Running to Win!

The Newsletter for Mission ConneXion: Connecting God’s People to Mission. August 2016

C o n n e X i o n

By Bill MacLeod, Executive Director

Recently, I was blessed to join hundreds of other mission-minded believers at the Perspectives National Conference. At the conference, I heard

about two Olympic runners whose stories have much to tell us about our work in global missions today.

Derek Redmond was favored to win the 400-meter race at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. But, 250 meters from the finish line, Derek suffered a torn hamstring and went down in excruciating pain. Slowly and painfully, Derek got up, refused a stretcher and hobbled toward the finish line. When Derek went down, his father pushed past the security guards and helped his son across the finish line. Derek didn’t win the race but, when he crossed the finish line with the help of his father, the crowd of 65,000 stood as one, giving the “loser”, and his father, a standing ovation.

Fifity-six years earlier at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 × 100 meter

relay. Jesse was the most successful

continued on page 4

A New Perspective:

An Expanded Role

For many years, it has been my heart’s desire to serve the

Lord. In 2014, a missionary to Egypt met with me and

encouraged me to attend Mission ConneXion Northwest in the

coming January (2015). So, I registered for the event.

When it came time to attend the conference, no one from my

church would go with me, which was a great discouragement

to me. I was afraid to go by myself, but God spoke to my heart

and reminded me that although not everyone has the same

call on their lives, He wanted me to be there. In obedience, I

got out of bed, got dressed, and went to Sunset Presbyterian

Church.

At the Mission ConneXion Northwest conference, I attended

several workshops and spoke to many people; and then the

Lord directed me to the workshop taught by Bill MacLeod,

“Fifteen Weeks Will Change Your Life.” Through this

workshop, I learned about Perspectives, took the information,

prayed about whether God would have me attend this 15-week

class; and I felt that God was leading me to do so.

Perspectives transformed my life. The Lord has opened my

eyes to reach unreached people groups with the Gospel, and I

continued on page 4

Yo u r

According to the CIA’s World Factbook our world is currently inhabited by nearly 7.1 billion people and slightly more than 33% of them claim to come from a “Christian” background. Of the nearly 4.3 billion lost people nearly 2.9 billion reside in what experts consider “unreached or least-reached” people groups.*

In the face of these numbers we see the overwhelming need to train the young people of today to reach out to the billions who are dying without Jesus! What would it look like if every single youth who attended a mission conference like Mission ConneXion really experienced the call that Jesus has given all of us to go and make disciples?

Why Student ConneXion?

Go to StudentConneXion.org for more information, to register for this FREE event,

to donate toward it, or to apply as an exhibitor.

Children’s Missions Workshop Track - New this year!

Having trouble instilling a missions mind-set in the kids ministry?

Then come to this interactive experience for kids and

parents! This room will be open on Saturday for parents and

kids to walkthrough and learn how to pray for missions and

missionaries, learn about different cultures, do projects and

activities that will bring about a global vision for the God’s world

and how they can play a part in reaching it .

MCNW17 Sneak Peek!

What if 1,000… 10,000… or 100,00 students really got on fire for the Lord and took up this call? How can we make this happen? Is the need too big? Too overwhelming? OR, could God actually accomplish such a tremendous work… maybe even in our lifetime?

*According to the Joshua Project “an unreached or least-reached…people group” is a people group that has

less than 2% Evangelical Christian and less than 5% Christian Adherents in it.

Joni Eareckson Tada

Founder & CEO

Joni & Friends International

Michael Oh

Executive Director & CEO

Lausanne Movement

Andrew Palau

World Evangelist & Author

Luis Palau Association

Tom Doyle

VP & Middle East Director

& Author

E3 Partners

Plenary Speakers

Is there really

a need?

251,000,000

individuals in the

10/40 Window have

neither Scripture

portions nor The

Jesus Film available

in their primary

language.

China has the largest

number of individuals

whose primary

language does not

have Bible portions

(195,000,000

individuals).

87% of foreign

missions giving goes

toward missions

work among already

Christian groups.

12% of foreign

missions giving goes

to missions work

among people that

live within reach of

the Gospel, but

haven’t responded.

