BORTHWICK UPDATE: JULY 2002
Greetings friends and supporters,
It’s been too long since our last newsletter. We know that many of you accompany us in our travels through your prayers (thank you!); we want to keep your prayers informed through newsletters like these.
SHARPENING OUR FOCUS
One of the most common questions we get pertains to focus: “What is the focus of your ministry?” Our gifts, experiences, and priorities in ministry concentrate on three primary areas. All three pertain to both developing leaders and global missions. We’ve coded them (LD, NG, MC) so that you can follow the focus on the upcoming schedule.
After we detail each category, we’ve also included an “Impact” quote. As we serve as a team – speaking brainstorming, and preparing together – these quotes describe the kind of life-change that we want to stimulate. (One quote you’ll need to decipher!)
FOCUS #1: (LD) LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – developing the integrity and effectiveness of non-Western leaders with Development Associates International (DAI).
In the last few months, this included teaching a leadership development class at the Alliance Biblical Seminary in the Philippines, encouraging leaders serving as English teachers in China (at a conference in Thailand), and striving to develop partnerships between North American Churches and our Development Associates International ministry centers.
IMPACT. One of the students in the Leadership Class in the Philippines wrote us a “Text Message” (a message sent from a cell phone by punching in the numbers that correspond to the letters. Filipinos send the most “text messages” in the world – millions per day – and if you think it’s nerve-wracking to see someone dialing their cell phone while driving, you should be in a the car while your Filipino driver is sending a text message!) You can decipher this one:
“Kuya <a Filipino phrase meaning ‘older brother’>,
“I had jst got ur package. i claimed it n d post ofis. it tuk somtym 2 reach me, but still i got it. sir, i thank u 4 touching my life. it was all i needed. f i wud b given a chance 2 b discipled by u, its an honor 4 me. somday i want 2 b an author lyk u.dir a lot of tings dat i cud learn frm u. tnx a lot. Though its hard 2 b a leader but i know i was called 4 this.”
FOCUS #2: (NG) INFLUENCING THE NEXT GENERATION TOWARDS WORLD MISSIONS – including teaching and preparing short-term missionaries at Gordon College as well as serving as an “Associate” for Urbana 2003.
IMPACT. Moyra Stiles, former administrative assistant for the Urbana 2000 team, just completed one year of post-Urbana service with her husband in a school in Honduras. She wrote to tell us of another Gordon student going this September to that school:
“I had to tell you this quote from one of your former students. She has applied and been accepted to come down here at your recommendation. She's started up an e-mail and phone conversation with me about life down here. I was talking with her on Monday night and she was feeling some hesitations about coming down here ... somewhere in the midst of it she asked, ‘How do you know the Borthwicks? Did you take a class with them?’ So I told her about Urbana, etc ... and she replied, ‘Well, I took a class with him ... and well ... he really messes you up!’ She meant that in a positive way because ‘messes up’ means that you shake a person's world up a bit and point them in a new direction. It made me laugh to think about you ‘messing up’ so many lives!”
FOCUS #3: (MC) MOBILIZING THE CHURCH FOR OUTREACH/CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY – including missions conferences, leadership consulting, and some writing, including a new book coming out in 2003 called STOP WITNESSING, START LOVING.
IMPACT. Bruce Camp leads “DualReach” a ministry designed to help churches be strategic in their local and global outreach. He also leads the mission efforts of Ocean Hills Community Church in southern California where Paul spoke in March. Bruce writes,
As a result of Paul speaking at our church, we had a 100% increase in participation in a cross-cultural missions trip. Given that type of response by our congregation to his message in September 2000, we asked him to come back and address us this year.
We write to ask for your partnership in prayer concerning these ministries. These quotes are samples of the impact that we want to have. Thanks for your prayer support.
In Christ,
Christie & Paul Borthwick
Administrative PS #1: this mail is going out BOTH as hard-copy and email. If you can receive email but received this only as a letter, please email us; we’ll add you to the (more frequent) newsletter list. Email us at: 73314.3240@compuserve.com
Administrative PS #2: check out www.borthwicks.org. It’s just getting developed.
Administrative PS #3: the most recent Development Associates International Annual report just came out. If you’re a donor, you should have received a copy. If you didn’t get one and you’d like one (OR you’d like to become a donor!), you can write for a copy. Email your address to info@daintl.org or request a copy by sending a note to:
Development Associates International
P.O. Box 49278
Colorado Springs, CO 80949
August through December 2002
So that you know the focus of these ministries, we’ve “coded” them:
LD = developing the integrity and effectiveness of non-Western leaders (our primary
focus with Development Associates International)
NG = influencing the next generation towards world missions
MC = mobilizing the church for outreach/cross-cultural ministry
August: 12–19: (LD) DAI trip to minister with Reuben Ezemadu in Ibadan, Nigeria
September: 9: (NG) Gordon College classes start (Course title: “Missions Foundations”)
12-13: (NG) Urbana 2003 Leadership Meetings in Madison, WI
14-17: (MC) Church missions meetings and YouthBuilders Board meetings (southern CA)
20-22: (MC) Missions Conference at Doneldson Fellowship Church, Nashville, TN
23-27: (LD) DAI Ministry Center Directors meetings in Colorado Springs, CO
October: 4-7: (MC) Missions Weekend at the Mars Hill Church, Grand Rapids, MI
11-13: (MC) Missions Conference at Pacific Coast Church, San Clemente, CA
19-20: (MC) Missions Conference at Cedar Crest Fellowship, Allentown, PA
23-25: (NG) Gordon College Global Ministries Week
25: (MC) “Frontline” at Grace Chapel (encouraging local evangelism)
27: (MC) Missions Sunday at Osterville Baptist Church, Cape Cod
29: (NG) Teach “Perspectives” at Mt. Paran Church of God, Atlanta, GA
29-November 1: (LD) Operation Mobilization Regional leaders in Atlanta, GA
November: 1-3: (MC) Missions Weekend at the Plains Christian & Missionary
Alliance Church, Missoula, MT
6: (tentative) (LD) Meeting in Oxford, England with Lindsey Brown, head of the
International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES)
7-14: (LD) Staff Conference for Integra Ventures (Christians doing economic development)
in Oradea, Romania (traveling with former Grace Chapel staff partner, Dave Johnson)
16: (NG) Missions Seminar at Church of the Savior, Wayne, PA
21: (LD) Arrow Leadership Training in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
23: (MC) ACMC Seminar in Hopkinton, MA
December: 4-7: (LD) Pastors Conference in Cartagena, Colombia – speaking and traveling with Grace Chapel Pastor, Bryan Wilkerson.