Media Archives

Biblical Kinship Workshop 2021

On Wed, March 17 2021, the RHPNA’s James Grunau (Journey Home Community, Vancouver) partnered with authors Mark (Regent College, Vancouver) & Luke (Australian National University, Canberra) Glanville to discuss Offered Refuge: Making Family at the Intersection of Scripture and Global Politics.

PacNW Oct 24 2020 (virtual)

Zoom Connections 2020

July 29 - Refugees and Anti-Racism: Rethinking Race, History, and Forcible Displacement in Minneapolis-St. Paul

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Minneapolis-St. Paul became the epicentre of both peaceful BLM protests and civil unrest. SJ Holsteen lives in community with asylum-seeking individuals at Jonathan House in St. Paul, MN, blocks away from sites of recent uprising.

July 15 - Generational Responses to Racism, Social Inclusion and Belonging

Refugee families arriving into North America have fled injustice in their home countries but also encounter overt and systemic racism in their new country. Children and parents often navigate these experiences of racial injustice in North America differently. Join us for an interview with Heri Karuba of Naomi House in Winnipeg, Manitoba as we consider generational responses to racism in light of questions of identity and belonging. Heri will share insights from his family’s experience as refugees to Canada from DRC Congo and his current work with refugee youth and families. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and share perspectives.

May 23 - Mental Well-Being and ESL Instruction During COVID-19

Hannah Bonifacius, an ESL instructor with a mental health focus from World Relief Chicago, led a Zoom presentation [watch | slides] which included a blend of instruction and discussion with other ESL professionals. Topics included:

• How to teach/lead online classes with social and emotional health in mind.

• Practical techniques to help students deal with the stress and worry of COVID in their lives.

• How to support and encourage classroom community within the limitations of physical distance.

May 23 - Planning for (virtual) World Refugee Day

World Refugee Day (June 20) is an annual opportunity for churches and communities around the world to recognize God's invitation to welcome, pray for, and honor refugees. Rob Perry and Sharon Schmidt of the RHPNA Leadership Team will lead this conversation, joined by network members Alison Witt (IAFR Canada) and Dr. Ryan Pennington (Refugee Language Project). Catch the one hour discussion which focused on these questions:

• How does COVID-19 affect this year's WRD celebrations?

• What kind of virtual opportunities and adjustments can be made?

• How might these adjustments look in your own ministry context?

May 6 - Connection Call focusing on how COVID-19 is affecting refugee claimants (asylum seekers) in Canada.

Topics covered a brief overview/comparison of the Canadian and US asylum systems, how residential ministries in Canada have adjusted after 7 weeks of COVID-19, and what ministry models could look like in the post COVID landscape. Watch it here.

Toronto Roundtable 2019

PacNW Regional 2019

All of the audio recordings for both the plenary sessions and Table Talks are available on the RHPNA Soundcloud page.

Phoenix AZ, July 2014

Please refer to the descriptions below to find the tracks(s) you wish to listen to.

Overcoming Barriers For Successful Resettlement

Mentoring Refugee Youth
Berta Myers – Scottsdale Bible Church
Learn how Scottsdale Bible Church partners with Mentor Kids USA to find loving, compassionate Christian men and women to mentor refugee youth in an effort to help their integration and ability to thrive in the US.

Help… I need a Job!
Jason Payne - Forest Hills Baptist Church
This session will briefly review general U.S. Resettlement with a focus on overcoming barriers to successful integration through employment, community connection, and managing expectations.

From Surviving to Thriving
Jason Payne - Forest Hills Baptist Church
This session will briefly review general U.S. Resettlement with a focus on overcoming barriers to successful integration through employment, community connection, and managing expectations.

A Hybrid ESL Approach: Computers and Tutors
Gary DeVelder - Abounding Service
Why and how to use computers and one-on-one volunteers to teach adult refugees to speak English. Issues touched upon will include goal-setting, curriculum, and the importance of one-on-one volunteers.

