Author: Ari Rocklin

Whatever happened to Intent?

/ Ari Rocklin

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Since the 80’s, Intent, formerly the U.S. Association 
of Tentmakers, based in Colorado Springs, organized conferences to spread its message and enhance the networking of tentmaker-minded mission leaders, churches, and strategists.

Watch this space for an inspiring upcoming story from the founders and leaders of Intent. For those of us who were able to attend their impacting conferences, we will forever be grateful for the accomplishments and relationships that were built during that era.

If you’ve tried visiting the Intent website for the past few years, perhaps you’ve noticed it was mostly static. It is our prayer that this will change soon. Before releasing any details on future plans, we have decided to spend 40 days in prayer to seek God and to learn from him what that future should look like.

Would you join this already ongoing worldwide prayer meeting by committing to one minute of prayer per day until Aug 31?

If so, check out our daily prayer topics here. We also ask you to write down what you feel God is telling you during this prayer time and submit it on the website at the end of the 40-days. All of your insights will be read by a team of people in Bergen, Norway as we meet for a time of prayer over the future of Intent.

www.intent.org  

P.S. Feel free to make the graphic your desktop background for the duration of the
prayer time. It will remind you to pray as you turn on your computer.

The Arab Spring & the Power 
of the Gospel.

/ Ari Rocklin

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We have seen amazing changes in parts of the Arab world recently and more challenges are in the news daily. While much grief and horror has been brought into the region, we are reminded that God is still very much in control behind the nightly news scenes.

Christian expatriates are reporting increased openness by the local people from many of the affected and nearby countries. While intense fighting was still taking place, there was a sense of impending freedom from dictatorial leaders. One worker describes how even taxi drivers were openly asking them about God while adding that a new time is arriving where it is permissible to speak about Jesus.

There are credible reports of new house churches being started with minimal to no direct participation by expatriate Christians. Indeed local authorities have been suggesting that foreigners distance themselves from these new churches for the safety of everyone involved.

Local people are optimistic of a new and better future, where they have a say during this ongoing process. The son of a terrorist group leader, who is now a follower of Jesus has said that even those countries that may initially embrace a more strict form of their majority religion, have now been empowered to make change, and thus will not tolerate any form of government that is not representative of the people they claim to represent.

We remain overwhelmed by these rapid changes in this region and rejoice in the news of God’s kingdom being built on many fronts. Opportunities for expatriate Christians and businesspeople still continues to grow. 

Reflections from the youngest student at a GO Equipped TENTmaking Course

/ Ari Rocklin

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 A New Calling Tugging On My Heart.

Near the end of last May, my father and I traveled some twenty-five hours by airplane and bus to reach the city of Bergen in Norway. When we finally arrived at the building where the course was being held, I was exhausted but excited for things to begin.

  Amazingly people had come from 20 countries 
  to this course that was full past capacity.

Why was I there? To learn about becoming a tentmaker – someone who works abroad to share about God’s word, using a work visa to enter countries that are otherwise closed to traditional missionaries.

They follow the example of the apostle Paul, the original tentmaker, and support themselves with their jobs rather than relying on donations from home. They also work to plant small house churches that will remain in the country even when they eventually leave.

Over four days of information-packed sessions, taught by some very talented speakers, I learned more and more about God and His will for His children, and the world around me. It was an eye-opening experience for me in many ways. Even though, at 16, I was the youngest person ever to take the course, I still found it perfectly applicable and understandable, not to mention fascinating.

The rest of the students were of a wide variety of ages, cultures, and backgrounds, yet we got to know one another as good friends. We came together from every continent with a desire to learn and God’s voice echoing in our ears, which helped to create a very positive atmosphere throughout.

Of course, ten hours a day in any classroom is a challenge, and the difference in time zones didn’t help me, but I kept in mind that the course is specifically designed to fit into the schedule of the average working person. In any case, the knowledge I gained from it was certainly worth the effort. I walked away from this experience with a new perspective on things, and a new calling tugging on my heart. I now feel that God plans to send me, perhaps as an English teacher, and, come next September, I will begin working towards that goal in college.

I strongly urge anyone reading this, regardless of age or identity, to look further into the GO Equipped course.

I can safely say that it will make a difference in the way you see things – and it may even change your future in the way it did mine.

M.R.
Canada

Going Global

/ Ari Rocklin

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opportunities for you

Did you know that GO/TENT mobilizers and trainers are planning on a global reach to promote tentmaking in 2012-2013?

What do Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and “insert your country here ______________”  have in common?

These and other countries are now being considered for tentmaking development. It is our vision to not only promote tentmaking but to come alongside national and regional tentmaking business as mission groups and organizations to work together to launch new local initiatives as well.

What do we offer?

– Speakers for your church, conference or mission event.
– Fast paced 2-4 hour informative seminars.
– A two week curriculum course in 4.5 intensive days. 
– Consultation with mission agencies seeking to integrate 
  tentmaking into their strategy.

Prayer!

We ask you to pray for God’s leading in this major initiative and in many ways a faith venture on our part, to see where He is leading and where the strategic people and places are.

Act now!

It is cost effective to run events in your country as our staff are going to be in your region. Take advantage of this and contact us soon. As you can see, our next two courses are already full and there are only two more courses for 2012, in Florida and Germany.