Sunday, October 6 - Sunday, October 13, 2024
One year ago, our ministry to the Musical people of East Asia suffered a massive, unexpected and unwanted course correction. Our Global Workers, along with others, were forced to flee the country and leave behind more than 20 years of investment in the community. This sudden adverse shift brought up a natural, albeit difficult, question — is this the end of our work with the M-people, at least for the next several years? Will this year’s Fall East Asia Global Conference be our swan song?
Well, I am happy to announce that the reports of the demise of our M-people adoption have been greatly exaggerated. There is a path forward. Dimly lit, for sure. But we are a people used to walking by faith and not by sight. Thus, this conference will not mark an end to our M-people ministry, but rather a change in approach.
There are two main questions that we will be addressing during the conference: “Why?” and “How?” The already difficult task of bringing the good news to the M-people seems to be edging closer and closer to well-nigh impossible. So why don’t we do something else? Something easier? And if we do decide to continue with this ministry, how the heck are we going to go about it?
The “Why” is easy. We know that God will continue to draw the M-people to Himself, and we want to continue to be a part of it. The M-people still need Jesus. They still need to hear the good news. They still need to be discipled. They still need resources to help them along. Moreover, think about what they are — an Unreached People Group. They are unreached for a reason. It is and always has been very difficult to bring the good news to them. But God’s steadfast love for them endures forever. Likewise, we want to be a model of that enduring love to the M-people.
The “How” is less straightforward. During this conference, we will be delving deeper into many potential opportunities. Working with churches from the Global South. Developing resources with the help of M-people in the US. Recruiting and training others who are still able to live and work among M-people. Starting a new platform in a different country that has a smaller, but significant, population of M-people.
“The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” Through this conference and into the future, may God give us insight into new ways to bring His steadfast love to the M-people. Great is His faithfulness.
CB
Global Partner
Well, I am happy to announce that the reports of the demise of our M-people adoption have been greatly exaggerated. There is a path forward. Dimly lit, for sure. But we are a people used to walking by faith and not by sight. Thus, this conference will not mark an end to our M-people ministry, but rather a change in approach.
There are two main questions that we will be addressing during the conference: “Why?” and “How?” The already difficult task of bringing the good news to the M-people seems to be edging closer and closer to well-nigh impossible. So why don’t we do something else? Something easier? And if we do decide to continue with this ministry, how the heck are we going to go about it?
The “Why” is easy. We know that God will continue to draw the M-people to Himself, and we want to continue to be a part of it. The M-people still need Jesus. They still need to hear the good news. They still need to be discipled. They still need resources to help them along. Moreover, think about what they are — an Unreached People Group. They are unreached for a reason. It is and always has been very difficult to bring the good news to them. But God’s steadfast love for them endures forever. Likewise, we want to be a model of that enduring love to the M-people.
The “How” is less straightforward. During this conference, we will be delving deeper into many potential opportunities. Working with churches from the Global South. Developing resources with the help of M-people in the US. Recruiting and training others who are still able to live and work among M-people. Starting a new platform in a different country that has a smaller, but significant, population of M-people.
“The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” Through this conference and into the future, may God give us insight into new ways to bring His steadfast love to the M-people. Great is His faithfulness.
CB
Global Partner
Pre-Conference Prayer & Preparation
discipleship Class / Sunday, September 29 / 9AM / Room 204
Viewing Global Ministry Setbacks in Light of Matthew 24 & Revelation 5-7
Pastor Tom Kenney examines Jesus’ signs and the 7 seals for global ministry implications. Our partner, CB, shares how the seals are evident in the current geopolitical realities of East Asia. You’ll be sobered and encouraged to not give up.
Pastor Tom Kenney examines Jesus’ signs and the 7 seals for global ministry implications. Our partner, CB, shares how the seals are evident in the current geopolitical realities of East Asia. You’ll be sobered and encouraged to not give up.
home group visits / october 1-4
M-people advocates will be visiting home groups to share some background on the M-people adoption and a preview of the upcoming conference.
resources to read
- Chapter 16 from Andrew Murray’s book The Spirit of Christ entitled, “The Holy Spirit and Missions”
- A Taste of Asia: a family devotional focusing on Unreached People Groups in East Asia. Copies are available for purchase at the KidzMin Desk.
prayer
We encourage you to choose an M-person, a global worker, and a potential ministry opportunity to be praying for before and during the conference. Options for each of these can be found below.
escape room / teahouse sign up / saturday, october 12
(space is limited)
You can join in an escape room adventure designed to help you learn more about the M-people and practice creative problem solving — both useful as we look to develop new opportunities to minister to the M-people. You can choose one of three difficulty levels, and each hour-long escape room will be followed by an East Asia tea ceremony, then a time for reflection on the experience. The cost is $10 per person, which goes to cover event costs.
