Acts 1:8 News

Acting on recommendations from the "Renewing the Vision" task force appointed by board chairman Paul Chitwood in June, trustees unanimously agreed to revise the IMB's vision and mission statements in order to reflect what President Jerry Rankin called a "more relevant and biblical expression of the IMB's task" in the context of global change.

Read the entire story at BPNews.net >>>

About the Acts 1:8 Challenge Initiative

The last words of Jesus are the first priority for today's 21st century church! This conference, presented by Tim Yarbrough, team leader of church relations at the North American Mission Board and Acts 1:8 Challenge National Coordinator, provides an overview of the initiative and new tools designed to assist directors of missions and help their churches in becoming a worldwide mission centers. Presented at the 2009 Summit of the Network of Baptist Associations (www.NoBAsbc.org) held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The cultural climate for ministry has changed, and churches must change how they interact with their communities, Reggie McNeal told more than 200 Kentucky Baptists at the Jan. 22 Pastor/Staff Forum.

Read the entire story at KYBaptist.org >>>

Free online training: Watch a complete presentation by Dr. Bobby Gilstrap on the topic of recruiting and training mission teams. Presented live at the North Central States Rally in Indianapolis on January 7, this session will help you obtain strategies and resources for recruiting mission teams, hosting vision tours, and preparing mission team leadership for effective, evangelistic, contextualized ministry.

As church leaders continue to pile onto the missional bandwagon, the true meaning of the word may be getting buried under a pile of assumptions. Is it simply updated nomenclature for being purpose-driven or seeker-sensitive? Is missional a new, more mature strain of the emerging church movement? It's time to pause and consider the origin and meaning of the word that is reframing our understanding of ministry and the church.

Read the entire story at ChristianityToday.com >>>

We have a new Acts 1:8 Challenge Photo sharing site on Shutterfly! As a visitor you can view photos. As a member of Shutterfly you can add your own Acts 1:8 and other missions photos, download, make prints and other items!

Current albums available for viewing include pictures from 2008 conferences in Arkansas and Missouri, as well as shots from last year's Acts 1:8 Forum.

Check out all the albums at actsone8challenge.shutterfly.com >>>

The Acts 1:8 Challenge initiative continues to work to provide missional resources in various languages.

Our most recent effort has resulted in the translation of the Acts 1:8 Challenge doctrine study by Nate Adams into Spanish. You can access a PDF of the study here, along with other Acts 1:8 Non-English speaking resources.

The English version of the study can be purchased through LifeWay.

The Camel Workshop offers a six-session interactive workbook (The Camel Rider’s Journal) and instructional DVD in the most powerful, proven, and effective Muslim evangelism tool available. Developed in collaboration with partners who have been using the Camel Training book for three years, this workshop offers a more complete training module.

Get more details about this valuable resource here >>>

This recent online devotional from Pastor Rick Warren addresses the global component of the Acts 1:8 Challenge: "We’re more [globally] connected than we realize and God can use that connectedness as a means for us to fulfill His Great Commission."

Read the entire post at PurposeDriven.com >>>

A helpful article from Jonathan Dodson at The Resurgence breaks down 8 natural, straightforward ways we can be on mission in our everyday lives. The list includes ideas like finding opportunities to eat with non-Christians, choosing to "be a regular" at specific shops in our communities, and intentionally participating in city events.

Check it out at theresurgence.com >>>

Imagine a camera with a huge lens and God giving you the privilege of looking through the viewfinder to see the world from His perspective. The image you see moves from where you are, all the way out beyond the horizon and into the unseen places of the world. And He sees people. This is the kind of experience a committed believer has when their life intersects with the truth of the biblical text. This is particularly true when it comes to the mandate of Acts 1:8. 

Read the entire story by James B. Law at bpnews.net >>>

An army of 25,000 student and adult volunteers will mobilize across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico in June, when the North American Mission Board's World Changers, PowerPlant and Families on Mission ministries launch for the summer.

Read the entire story at SBC Baptist Press >>>

Now you can access IMB’s best practices, projects, training and field information all in one place. Preparing the churches of your association for short-term missions has never been easier. We have developed training and project templates that will help churches have an effective and streamlined experience on their short-term overseas mission. It is all available to Southern Baptist churches and your association.

Please go to imbconnect.net to sign up. >>>

Do we have personnel in Haiti and are they safe?

IMB does not currently have personnel living in Haiti. IMB is continuing to work with Baptist partners who have direct ministries there.

What is being done to help after the earthquake?

IMB’s human needs partner, Baptist Global Response, is coordinating relief efforts with other Baptist partners. The Florida Baptist Convention has many ongoing ministries with Haiti and will be the primary coordinator of the Southern Baptist response there.

I want to be involved. How can I go? Give? Pray?

Assessments have begun and there will be more specific information forthcoming.

Meanwhile, you can pray for those who have lost loved ones in this disaster. Pray that as relief is provided for physical needs, opportunities will also arise for meeting spiritual needs.

Give?

Relief efforts are going to be costly. If you want to give online, please go to imb.org, click on giving, and click on human needs. 100% of your donation will be used in to provide relief; no funds will be used for administration or promotion.

Go?

Assessments have begun and we will have more information in the next several hours. As you may have heard on news reports, there is a need to make sure aid from all sources is coordinated so that all individuals will receive the help they need.

Information will be posted on imb.org later today and in following days about any specific needs.

"We hear so much about the economy. A lot of people are struggling," said Todd Pendergrass, executive pastor for Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, Tenn. "For us, it's about not turning a deaf ear to what's happening. There are things we can do for each other, take care of each other through difficult times."

Read the entire story at BPNews.net >>>