the magazine
Social Media in World Missions
ISSUE 11
HM CONTENTS HISTORYMAKERS PROFILE ANDY THE PHOTOGRAPHER.............................02 MEDIA IN MISSION HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP THE TASK OF MISSIONS...........................04 KNOW YOUR WORLD MONGOLIA ............................................................06 MISSIONS DISCIPLESHIP CROSSING CULTURES ........................................08 TOP FIVES BUDDHIST COUNTRIES; DANGEROUS PLACES TO BE A CHRISTIAN; ANIMALS YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO MEET ON A MISSION TRIP ...........................10 BIBLE EXPO EPAPHRODITUS THE GOSPEL GAMBLER..........11
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Weird andthe Wonderful Our man behind the camera tells us why Asia is a ‘must’ for photographers and missionaries.
3 tips for taking a better photo 1 Compose your shot Think perspective (foreground, middleground, background) and work with the ‘Rule of Thirds’ (place the subject either left, middle or right).
2 Focus on your subject Experiment with different apertures (focus). A shallow focus places all the attention upon your subject, this is great for taking portraits (subjects stand out against blurred background). A deeper focus makes everything in the shot sharp. This is great for landscapes, buildings etc.
3 Look at the light What kind of light you are working with (time of day, early morning, late afternoon etc). Where are the shadows falling? Unless you want a silhouette effect, it's generally best to shoot with the sun behind you or at the side.
HM PROFILE
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Everything is completely different from life at home
Andy is a professional photographer based in the UK. Since 2004 he has journeyed with AsiaLink on the road less travelled to the far flung corners of Asia, taking pictures of amazing people and places. What do you enjoy best about Asia? I love the culture that’s steeped in history and hasn’t changed in centuries. Everything is completely different from life at home in the UK. From watching elephants walking through the marketplace to hanging off the back of an overcrowded Tuk-Tuk, Asia is full of weird and wonderful surprises. Why is Asia a great place for photographers to visit? The right kind of light on location is so important to get the most out of my shots. The lighting in Asia is so dynamic that I don’t have to worry about bringing extra equipment. The landscapes are stunning with beautiful sunsets and panaromic skies and there are very few places in the world where you will find such extraordinary people, dress and culture. But the best thing is traveling to the back of beyond where very few westerners have had the privilege to go and document local life in my style of photography. What's the most challenging part of travelling in Asia? The food! I don’t mean the rice and
noodles, I mean severed animal heads in Mongolia, fried rat in Laos and the constant worry of contracting Delhi-Belly! Where have you visited in Asia? India, Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, China, Thailand, Iraq & Mongolia. Tell us what else you do for AsiaLink I serve on the Board of Trustees and I also help the creative side of the ministry through retouching, filming and design work. What motivated you to help missionary work in Asia? Back in 2002 I heard someone speak about the unreached peoples of Asia. I felt that God was calling me to help and ever since my life hasn’t been the same! What’s your most memorable moment in Asia? There are so many! Photographing people worshipping a black serpent in Northern Iraq, gatecrashing a traditional Mongolian wedding, sharing tea with Saddam Hussein's head chef or teaching worship songs to children in a remote part of Laos, and that’s just a few!
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HM SHORT-TERM TRIPS
In the summer we focus on carrying Bibles across borders in south-east Asia. We call it “Operation Monsoon�. What happens? Spiritual opposition, emotionally challenging situations, physical and mental exhaustion. Prayer, discussion and spiritual development. Bible studies. Planes, trains, boats & tuk tuks. Firm friends, awesome sights and unforgettable memories. You'll never be the same again. Email historymakers@asialink.org for app-forms or phone 0161 443 2327 for more details.
MEDIA IN MISSION SOCIAL
MEDIA
Facebook is available in more than 70 languages and, apart from four countries (North Korea, Cuba, Iran and China), is available to any person on the planet with access to the internet! For the first time in history, people who have never even heard of Jesus can be reached from their seats.
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Access to the gospel is unprecedented Social networking has changed the way we keep ourselves informed 48% of 18-34 year olds check Facebook when they wake up. With just the click of a button, we have the ability to reach non-believers with vital information. When Tim Tebow, the American Football quarterback, painted ‘John 3:16’ under his eyes for a live game, the verse was Googled by more than 90million people. In the past ten years, internet users in the UK rose from 10 million to 52 million. Nowadays, it is rare to find someone with no access to the internet. Almost 1 billion people in Asia are now online and 70% of all internet users use social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
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70% of all internet users use social networking sites 600 Tweets and 2500 Facebook messages are sent every second. Pinterest gets 2.5 billion page views each month and Youtube gets over a billion views a day through mobile phones alone.