1% of all foreign

missions giving is

used for work

among unreached

people groups.

For more than 35 years, Pioneers’ passion has been to see God

glorified among those who are physically and spiritually isolated from

the gospel of Jesus Christ—from Muslim Bedouins in the deserts of

North Africa and animist villagers in the jungles of South America to

secular humanists in Eastern Europe and middle-class Buddhist

urbanites in the sprawling cities of East Asia.

One of the courses Pioneers offers is called Encountering the World of

Islam. According to their website:

Through this course and textbook, you

will learn about Muhammad and the

history of Islam, gain insight into today’s

world conflicts, and dispel fears and

myths about Muslims. You will also

discover the frustrations and desires of

Muslims and learn how to pray for and

befriend them. EWI provides a

positive, biblical perspective on

God’s heart for Muslims and equips

you to reach out to them in Christ’s love.

Classes are available online for those not located near a class site.

Go to https://encounteringislam.org/online for more information.

Additionally, Pioneers has short-term and long-term missions

opportunities available; partners with churches to send out

missionaries; and provides resources for those interested in missions.

We are excited to welcome Pioneers as returning

exhibitors to Mission ConneXion Northwest in

January 2017!

Partner Ministry Highlight:

Statistics from The Joshua Project

Contact Mission ConneXion

Like, subscribe, and share us on the web:

Your tax deductible donation to Mission ConneXion

allows us to continue to bring high quality

education and networking opportunities to our

January conference.

athlete at the games and, as such, has been credited with "single-handedly crushing Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy." Reflecting on Jesse’s victory, Bishop David Perrin, the final speaker at the Perspectives National Conference, reminded us that the most critical part of a relay race is the exchange, those brief seconds when the baton is transferred from one runner to another. Relays are often won or lost if the baton is dropped or the exchange is a slow by fraction of a second.

In the coming days, as we approach the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, the stories of Derek Redmond and Jesse Ownes have much to teach those of us who are engaged in the mission movement.

Sometimes, as with Derek Redmond, God can use a loss to touch the lives of more people in more powerful and deeper ways than a simple “win” ever could. And, as with Derek’s father, when we run the race set before us, our heavenly Father always meets us at our moment of need, helping us to achieve more than just a medal as we finish the race.

In a different way, the story of Jesse Owens reminds us that it’s the exchange, when we pass the baton with intentionality and grace to our fellow runners, that will enable all involved to experience victory in the missions effort. And, even if we feel like we’re running alone, we need each other to win, in life and especially in the spread of the Gospel.

In the days ahead, as you catch glimpses of the best athletes in the world competing in Brazil, keep in mind that the race God has called YOU to run, may be quite different, but it is no less important or critical for the fulfillment of His Purposes among the nations.

Keep running!

Running (Cont’d)

see the world with a different perspective: Some

places have a lot of churches and missionaries, but

other places or countries have never heard the

gospel. I am more aware of and compassionate

toward those who are unable to provide food for

themselves and their families.

In August 2015, I traveled to Egypt to visit my mom,

who was suffering and dying from cancer. There, in

the middle of my own struggle, the Lord gave me the

courage to provide clothing and money to a poor lady

who had no income. The Lord also allowed me to

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M i s s i o n C o n n e X i o n : C o n n e c t i n g G o d ’ s p e o p l e t o m i s s i o n .

support many Muslim families who have

converted from Islam and were homeless

because their families would no longer

accept them.

Because of Mission ConneXion, I learned

about Perspectives, and I am so thankful for

what the Lord has done in my heart and life –

He has expanded my role in mission. In

addition to the individuals God allows me to

support and encourage, He has made me

one of the coordinators for Perspectives. I

now get to share with others what God has

done in my life through Perspectives and

encourage others to take the class!

I never did get to see the missionary again

who initially encouraged me to attend Mission

ConneXion, but I am so thankful for how the

Lord sent her to me at the right time to help

give me direction in His plan for me. I am

grateful to do the same for others.

This article represents the true story of Magdoleen Eskandar and was edited by Gloria Ames.

New Perspective (Cont’d)