You can join in an escape room adventure designed to help you learn more about the M-people and practice creative problem solving — both useful as we look to develop new opportunities to minister to the M-people. You can choose one of three difficulty levels, and each hour-long escape room will be followed by an East Asia tea ceremony, then a time for reflection on the experience. The cost is $10 per person, which goes to cover event costs.
Conference Schedule of Events
saturday, September 29
Discipleship Class | 9AM | Room 204
Viewing Global Ministry Setbacks in Light of Matthew 24 & Revelation 5-7
Pastor Tom Kenney examines Jesus’ signs and the 7 seals for global ministry implications. Our partner, CB, shares how the seals are evident in the current geopolitical realities of East Asia. You’ll be sobered and encouraged to not give up.
Viewing Global Ministry Setbacks in Light of Matthew 24 & Revelation 5-7
Pastor Tom Kenney examines Jesus’ signs and the 7 seals for global ministry implications. Our partner, CB, shares how the seals are evident in the current geopolitical realities of East Asia. You’ll be sobered and encouraged to not give up.
midweek
Home Groups | Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday
M-people advocates will be visiting home groups to share some background on the M-people adoption and preview of the upcoming conference.
M-people advocates will be visiting home groups to share some background on the M-people adoption and preview of the upcoming conference.
sunday, October 6
Prayer for the Conference | 8:30AM | Room 201
Join us as we ask God to speak through each event described in this brochure.
Adult Discipleship Classes | Room 202
9AM | All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people. Come and hear from M-people global workers, including our PCC Primary Global Partners CB, MB and EL, and explore how we can join in and support their work.
10:45AM | Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people? Global partners MB and EL introduce you to individual M-people that we have connected with over the years.
Student Ministries (Middle School & High School) | 9AM
Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people?
KidzMin Large Group | 10:45AM
All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people.
Worship Service | 9AM & 10:45AM
Ministry Report - M-people Handicrafts: Buying to help believing villagers be self-supporting and bless their village | hosted
by Sarah Rawls
Sermon - When Global Workers Have Left: A Biblical and Historical Look that Motivates | Pastor Mark Shaw
Conference Info & Connection Tables | 10:15AM & 12PM | PCC Foyer
Luncheon | 12:15PM | Café
Things Fall Apart: A history of the challenging work among the M-people told from the personal perspective of several global partners, including M&J who have been involved in East Asia since 1980s and our own CB, MB and EL.
East Asia Coffeehouse | 6PM | Halls A,B,C
Hosted by PSM, our Global Partners, and the M adoption team – you’ll experience one creative method the Lord has used in East Asia to build friendships and bridges over which the Gospel travelled. Family-friendly, with drinks and snacks provided.
Join us as we ask God to speak through each event described in this brochure.
Adult Discipleship Classes | Room 202
9AM | All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people. Come and hear from M-people global workers, including our PCC Primary Global Partners CB, MB and EL, and explore how we can join in and support their work.
10:45AM | Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people? Global partners MB and EL introduce you to individual M-people that we have connected with over the years.
Student Ministries (Middle School & High School) | 9AM
Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people?
KidzMin Large Group | 10:45AM
All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people.
Worship Service | 9AM & 10:45AM
Ministry Report - M-people Handicrafts: Buying to help believing villagers be self-supporting and bless their village | hosted
by Sarah Rawls
Sermon - When Global Workers Have Left: A Biblical and Historical Look that Motivates | Pastor Mark Shaw
Conference Info & Connection Tables | 10:15AM & 12PM | PCC Foyer
- M-people Handicrafts and Village Work: Support M-women making a difference.
- Get to know the M-people: Come learn more about the variety within the modern M-people community, from rural farmers to urban engineers to ex-pat blended families.
- Upcoming opportunities: Info on this week's events, including the Coffeehouse, Women’s Ministry event & the Escape Rooms.
- Info tables on M-people work and workers: Translation, commerce, on-line efforts, partnering with the Global South, and more.