Mobilizing Refugee Employment
Keith Cooper - Beautiful Day
Most refugees want to work. Some want to work more than anything else, yet face daunting job entry-barriers. Others, when they do find work, struggle with significant occupational downgrading. While the success or impact of a refugee resettlement program or ministry is often determined by whether or not refugees find jobs, many of us feel like helpless bystanders—we’d like to make a difference but don’t know what to do. This Table Talk will consider why employment is so important for refugees, propose an experimental model for rethinking business as a mission, and generate some practical ideas for ways you can participate in on-ramping refugees into the job market.

Quality Faith-Based ESL Programs: A Model
Janelle Metzger - Water for Ishmael
Although Toledo, OH is new to refugee ministry, Water for Ishmael (WFI) is not new to international ministry. WFI has been developing their ESL program since January, 2003 and has recently been asked to be the ESL provider for all refugees coming to Toledo. WFI is eager to share ideas on providing a high quality program that also offers clients an opportunity to explore Christianity, if they so choose. This Table Talk will provide ideas for beginners just starting programs, as well as those working in mature programs.

Global Empowerment Services Roadmap
Dr. Kigabo Mbazumutima – Africa Health New Horizons
As a newly-arrived refugee, Dr. Kigabo struggled to adjust in a new culture and society. However, over time he has had the gratifying experience of succeeding educationally, professionally, and in the leadership arena. Using his own experience and vision to inspire other refugees, he will present a "Global Empowerment Services for Refugees Roadmap”. He will have a large printed roadmap and other materials to give detailed guidance to those interested in learning more about a refugee’s perspective of how to transition from a life of struggle to a story of success.

Helping Refugee Youth Succeed at School
Violetta Lopez - International Rescue Committee
What are the struggles refugee parents have with their children and the new school setting they find themselves in? We will discuss perceptions from parents, students and schools, as this new journey of integrating into the mainstream US school system takes place. Strategies of how schools can be effective in assisting refugee families and students integrate and navigate the school system will be shared, as well as current resources that are available for schools and families.

Multi-Disciplined Collaboration for Refugee Self-Sufficiency
Judith Fritsch & Nancy Bandusky - The Open Table
The Open Table will train congregations how to partner their vocational, networks, abilities and life experiences with a refugee individual or family to develop and implement a one-year plan that will help to create self-sufficiency. Open Table provides faith communities with a proven process by which members of the church invest in others’ lives throughout the year. Collaboration happens with government, business, transitional organizations, behavioral health, non-profits, psychology, social work and other disciplines. As a result, this shared purpose collaboration builds encouraging and accountable partnerships with people in poverty that ultimately creates transformation.

Incarnational Ministry

Beyond the Sacred-Secular Divide: Understanding and Applying Biblical Wholism
Mary Kaech & Shawn Carson - Disciple Nations Alliance
Thinking wholistically is vital to effective, God-glorifying life and ministry. Why do Western Christians struggle so much with wholism compared to those from Eastern cultures? Why is it so tempting and erroneous to consider some parts of life sacred and others secular? What does God’s Word say about wholism, and how can this be applied to face-to-face ministry with refugees? How can truth and love--proclamation and demonstration--be held in the proper balance?  This Table Talk will help you develop a wholistic mindset--a Biblical worldview--helping you more effectively practice wholistic ministry.

Incarnational Love: Why "Living Among" Speaks the Language of the Gospel
Kit Danley - Neighborhood Ministries
Alan Andrews - Navigators & Neighborhood Ministries
Incarnational ministry is at the heart of the missional experience at Neighborhood Ministries. This workshop will tell the story, key concepts, and values that have been learned in three decades of living inside the culture, social fabric and amazing lives of urban ethnic Phoenix - and the resulting mission which this community has formed and founded.

Living Life Together vs. Project Approach
Rich Rosendahl - The Nations
Living Life Together focuses on three key areas (1) Understanding our Motivation (2) Exploring Cultural Freedoms, and (3) Embracing Hospitality. This is the basis for loving our neighbors and inviting others to join us in the journey.

Drinking From the Well: Offering a Koinonia Welcome
Amanda Moore – Koinonia Farms
Since 1942, Koinonia has sought to be a space where all peoples are welcomed, regardless of race, class, gender identity, nationality, or politics. Known for its involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, as an example of non-violence even through times of war, and as the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity, the Koinonia house-church community continues to offer the radical hospitality of Jesus to those who need to experience the refreshing love of God. Come learn how the community has also participated in refugee ministry through the decades, and now partners with their daughter community - Jubilee Partners - and other local churches in Americus, GA. Learn, too, of the ways Koinonia seeks to feed the hungry, both physically and spiritually, as an effort to demonstrate the community's vision today - love through service to others, joy through generous hospitality, and peace through reconciliation.