We partner with ministries in some closed countries that use social networking to access unreached people groups. It’s proving to be a very effective tool for ministry. Social networks benefit Christians too. Our videos have been online for around five years. In that short time, they have been shown in thousands of churches and seen by approximately 1.5 million Christians worldwide. All thanks to social networks online
top tips Here are four helpful hints to get you going:
1 Why not use social networking to share Jesus with your friends? It’s a great way to be transparent about our beliefs. Don’t be ashamed
of your faith. Make sure your Facebook page does nothing to harm your witness to people who may (or may not) know you are a follower of Jesus.
2 Facebook can be all about making ourselves appear great but how about using it to tell everyone how great God is! 3 Consider how to use social networking to advance world missions. Think of all those people in restricted and unreached nations who might hear about Jesus for the first time via a tweet, a Facebook page, or an image or video. 4 You can add a daily unreached people group to your website or blog. Check out: http://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreach edoftheday
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Social networking has changed the way we keep ourselves informed
In fact, things are moving so quickly in digital-based media that by the time you read this, all the statistics will have changed! So what? Such ease of access to the gospel is unprecedented. People from some of the most restricted countries on earth now have access to Christian media via social networking sites.
Don’t accept people online that you don’t know offline. Never give out any personal information such as your home address, phone number, or school to anyone you talk to online. If you have your own website or pages on social networking sites, remember that these are public sites and anyone can see them. Remember that people who contact you may not be who they say they are. Anyone can say that they share your interests and are the same age, but not everyone is as they seem. If you have any concerns or questions, talk immediately to a responsible adult, your pastor or parent maybe.
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KNOW YOUR WORLD
MONGOLIA Grasslands and lakes, snowy peaks and huge canyons. Antelope, gazelles and the piercing cries of the golden eagles. Temples, gers and great hospitality. Visit the coffee shops. Network with the herdsmen, enjoy the social media. Don’t forget the vegetarian cafÊs and you will have a good feel for Mongolia today.
MONGOLIA Q Best known for:
Genghis Khan, Yurts, Gobi Desert Capital City: Ulaanbaatar time from a Journey UK: Approx. 18hrs
d
o Currency: Tögrög
($1 = 1,620MNT)
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...there are now around 70,000 Christians and more than 400 churches. If you like archery, horses and wrestling, Mongolia is the place to be! This is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. On average, you’ll find fewer than 5 people per square mile (compared with, say, 18,000 in Hong Kong). It is also a relatively young country – almost half are under 24 years old. Only 4% of the population are over 65 – an indicator of where the priorities lie for families, churches and government. Poverty is relatively new in many parts and is having devastating effects, chiefly among the nomads, women who head households of large families and among the unemployed. There are many opportunities for Christian compassion. Latest research estimates that among the population of 3 million, there are now around 70,000 Christians and more than 400 churches. Given that Mongolia only stepped out of the shadow of Communism in 1990 with barely a handful of known believers, this is a modern example of indigenous-led, successful church growth with a missionary vision as broad as the the vast, ancient, Mongolian Empire.
FEATURED PROJECT WINTER KITS SUGGESTED DONATION
£20
Mongolian winters are renowned for being brutal, averaging -35C and temperatures often dipping to -55C. They prompt the common winter greeting of “Good morning, is your home warm enough?” Children from vulnerable families often work to haul wood, coal and water for several hours a day in Mongolian winters. Frostbite is normal. Local churches survey their area and recommend which families need most help. You can imagine the long-term relationships and opportunities that are created. Each Winter Kit provides heavy-duty warm boots, hats, gloves, scarves, thermals and winter jackets. We would like to provide for 200 children in 2015.
MONGOLIA ONLINE Go to the web address below to donate and for more detailed information on all our work in Mongolia. asialink.org/projects/where-we-work/mongolia
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MISSION DISCIPLESHIP
CROSSing
cultures
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Ask God to help you befriend a person from another background
Today’s challenge will move you into some exciting territory. Commit to ministry with people of other cultures. So why the particular concern for people of other cultures? Because the big, overarching, sweeping goal of Scripture is that God is to be praised among all peoples. That simply has to happen and we can’t stop until it does. And remember, you are God’s plan to make this happen. He uses ordinary people to carry out his fabulous purposes. You don't have go abroad to live out your faith. There are unsaved people everywhere: in your school or college, at work, on the underground, in the street. They are all around us.
