitive ways for Christians to get to know Muslims on a personal level. Rather than focusing initially on the differences between Islam and Christianity, Medearis shows how common ground is the best foundation for friendships and for hearts turning to Jesus. More information and an excerpt can be found at
http://www.bethanyhouse.com/
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Calvary International Fellowship: An Atheist Wrote This?
By Bryon | December 27, 2008
Here is a link to a recent article in the Times of London that,in our observation and opinion, hits the nail squarely on the head. Mathew Parris is the author and claims to be an atheist, but his comments about what is needed in Africa are exactly right.
Here is the subhead and a couple graphs, the remainder can be read by following the link…
Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa’s biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people’s mindset.
Those who want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid themselves that providing the material means or even the know how that accompanies what we call development will make the change. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.
And I’m afraid it has to be supplanted by another. Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.
Calvary International Fellowship: An Atheist Wrote This?
Compean Missionary Page
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YouTube - a tribute to bill
By admin | December 26, 2008
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Persecution.com - The Voice of the Martyrs
By Bryon | December 24, 2008
Belarus – Protestant Bishop Deported
Ukrainian founder of largest charismatic church deported because of religious activity. full story
Afghanistan – Taliban Kills Christian Aid Worker
Taliban shot and killed Christian aid worker as she walked to work. full story
CHINA - Prominent House Church Leader’s Sons Assaulted by Chinese Police
Pastor Bike’s sons severely beaten by Public Security Bureau officers. full story
India – More than 70,000 Christians displaced in Orissa
VOM sources report more than 70,000 believers have been displaced in Orissa state attacks. full story
Iraq – Seven Christians Killed in Mosul, Iraq
Iraqi police report seven Christians have been killed in Mosul so far this month. full story
Two Iranian Christians Released from Prison
Christians imprisoned in Shiraz, Iran, since May have been released. full story
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: November 9
BARTLESVILLE –The Voice of the Martyrs is calling on Christians worldwide to set aside Nov. 9, to pray for Christians around the world living daily under the threat of persecution as a part of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). full story
Christian Family Attacked and Three Killed
Three members of a Christian family killed after a neighbor blames them for his daughter’s stomach ailment. full story
North Korea - Christian Persecution Expected to Continue
VOM contacts expect persecution to continue despite reports North Korea’s dictator, Kim Jong Il might be ill. full story
INDIA – Violence against Christians Escalating in Orissa State
Outbreaks of violence against Christians escalating as homes, churches are burned in Orissa state. full story
Prominent House Church leader Released from Prison
Chinese Pastor Zhang "Bike" Mingxuan, wife and co-worker released. full story
Petition to Free Senior House Church Leader Launched
VOM and China Aid Launch Petition Drive to Free Pastor Zhang "Bike" Mingxuan. full story
Saudi Arabia – Saudi Man Killed Daughter for Converting to Christianity
Father cuts his daughter’s tongue and burns her Christian conversion. full story
Olympic Persecution: China Confiscates Bibles
Customs officials confiscated 315 Chinese Bibles from a Vision Beyond Borders team on Sunday, August 17, 2008. The Bibles were hidden in the group’s suitcases. full story
ERITREA – Students Imprisoned in Shipping Container, Bibles Burned
Eight Students imprisoned in shipping container after protesting bibles being burned. full story
VOM and Charisma Magazine Discuss Persecution in China
VOM and Charisma Magazine Host Webcast to Discuss the Olympics, China, and Christian Persecution. full story
President Bush Receives VOM Olympic Prayer Band
Add one more China Olympic Prayer Band to the 500,000 given by VOM supporters to raise awareness of persecuted Christians. Just 24 hours ago, President George Bush received a prayer bracelet from Bob Fu, president of China Aid Association. full story
The Voice of the Martyrs’ website attacked
On July 24, VOM’s Web site was deliberately attacked forcing us to take the site offline temporarily. Our network engineers say the attack originated outside the United States. We have to believe the intent was to silence the online voice of the persecuted church. full story
ERITREA – Christian Woman Dies in Prison
On July 23, an Eritrean Christian woman, Azieb Simon, died of malaria in the Wi’a Military Training Center after being imprisoned and tortured for months. full story
INDIA – Christians Attacked by Hindu Extremists
KARNATAKA - On July 13, Hindu extremists disrupted a morning worship service at the Full Gospel Assembly Church in the village of Harapanahalli Taluk, Davangere district. full story
AZERBAIJAN – UPDATE: Court Hearing Held for Pastor
On July 22, a court hearing was held for Pastor Shabanov after he was arrested for possession of an illegal weapon. Pastor Shabanov’s family insists the gun was planted by police. full story
Christians Abducted at Gunpoint by Muslim Extremists
PAKISTAN – On June 21, 16 Christians were abducted by Muslim extremists when they gathered to pray in Academy Town, Peshawar, Pakistan. full story
Christians Remain Strong and Resolute Despite Muslims Closing Church
INDONESIA – Recently, Muslims closed a church in Jatimula, Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia and blocked Christians from entering and holding services. full story
VOM’s Bibles Unbound Program Expanding
In case you have not visited VOM’s Bibles Unbound Web site recently, I wanted to highlight the new Covert Operations. A covert operation provides a unique opportunity to provide New Testaments into closed or hostile areas where mailing Bibles is not possible. full story
Pastor Assaulted by Hindu Extremist
On July 20, Pastor Abraham was assaulted by Hindu extremists in Haveri district, Karnataka state, India. full story
Persecution.com - The Voice of the Martyrs
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Brigada Today
By Bryon | December 24, 2008
A north American mission agency is seeking to put together a position paper on placing missionaries in active war zones or high risk areas. This is a big topic, but they are looking for theological, missiological and practical issues to cover. If your organization has studied this area or has a paper relating to this they would like to see it. All submissions will be kept confidential. Please contact Marty at
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Heartbeats from the ‘Hood: UYI Gives Away 3,500 Toys for Christmas
By Bryon | December 23, 2008
On Saturday, December 20th, Urban Youth Impact held its annual Christmas Store at Roosevelt Full Service Center in the inner-city of West Palm Beach. Close to 500 parents received 3,500 new toys and eight coveted bikes during the event. UYI was especially pleased that 92% of the parents of children enrolled in the Leadership Academy participated.
In addition to the Christmas Store, Anushka Spa & Salon in CityPlace provided Christmas gifts for over 40 children involved with Urban Youth Impact. On December 19th, the parents of those children attended a Christmas dinner at the Dream Center hosted by Calvary Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Hollywood.
(Pictured here: Students from Lake Park Baptist School delivering toys to the Dream Center.)
Heartbeats from the ‘Hood: UYI Gives Away 3,500 Toys for Christmas
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