Living In Community: A Wholistic Approach to Refugee Ministry
James Grunau - Journey Home
One of the most significant issues facing newly arriving refugees is isolation and loneliness – the need to belong. While many organizations (including government offices) provide good services, they are often not able to meet some of the deepest emotional and relational concerns that must be addressed if refugees are to truly resettle. Join this Table Talk to explore how those needs can be met as people live and relate together in a community setting. Drawing on the experiences of his own organization, which operates three levels of housing for refugees: emergency, transitional and permanent housing, James will present this model in more depth and stimulate thinking for how to incorporate some of these ideas into a more holistic way of resettlement.

Immigration Issues

Canadian Resettlement 101
Linda Moorcroft – Christi Refugee Welcome Centre
An overview will be presented regarding how refugees get to Canada, the difference between claimants and sponsored refugees, how many refugees arrive annually, what ethnicities are currently arriving, who provides services to refugees and effective roles the Church can play to welcome refugees.

USCIS as a Partner in the Immigration & Naturalization Process
Anthony Jackson - United States Customs & Immigration Service (USCIS)
Faith-based institutions (of all religions and denominations) play a huge role in disseminating immigration information to their congregants, adherents, followers, parishioners and the like. By partnering with trusted religious institutions, immigration assistance and education can reach vulnerable and remote populations seeking USCIS’s services. An overview of USCIS’s mission, immigration 101, naturalization and customer service will be provided. A small group discussion will allow for questions, and induce dialogue to determine how USCIS and community-based organizations may work together to best reach those in need.

Legal Issues with Refugees
Joanne Morales - Catholic Charities
This presentation will focus on the legal aspects of refugee resettlement and the different statuses refugees may have, such as: Refugee, Asylee, Special Immigrant Visa Holder, as well as Cuban / Haitian Entrants, and the Refugee Foster Care program. Discussion will also focus on the importance of strong orientation to refugees on making positive decisions that can help promote adjustment of status, including obtaining a green card and U.S. Citizenship. Discussion will also focus on how ministries can help with this process, especially with Life Skill training and ESL support.

AsylumSeekers: The Forgotten Refugee Population
Sarah Miller - International Association for Refugees
James Grunau – Journey Home
An overview of the differences and similarities between asylum-seekers and refugees will be presented, as well as the unique challenges and issues of asylum-seekers in both the Canadian and USA contexts. What is each county’s response to asylum-seekers? What is being done to help asylum-seekers? What isn’t being done? What does God expect of His followers in regard to asylum-seekers? Participants will interact with a case study and/or an asylum-seeker ministry model. Participants will brainstorm ideas for raising awareness of asylum-seekers in local communities and propose a Biblical response to their presence.

Asylum Seekers Fleeing Religious Persecution
Richard Rhodie & Will Bierman - USCIS
Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998 affirming U.S. commitment to religious freedoms promised in the U.S. Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Convention on Civil Rights and Political Rights. Religious freedom and convictions are foundational human rights. Asylum law affords protection of religious beliefs from attack. An understanding of the law protects the most basic of human rights and human dignity.

American Refugee Resettlement 101
Ruth Famini – World Relief
Why are refugees coming to your community? How do they get here? Who decides how many will arrive, and where they’re coming from? What is the role of the local resettlement agencies? Should your church try to partner with a local agency? This session will attempt to answer these and other questions related to refugee resettlement. It will give a brief overview of the U.S. refugee program, explain the role of the nine national resettlement agencies, and include a discussion about how churches can collaborate most effectively in the resettlement process.

Refugees and Housing Discrimination
Stanko Zovko - Southwest Fair Housing Council
An overview of illegal housing discrimination, people's rights, and how discrimination happens today.

UMCs, Coyotes, & Handcuffs
Panel Discussion
Representatives from Casa Mariposa, The Florence Project, and No More Deaths will share about Greyhound ministry to Unaccompanied Minor Children and families, and asylum seekers coming out of detention in AZ.