HoW?
1 Begin right where you are! Most of us live in complex urban environments. The major cities of the world today are
more multicultural than ever before. Classrooms frequently have students from different cultural backgrounds. Universities have huge populations of overseas students. Open your eyes and begin to see the different cultures on your doorstep every single day.
2 Don’t be shy about choosing to learn a a foreign language at school or as an extra at university. It will allow you to at least pick up a few words that will build a bridge for you into a whole new world where there are millions of people who need Jesus. 3 Ask God to help you befriend a person from another background. Be intentional about it. Talk to them about their culture, their family, what’s really important to them. Invite them to your home. Make a meal with them. Learn all you can. Pray for them and pray that God would open the door for you to talk about the
most important person in your life – Jesus.
4 Find out what opportunities are already happening that you can join. Teaching English is always a great way to help some people from other cultures. Perhaps there are social projects, feeding programs, children’s clubs in your area that could use you simply as a volunteer. The goal is to put yourself into a situation that’s very different from what you are used to and see what God does.
5 Start to pray about a cross-cultural missions trip. Talk to your church leaders and share your desire to serve God crossculturally. Perhaps your church is organising something? If not, maybe you could be the one to suggest it! There are some excellent short-term opportunities available through experienced mission organisations. More info: ywam.org, om.org, pioneersuk.org, friendsinternational.org.uk or www.historymakers.info
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TOP 5
UNREACHED BUDDHIST COUNTRIES
LAOS n n
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CAMBODIA
5,000 Buddhist Temples
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Most bombed country in the history of warfare One of five remaining Communist countries in the world today
Even with its communist status, Buddhism has regained much of its old influence and is widely syncretised with animism.
TOP 5
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Sex trade victims number up to 100,000 Highest rate of HIV in Asia.
Buddhism has been the national religion since the 15th century.
n n
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BURMA
World’s highest railway
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Six of the world’s great rivers start here
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Since 2011, more than 100 ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese rule.
There are 46,000 Buddhist monks in Tibet.
Cyclone Nargis killed 140,000 people in 2008 There are no ATMs in Burma. Cost of a SIM card: $200.
Buddhism is strongly entrenched among the main Burmese people group that makes up over 80% of the country.
BHUTAN n
n n
Rated as one of the world's happiest countries Population of only 1 million Closed to all Christian witness until 1965.
Nestled high up in the eastern Himalayas, this hermit Buddhist kingdom is one of the world's least evangelized nations.
MOST DANGEROUS PLACES TO BE A CHRISTIAN
N.KOREA
SOMALIA
Leader: Kim Jong-Un Religion: Atheism/Juche (lit. spirit of self-reliance) Government: Communist dictatorship/Totalitarianism One of the few remaining Communist states, it is vehemently opposed to religion of any kind.
TOP 5
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2 million died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge between 1975-79
TIBET
Leader: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Religion: Islam Government: Federal republic Source of Persecution: Islamic Extremism
SYRIA Leader: President Bashar al-Assadi Religion: Islam Government: Republic Source of Persecution: Islamic Extremism
Due to the civil conflict, The militant Islamist group, targeted violence against al-Shabaab, targets Christians. Christians has escalated.
IRAQ
AFGHANISTAN
Leader: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Religion: Islam Government: Democracy Source of Persecution: Islamic Extremism/Sharia Law
Leader: President Hamid Karzai Religion: Islam Government: Islamic Republic Source of Persecution: Islamic Extremism/Sharia Law
Christians in Iraq are on the verge of extinction.
Christians cannot meet in public. No church buildings exist.
ANIMALS YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO MEET IN ASIA
BOX JELLYFISH
CAMEL SPIDER
KOMODO DRAGON
Where: Indo-Pacific
Where: N.Africa, Middle-East Where: Indonesia
Size: 10ft (3m) long
Size: 5 inches
Size: 10ft (3m)
Did you know? Sea turtles are unaffected by the sting of the box jellyfish and regularly eat them.
Did you know? They grow up to 8 inches long, and their jaws can be up to 1/3 of that.
Most venomous animal in the world. It is so fragile that a tiny shrimp could easily rip through its body.
