Catalyst Services

Faith to Action is offering a free, four-week interactive course on caring for orphans and vulnerable children. We highly recommend this organization to every church involved in some type of orphan ministry or concerned about vulnerable kids.

The Chalmers Center is publishing a new book on applying Helping without Hurting to the African context. They are introducing the book with a free webinar with the authors next Tuesday.

This little piece of history puts our quarantine difficulties in a different perspective!

If you are considering overseas ministry as a marketplace worker, check out The Upstream Collective helipad training.

Each December Catalyst publishes a list of "best missions books" selected by our readers. We've just released this year's list. Why not choose at least one to read over the holidays? It's a great time to become a subscriber to our monthly Postings articles or invite someone else you know in church missions leadership or mobilization to join our readers. It's free! Find the link at the end of the Postings article.

Are you a church leader facing decisions about your 2021 missions budget? In our latest Postings article, three missions pastors, Matthew Philip, David Harrop, and Jeremy Zilkie share their principles for challenging congregations to global giving as well as how they make decisions about using those dollars wisely. https://catalystservices.org/wise-missions-stewardship/

"Remembering Jesus" is a small booklet written by George Murray and published by William Carey. They say: This booklet is simple, straightforward, and cuts to the heart of every person’s most desperate needJesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life-giving hope that we all need. And while we need to share that with those who have never heard, we need to also remind those brothers and sisters who claim to follow him of these essential truths." They are challenging everyone to give a copy with Christmas gifts this year. It might be a good fit for your church for Easter. 5 copies for $10.

Are you concerned because many of the people in your church aren't finding ways to use their God-given passions and expertise in global missions? Are there talents going untapped for Kingdom impact? This month's Postings issue addresses how you can expand your impact without diluting your focus.

"God doesn't expect the impossible from us. He wants us to expect the impossible from Him!" - D.L. Moody #UntilAllHaveHeard

Do you have someone in your church who is interested in launching a business overseas for Kingdom purposes (known as "BAM" or business as missions)? Long-time BAM entrepreneur, Mike Baer explains the spiritual and business qualifications in a free course offered on the Third Path website.

To better understand the challenges your missionaries and their parents may be facing if they are in a COVID-dictated home assignment or extended assignment, read this insightful blog from The Upstream Collective.

Are you running a lot of virtual meetings these days? Here are some helpful guidelines.

Don't let your missions momentum die just because of COVID challenges. Our August issue of Postings lists 25 ways to keep moving forward and identifies 8 types of people who might have extra time right now to help you do it! https://catalystservices.org/maintain-your-momentum/

Our July Postings presented some "start learning here" resources including a recommendation of the classic, "Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret." This is more than a biography. It is a glimpse into the spiritual life of a missionary trailblazer. Right now it is available as a free download. Apologies that the page view doesn't appear here. https://www.davidsonpublishing.org/omf_international.html

https://www.aljazeera.com//lebanon-eyes-state-emergency-de

Catalyst Services has been one of the facilitators of the Kinship Network nurturing church-to-church partnerships between North American churches and congregations in Lebanon and Syria. Recently truly catastrophic problems have overwhelmed both nations. Syria is now suffering very high numbers of COVID cases at the same time there is a terrible food shortage. People have nothing to eat, and the medical system is totally overwhelmed. Many are describing the situation as worse ...than during the war. Meanwhile, there was a terrible explosion in Beirut last evening. At latest reports over 100 are dead, 4,000 injured, perhaps 300,000 homeless. This in a country whose economy had totally collapsed in recent months. Again, there was already widespread hunger, joblessness, and depression. Now they are suffering incomprehensible devastation. Please pray for Syria and Lebanon. Pray for a solution to the entrenched political problems that have led to these conditions. Pray that churches there will be strong in faith despite their own suffering and show mercy to those around them. Pray that we in the US will be generous in our aid and our prayers. Contact us if you would like info on a trustworthy ministry through which to give. This is a time for the body of Christ to respond as the New Testament churches did when Paul asked them to give to the suffering believers in Jerusalem.

If you are approaching a new area of missions or have a new person on your church's missions leadership team, what resources are the place to "start learning here"? Our July issue of Postings provides suggestions for books and online media that are great places to begin.