Contextualized Witness

Faithful Witness in the Muslim World
Josh Prather – Redemption Church
One must look no further than Western media to see the tension that exists between the West and the Middle East, or between Muslims and Christians. However, media can bring out the goodness and beauty in culture, or influence society to fear our Muslim neighbors whom God has called His Church to love. How do followers of Jesus love their Muslim neighbors in the 21st Century? How does the church live with wisdom, integrity and boldness? How does one seek peace in a world of conflict? These are the questions this Table Talk hopes to answer.

International Kids Kamp
Cherie Gray & Josette Kehl - Tucson Refugee Ministry
International Kids Kamp is a week full of fun for children from all over the world who have come to live in Tucson. We share redeeming truths with Muslim and Christian kids in a way that is culturally relevant way to their community. Together we learn about the Kingdom of God and throw in lots of fun songs, games, crafts, skits, stories and make some great memories along the way. The campers are refugee children from Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan.  Volunteers are followers of Jesus from different congregations across Tucson… and beyond.

Hinduism and Contextualization
Cody Lorance – Trinity International Baptist Mission
Sanantan Sri Yeshua Abishektaya Ji ki -- JAI! What is a Hindu follower of Jesus? Why should Hindu peoples experience Christ as the Word made flesh for them? How can Gospel messengers pursue contextualization among their Hindu friends that is more than skin deep? Come learn and discuss in this Table Talk on the topics of Hinduism, Hindus, contextualization and related diaspora issues.

The Gospel without Attachment
Chris Clayman - Global Gates
The goal of contextualization is to communicate a clear Gospel. We fuzzy that by attaching the Gospel to much of our culture, or accommodating it too much to the evangelized culture.

The Gospel of the Kingdom
Grant Haynes - Global Frontier Missions
Have you have been trained in the Four Spiritual Laws, the Romans Road, the Bridge Diagram, the Way of the Master, or Evangelism Explosion methods of sharing your faith? Jesus' favorite thing to talk about while He was here—and the message that is going to be preached to all nations—is the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mt. 24:14). Come hear about the Kingdom of God and get some tips on sharing this Good News in a way that people from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Atheist backgrounds can understand and get excited about. We will also talk about sharing the Gospel in law/punishment, honor/shame, and fear-based cultures.

Wholistic Healthcare

Understanding Refugees' Trauma and Helping them Heal
Dr. James Witty – Care Corps International
Many refugees have experienced extreme trauma and suffered loss of family members, homes, family businesses, and professional practices. Many are unable to recover from these tragedies and remain stuck, suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This training is focused on restoring hope and healing to these refugee victims.

Forgiveness: The Key to Wholeness
Rose Mapendo – Rose Mapendo Foundation
After witnessing betrayal, mass murder, starvation and torture, Rose struggled with anger, hatred, bitterness and depression. In her brokenness she felt she would never think or feel normal again. You will hear how God healed her heart and principles anyone can implement to experience restoration after desolation.

Mending the Soul: Understanding and Healing from Abuse
Linda Bale - Tucson Refugee Ministry
Healing comes by fully understanding the nature and ramifications of abuse and by following a Biblical path of restoration that allows God's grace to touch the heart's deep wounds. Wounded people wound people. Field tested in such diverse places as the suburbs of Scottsdale, AZ and the jungles around Goma, Congo, "Mending the Soul" materials translate to many cultures because they are based on God's model of healing. What is broken in relationship is healed in relationship. Co-leaders, who have already entered their own healing process, demonstrate emotionally safe attitudes and questioning methods that gently draw new participants into their healing process.

Survivors of Torture: From Harm to Home
Andrea Hammonds - International Rescue Committee
This presentation will introduce participants to the world of torture treatment and best practices when working with refugee torture survivors. The SOT (Survivors of Torture) program at The International Rescue Committee in Tucson will serve as a model of holistic services and successful outcomes. Brief case studies may be presented, if time allows.

