First ever GO Equipped! course in Sweden

/ Steinar Opheim

http://globalopps.org/tmbriefs/tmcourse-frontpage.jpg

For the first time ever the GO Equipped Tentmaking course will be run in Sweden later this month. Swedish leaders believe this can be the starting point of a Swedish tentmaking movement.

“Several churches and organizations are speaking about tentmaking, and some of the leaders will attend the course to learn more. Afterwards we will sit down and discuss how we can work together to promote tentmaking in Sweden,” says Stefan Rizell. He is the mission leader at Smyrnakyrkan, in downtown Göteborg, and the primus motor behind the tentmaking course that will run from October 30th through November 3rd.

“I attended the GO Equipped course in Bergen in May this year and the teaching went beyond my expectations. Now I am looking forward to seeing many people from Sweden experience the same teaching,” Rizell says.

He is sure that the course can benefit all Christians, whether they are thinking of going to another culture or planning to stay at home.

“The central part of the course deals with how we can, in a natural and loving way, make Jesus known to the people around us in our everyday lives. It is very important that we help everyone in our congregations see themselves as God’s representatives where they are.  At the same time, the course focuses on cross-cultural ministry. In our globalized world, tentmakers can bring the gospel to places where traditional missionaries usually do not have access,” says Rizell.

2 Hour FREE Info Seminar
before the course

If you are undecided on whether you should attend the full course, there is a free 2 hour information seminar on Wednesday 30 October at 18:30 at Smyrna Church in Göteborg. at Tentmaking Sweden

30 people signed their own ”death sentence”

/ Steinar Opheim

http://globalopps.org/tmbriefs/Nema1.jpg

30 Nigerian Christians answered yes when they were asked to go as tentmakers into an area where their lives will be constantly at risk.

Nigeria Evangelical Mission Association (NEMA) aims to recruit, train and send out 15,000 tentmakers by 2020. Most of them will go to what can spiritually be regarded as the toughest places on the planet.

In August, tentmaking was the main subject when NEMA arranged its annual conference in Lagos. For everyone attending it became perfectly clear that many of the Nigerian Christians will hold nothing back as they live and work to expand God’s kingdom. One incident at the conference showed to the full extent the total commitment many of the believers have to Jesus.

Difficulties

It all started when one of the speakers invited people from the audience to join him in his work. He had come from a highly sensitive, far away nation and from the podium he shared openly about the suffering and persecution he and his co-workers were facing.

“Many people have died around me – expatriate workers as well as local believers. In many ways I feel like the last man standing,” he said. He shared that the kingdom results are scarce, but things are happening on a small scale. ”Even if this is a dangerous ministry, I believe that God may call one or two of you here today to come and join us. Are you willing to come?” the tentmaker asked.

When the person leading the meeting took over, he repeated the invitation. “Will those of you who feel that this can be a calling for you please come forward,” he said.

Death sentence

It was quiet for a little while. Then one person stood up and walked forward. Then another one. And another one. In the end, around thirty people were on the move towards the podium.

“I hope you are aware that you are in many ways signing your own death sentence by accepting this invitation. Are you really willing to do this?” the leader asked.

Some of the people in front of the podium were crying. Others were kneeling on the floor in praise and prayer.  After a while, they were all led to the side of the conference room where they received the first instructions for what was ahead of them.

“It is amazing to meet this kind of commitment for the Lord,” commented one Western leader who was present at the conference.

Several Nigerian mission leaders have said that they sense that Christians from their own nation have a special call to take the Gospel to the toughest places in the world. “We experience persecution here in our own nation. Through this, God has prepared us for the tough treatment and persecution we may meet elsewhere,” one of the leaders said.

Move In – Can It Get Any Simpler Than This?  

/ Ari Rocklin

http://globalopps.org/tmbriefs/MoveIn3.jpg

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.”

We met the leaders of MoveIn at our Florida course earlier this year. They had found out about the GO Equipped TENTmaking courses online and quickly realized this training was what they needed in order to expand their ministry globally.

After the course, they invited the GO team to teach at their leadership retreat this past month near Toronto Ontario.

Who are “Move-inners”?

George Verwer founder of Operation Mobilization has said this about them:

“I believe this is cutting edge and strategic. I hope you will get involved in what is happening.”

Move-inners, in a nutshell are people who decide to move into neighbourhoodsdeemed a “no go zone” for 99.9% of Christians. Even the police dread to enter these areas of our major cities. Calling 911 may be futile as too often no one will come.

Move-inners are mostly young “Generation Y” couplesand singles, deliberately moving into low income, crime ridden neighbourhoods, to integrate themselves with the people who have little choice on where to live. These areas are made up largely of recent immigrants from the so called unreached areas of the world.

Please take some time to view professional quality wedding video featuring Nigel and Jessie Paul and their brilliantly planned and executed celebration for their neighbours.

“I am becoming more and more convinced that this approach is the future of how God is going to reach people in the unreached areas of our cities. It … will be costly in many terms for people participating.” 
– Charles Price, Senior Pastor, The Peoples Church – Toronto

“It is brilliant what God is doing through MoveIn. This concept of downsizing and moving right into some of the more unreached communities among us and, through prayer and action, to reach them for Christ – all in the context of the needs of the whole world – I praise God that this is happening, and I would challenge you to consider doing this yourself.” 
– K.P. Yohannan, Founder, Gospel for Asia

Does the Self Supported Tentmaking Model Work in Africa?

/ Ari Rocklin

http://globalopps.org/tmbriefs/tanz_small.jpg

Can African believers follow in Apostle Paul’s footsteps by taking their profession and business with them to other regions of Africa? Is it possible to have Africans being trained by Africans to go to other Africans with the Gospel without any financial support from elsewhere?

It is the conviction of this editor that Africa will train and send more tentmakers who will disciple more new believers and plant more house churches than any other continent in the next decade!

Steinar Opheim of TENT Norway has been going to Africa for many years to teach and encourage the tentmaking movement there. Together with an increasing number of local teachers, the movement has taken off in ways not imagined.

The 6th All African TI Congress in Tanzania took place last month with 157 delegates and attendees from many African nations. We heard encouraging and exciting reports on how God is moving through tentmakers and how quickly this movement is spreading.

There was an intensive training for trainers course at the end of the congress which had 53 pastors and leaders in attendance. From the interaction and questions it became evident that this model for evangelism and mission is here to stay.

Here are some reports on the impact tentmakers are having:

  • 2011-2012: 1,000+ tentmakers in 7 African countries
  • 2,105 tentmakers trained.
  • 239 House churches/prayer cells started.

Thanks to Tentmakers International and the All Africa TI leaders for putting on such a wonderful event.

Conclusion: The tentmaking movement in Africa, by Africans for Africa is about to explode!       “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”