Luncheon | 12:15PM | Café
Things Fall Apart: A history of the challenging work among the M-people told from the personal perspective of several global partners, including M&J who have been involved in East Asia since 1980s and our own CB, MB and EL.
East Asia Coffeehouse | 6PM | Halls A,B,C
Hosted by PSM, our Global Partners, and the M adoption team – you’ll experience one creative method the Lord has used in East Asia to build friendships and bridges over which the Gospel travelled. Family-friendly, with drinks and snacks provided.
Tuesday, october 8
Prayer | 6:30AM | Hall C
Prayer with M-people friends and M-people global workers, asking the Lord to use them to reach the M-people. Enjoy chatting with them over drinks and pastries after prayer.
Prayer with M-people friends and M-people global workers, asking the Lord to use them to reach the M-people. Enjoy chatting with them over drinks and pastries after prayer.
midweek
Home Groups | Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday
Home groups will study what it means for the gospel to be unhindered and how that applies both to their lives and to the M-people adoption.
Home groups will study what it means for the gospel to be unhindered and how that applies both to their lives and to the M-people adoption.
thursday, october 10
Women's Ministry Event | 6PM
A Glimpse into Daily Life with the M-People - Ladies, come and experience a traditional dinner enjoyed by the M-people. We will hear from women who have lived in or are from the region and observe some cultural activities. The evening will end with a panel discussion about their experiences and prayer for those in that part of the world. Please register to attend by October 7.
A Glimpse into Daily Life with the M-People - Ladies, come and experience a traditional dinner enjoyed by the M-people. We will hear from women who have lived in or are from the region and observe some cultural activities. The evening will end with a panel discussion about their experiences and prayer for those in that part of the world. Please register to attend by October 7.
saturday, october 12
Escape Rooms and Teahouse | 10AM-3PM | PCC
The Great Escape - Join in an escape room adventure designed to help you learn more about the M-people and practice creative problem solving — both useful as we look to develop new opportunities to minister to the M-people. You can choose one of three difficulty levels, and each hour-long escape room will be followed by an East Asia tea ceremony, then a time for reflection on the experience. Cost: $10/person.
The Great Escape - Join in an escape room adventure designed to help you learn more about the M-people and practice creative problem solving — both useful as we look to develop new opportunities to minister to the M-people. You can choose one of three difficulty levels, and each hour-long escape room will be followed by an East Asia tea ceremony, then a time for reflection on the experience. Cost: $10/person.
sunday, October 13
Prayer for the Conference | 8:30AM | Room 201
Join us as we thank God for what He did last week and ask Him to use this last day of the conference.
Adult Discipleship Classes | Room 202
9AM | Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people? Global partners MB and EL introduce you to individual M-people that we have connected with over the years.
10:45AM | All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people. Come and hear from M-people global workers, including our PCC Primary Global Partners CB, MB and EL, and explore how we can join in and support their work.
Student Ministries (Middle School & High School) | 9AM
All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people.
KidzMin Large Group | 10:45AM
Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people?
Worship Service | 9AM & 10:45AM
Ministry Report - Hear from the South American Team how they got a heart for the M people and what doors are open to them now. CB interviews them.
Sermon - Global Ministry is Unhindered Ministry (Acts 28:17-31) | Pastor Tom Kenney
Luke concludes the book of Acts with the word unhindered. He tells us that the gospel was being shared by Paul in an unhindered manner. But wait! Wasn’t he chained to a guard, under house arrest for two years while awaiting a legal hearing on trumped up charges? And this when he had planned on taking the gospel to an unreached people group in Spain? How is this unhindered? We’ll hear and apply the answer to both our personal lives that often seem hindered as well as to our M-people adoption. Pastor Emeritus Tom Kenney draws on 30 years of participating in the adoption, one based on God’s unhindered plan to bring glory to Himself and joy to the M-people of East Asia.
Conference Info & Connection Tables | 10:15AM & 12PM | PCC Foyer
Luncheon | 12:15PM | Café
Great Expectations: Hear about exciting new opportunities for future work with the M-people, including potential ways to partner with the Global South. This event will be hosted by our Primary Global Partners focused on East Asia.
Join us as we thank God for what He did last week and ask Him to use this last day of the conference.
Adult Discipleship Classes | Room 202
9AM | Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people? Global partners MB and EL introduce you to individual M-people that we have connected with over the years.