They’re not venomous, but they do bite They can run very quickly, as fast as a human in many cases (10mph), they can also jump. Freaky!
Did you know? Though extremely poisonous, their bite isn't actually much harder than a domestic house cat's.
KING COBRA Where: India, southern China, and Southeast Asia
TIGER Where: Bengal, Nepal, Bhutan, China
Size: 13ft (4m)
Size: 6ft (1.8m)
Did you know? One bite contains enough venom to bring down an elephant
Did you know? A tiger's roar can be heard as far as 2miles (3km) away.
King cobras are Komodo dragons are the comfortable in the water, largest lizards on Earth. on the land, or in the trees They're poisonous and above your head. will eat almost anything, including deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo and humans!
The tiger has an important place in Asia’s life and culture. They are immensely strong and deadly predators. They are good swimmers and can swim up to 6 kilometres.
BIBLE STUDY 5 TIPS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE
Philippians 2:25-30
1 Read the passage carefully Check out things you don’t understand, try an online Bible dictionary and if you have time, compare translations. Look for repeated words and ideas and notice how verses are linked by words like: for, because, therefore, but.
2 Place the passage in context There are three main contexts to think about: The Biblical Context (where are we in the story line of the Bible, aka Salvation History). The Book Context (what is the message of the whole book). The Immediate Context (What comes before and after the verses).
3 Understand the passage through Christ
How is the passage fufilled through the first coming of Jesus? How will the passage be fulfilled through the Second Coming of Jesus?
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...godliness is not about gifting or position in the church or being a heroic missionary
4 Summarize the passage concisely If you could place the verses into one summary sentence, what would it say?
5 Apply the passage with challenge
gospel
gambling It’s a question that’s been flying around for centuries: is it okay for Christians to gamble? There's one type of gambling Christians were known for back in the day: gospel gambling! In the days of the Early Church there was an group of men and women who called themselves the gamblers, taken from this same ancient Greek word that Paul uses in Philippians 2:30. It was their aim to visit the prisoners and the sick, especially those who were ill with dangerous and infectious diseases. It’s a bit like those who treat Ebola patients today. Often, when plague struck a city, people threw the dead bodies into the streets and fled in terror. But the gamblers buried the dead and helped the sick the best they could, and so risked their lives to show the love of Jesus. Epaphroditus was a gospel gambler, sent from the church in Phillipi to minister to Paul on the mission field. The problem was he almost died in the process!
Think about who it was originally intended for and ask “How can I apply it to me?”. How does the passage challenge me to repent and believe? Apply with the same ‘mood’ of the passage eg. Warning, Challenge, Promise, Encouragement, Command.
He risked everything just to bring basic supplies to a missionary.
families because their passion is the gospel. Remember to pray for them.
1 The first shall be last and the last shall be first (v25) Epaphroditus is usually known, if at all, as the man with the funny name. But Paul speaks highly of him – he was a great asset to Paul’s ministry. Usually, when we think of great men of God, we think of the most gifted, those, perhaps, in public ministry. But the great paradox of the Bible is that godliness is not about gifting or position in the church or being an heroic missionary. No, godliness is about humility, obedience and sacrifice. It's ‘God-like-ness’. Epaphroditus was merely a messenger, a delivery man, so don’t turn your nose up at the small and seemingly insignificant jobs in church. The name Epaphroditus means lovely. Be like him!
3 Every church needs an Epaphroditus (v30) Epaphroditus was able to do something that the rest of his church couldn’t do. Paul calls it supplying what was lacking in their service. Missionaries need support and encouragement and sometimes the best placed people to do this are mission agencies. Mission groups have access to frontline ministries that the local church doesn’t have. Have you considered partnering with a Mission organisation?
2 Honour people like this (v29) There are people like Epaphroditus around today. In some of the countries we work in, pastors and evangelists take huge risks to do something we might take for granted. Christians risk their livestock, their jobs, and even the safety of their
4 Be a Gospel Gambler (v30) Most people are willing to gamble something for selfish gain. It could be a bet on a football team or a lottery ticket, all with the goal of making more money and material wealth. Epaphroditus, however, risked his life for unselfish gain. He gambled his life for the sake of the gospel. Are you willing to give everything for the gospel? It's a sure bet. Whatever happens to us–sickness, death, persecution–in the long run, the gamble will always pay off, we have eternity!
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