course

First ever GO Equipped! course in Sweden

/ Steinar Opheim

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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

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.