10:45AM | All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people. Come and hear from M-people global workers, including our PCC Primary Global Partners CB, MB and EL, and explore how we can join in and support their work.
Student Ministries (Middle School & High School) | 9AM
All the King's Men: Meet the colorful cast of characters who have dedicated their lives to working with the M-people.
KidzMin Large Group | 10:45AM
Pride and Prejudice: Will your preconceived notions survive a face-to-face encounter with actual M-people?
Worship Service | 9AM & 10:45AM
Ministry Report - Hear from the South American Team how they got a heart for the M people and what doors are open to them now. CB interviews them.
Sermon - Global Ministry is Unhindered Ministry (Acts 28:17-31) | Pastor Tom Kenney
Luke concludes the book of Acts with the word unhindered. He tells us that the gospel was being shared by Paul in an unhindered manner. But wait! Wasn’t he chained to a guard, under house arrest for two years while awaiting a legal hearing on trumped up charges? And this when he had planned on taking the gospel to an unreached people group in Spain? How is this unhindered? We’ll hear and apply the answer to both our personal lives that often seem hindered as well as to our M-people adoption. Pastor Emeritus Tom Kenney draws on 30 years of participating in the adoption, one based on God’s unhindered plan to bring glory to Himself and joy to the M-people of East Asia.
Conference Info & Connection Tables | 10:15AM & 12PM | PCC Foyer
- M-people Handicrafts and Village Work: Support M-women making a difference.
- Get to know the M-people: Come learn more about the variety within the modern M-people community, from rural farmers to urban engineers to ex-pat blended families.
- Info on ways to get involved: Find out ways that you can continue to engage in the effort to reach the M-people with the gospel after the conference.
- Info tables on M people work and workers: Translation, commerce, on-line efforts, partnering with the Global South, and more
Luncheon | 12:15PM | Café
Great Expectations: Hear about exciting new opportunities for future work with the M-people, including potential ways to partner with the Global South. This event will be hosted by our Primary Global Partners focused on East Asia.
New Opportunities Being Pursued
- Develop a new platform in East Asia
We are currently looking into opportunities to develop a new platform in a new country in East Asia. While roughly 80% of the M-people population live in the country our workers recently had to leave, there are still 20% residing in this neighboring country. This effort is just beginning, and we are currently looking for people to help research this opportunity – find ministry contacts, brainstorm ministry platforms, do general research on the culture and attitudes of the people towards Christianity, etc.
- Partner with the Global church
While it has become more difficult for Europeans and North Americans to live and work in the country that our global workers were recently forced out of, that situation is not true for other countries. Workers from Asia, South America, and Africa can still live and work in that country. Therefore, we are pursuing opportunities to partner with the Global Church to send new workers to the M-people.
- Recruit/train new workers
PCC global workers have for decades worked in-country to reach the M-people. We are now looking into ways to leverage that experience to find and train new workers to live and work among the M-people. One method would be to partner with others who are also engaged in this work. This approach might allow us to use the US as a home-base, while traveling for training workshops or recruiting events.
- Partner with ex-pat M-people to create resources in their dialect
One exciting and potentially effective opportunity is to partner with ex-pat M-people to create ministry resources in their dialects. In many ways, it would be much easier to develop these resources while outside their home country, as there are not as many security-related concerns. This approach would still have challenges, though, as it may be difficult to find additional native speakers needed to check and test out translations. - Work with the M-people diaspora
There is a smattering of M-people scattered throughout the world. The difficulty, though, is locating them. Unlike other people groups, the M-people don’t tend to live together in groups but are rather dispersed among the larger East Asian communities. Still, we would like to pursue ways to locate and interact with these ex-pat M-people – especially as there is more freedom to interact outside of their home countries.
Key Partners Working with the M-People
Partners Attending the Conference
A&P
A&P are workers in-transition. “A” previously worked with our ethnomusicology ministry before having to return to the US during Covid. While in the US, she met and married "P", who is new to global work. They are currently exploring new opportunities to live and serve in East Asia.
SAT
SAT is a South American family that have worked in-country for several years, and who are currently still able to live and work in-country.
EL & the B-family
EL and the B-family are PCC Global Partners who, a year ago, were forced to leave East Asia. They are now pursuing opportunities as non-resident workers.
MAT Members & Advocates
MAT members and advocates are volunteers that provide key support and vision for PCC’s M-people adoption, while not serving in the ministry as a vocation.
Partners Unable to Attend the Conference
The W-family
The W-family are non-resident workers living and working as recruiters/trainers in an East Asian country near the M-people. Many of these future workers that they are working with are now coming from South America.
M and M-families
M and M-families are two families of long-time translators, currently based in the US, working on two different dialects of the M-people language (out of at least 25 distinct dialects).
Definitions of Types of Workers
- In-transition: New and current workers who actively transitioning to a new ministry with the M-people.
- In-country: Workers currently living and working among the M-people
- Recruiters/trainers: Workers who are recruiting and training others to live and work among the M-people. They may be in-country or non-resident workers.
- Non-resident: Workers who don’t currently live among the M-people, but who are still engaged in full-time or part-time vocational work to reach the M-people.
- Translators: Workers actively translating scripture into one of the M-people dialects. They may be in-country or non-resident workers.
- Volunteers: Those innumerable, unsung partners who, through prayer, financial support, participating on committees, acting as advocates, and a myriad of other ways, sustain our M-people ministry.
Next Steps
You want to join the new mercies and methods God is using to reach the M people?
Following are a few steps you might take to join His work. Contact a M-people Adoption Team member, pastoral staff member, or one of the Global Ministry Team members for details on how you could participate. All may be reached through the Chapel office.
M-people Adoption Team (MAT) members
CB (Chair), MB, EL, Sarah Rawls, Robert & Janet Schutt, Dave Gooding.
Following are a few steps you might take to join His work. Contact a M-people Adoption Team member, pastoral staff member, or one of the Global Ministry Team members for details on how you could participate. All may be reached through the Chapel office.
- Attend the Fourth Sunday Prayer time for East Asia at 10:45AM in Room 201. You’ll hear the latest updates and reasons to celebrate. Then you’ll join a team that takes them all to God in prayer.
- Attend a monthly MAT meeting (contact a MAT representative at MATatPCC@gmail.com for times and locations).
- Commit to praying for an M-people global worker you met or heard about during the conference. Contact a MAT representative at MATatPCC@gmail.com to find ways to connect with this worker.
- Mobilize your Home Group, Bible study, family or group of friends to make a year’s commitment to one of the partners you heard from or about at the conference. Keep them informed on ways to pray, give or encourage. Host a zoom party if the partner lives out of the area.
- Look for potential outlets to sell M-people Handicrafts trade goods. Spread the word.
- Invite EL, CB and MB over to learn more about their ongoing work with the M-people.
M-people Adoption Team (MAT) members
CB (Chair), MB, EL, Sarah Rawls, Robert & Janet Schutt, Dave Gooding.
More About Global Ministry at PCC
Global Ministry Team
Because we believe so deeply in God calling us to global ministry, especially in the unreached areas of the world, PCC’s Global Ministry Team strives to educate, motivate, and equip our congregation to play a part in what God is doing on a global scale. We oversee the sending and supporting of our Global Ministry Partners and our annual short-term trips. Our Global Ministry Team includes Hannah Wissmann (Chair), Tom Kenney, Carol Bryant, David Lott, Lois Shaw, Ryan Bradley, Dan Sherbenski, Jessie Frayser, Mike Powell and Charlie Carmichael.
Global Ministry Task Forces
Our Global Ministry Task Forces exist to help focus the congregation of PCC on how God is calling the church to spread the good news of Jesus locally and globally among all peoples. We have three task forces with a specific focus on our three unreached people groups. They are the Central Asia Task Force, the Kenya Task Force, and the M-People Advocacy Team. Friends of Refugees help us to care for local internationals and the Global Ministry Partner Care Task Force is made up of all the Advocates who support our Global Ministry Partners.
Global Ministry Partners & Advocates
Global Ministry Partners are people that we formally send out to engage in intentional vocational ministry. There are two classifications of Global Ministry Partners: Associate and Primary. Primary Global Ministry Partners receive greater levels of support from PCC and submit to more significant levels of accountability. We currently support 49 Global Ministry Partners who are doing ministry in over 13 different countries spread across 6 continental regions. About half are Primary and half are Associate. Every Global Ministry Partner has an official PCC Advocate who serves as a vital link between the congregation and the Global Ministry Partner, whether they are on the other side of the world or here locally. Due to security reasons, not all of our Global Ministry Partners can be featured on the website or in paper publications.
For more information about our Global Partners and Global Ministry at PCC, visit our website - pccglobalmin.com.