Domestic Violence in Refugee Communities
Candace Evilsizor - School of International Service at American University
Many refugee women survive persecution, war, and famine, only to face traumatic abuse at home. And when the woman’s entire community is involved, finding a solution becomes quite difficult. This Table Talk is aimed at helping refugee ministries recognize domestic violence, and teaches them to build local support networks to assist refugee victims. It covers the creation of an exit plan, the basics of a protection order, and answers common legal questions, such as the effect of divorce on asylum status or custody. It delves into the specific challenges of domestic violence in refugee communities and suggests various solutions for overcoming them, drawing on the recommendations of experts and various academic studies.

Refugee Behavioral Health
Kristen Ohe – Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program
Nicole Damari – Arizona Department of Health Services
Refugees have unique health care needs that must be considered when accessing health care in America. All they have experienced on their journey to resettlement must be taken into consideration. In particular, refugees arrive in need of behavioral health services, but addressing this often heavily stigmatized need has been difficult among many refugee communities. This talk will address some barriers that refugees encounter in successfully accessing health care in America, specifically in behavioral health, and discuss best practices in alternative approaches for treating behavioral health issues among refugees.

Advocating and Providing for the Public Health Needs of Refugees
Renee Guth – Casa De Los Ninos
Malti Pandya
Holistic healthcare includes everything that our well-being touches upon, including our bodies, minds, spirits, and relationships. For a person to be whole (shalom), one should be physically well, psychologically well, spiritually connected, and engaged in healthy social relationships of various kinds. To be healthy implies a fulfilled life, one of productivity and belonging. Most refugees are inexperienced with North American style healthcare, childcare, and education. Many needs are felt; many needs unseen. Imagine a first pregnancy in a strange way and place. Imagine leaving a child at school unable to speak to their teacher. Imagine the plethora of relationships and families left behind. This Table Talk will enhance our understanding of holistic health for refugees and families, resources available, and some cross-cultural challenges.

Healthcare And Cultural Competency
Kamana Khadka – Hamro America
Explore the culture of western bio-medicine and look at the aspects of cultural competency in helping Bhutanese Refugees navigate the health care systems in the U.S. We will look at the Bhutanese refugee’s journey to the U.S., their Nepali culture, and provide helpful tips to our Christian friends that want to establish friendship with them.

Promoting Best Practices in Refugee Women’s Health
Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, MSc, FACOG - Refugee Women’s Health Clinic
Refugee women’s reproductive health needs are diverse, and providing care that meets these needs requires thoughtful and flexible approaches that acknowledge women’s unique life experiences, social circumstances, personal characteristics and ethno-cultural influences. This Table Talk will highlight best practices in enhancing culturally-sensitive care for refugee women.

Models of Ethnic Discipleship

Serving and Discipling through ESL
Kim Carr – International Learning Center
The International Learning Center is an evangelical organization established to fulfill the Great Commission and serve the needs of the ever-growing immigrant and refugee population. . Come learn how the ILC has served 3,000 students from 100+ countries. Our international church planters have discipled scores through 80 house churches that have been started since 2003.

Discipling Multi-Ethnic People Groups with Servant Leadership
Pastor Sanghoon Yoo & Jessica Pullen – The Faithful City Ministry
This Table Talk presents a model of lifestyle discipleship and servant leadership in the diasporic community and postmodern cultural context. Also missiological paradigms of field work will be examined, seeking a Biblically solid and culturally sensitive model to raise Jesus followers in today’s complex and fast changing world. Presenters will share testimonial stories, and give examples of effective interpersonal and intercultural communication. Finally, the most foundational and inspirational root of multi-ethnic discipleship ministry, the impartation of the Father’s heart, will be inquired and discussed with theological explanation and practical suggestions.

Planting House Churches in Urban Ethnic Communities 101
James Harvey – City Church Network
Learn how to make disciples, plant churches, and train indigenous leaders among ethnic communities living in an urban North American environment. This is part 1 of 2.

Planting House Churches in Urban Ethnic Communities 201
James Harvey – City Church Network
Learn how to make disciples, plant churches, and train indigenous leaders among ethnic communities living in an urban North American environment. Please note that this is part 2. You are not required to attend part 1, but may be missing some foundational teaching needed to understand/apply this session.

Multi Ethnic Church Leadership
Worku Geremew - Rise Together Ministries
Rise Together Ministries is located at the crossroads of inner city issues and refugee resettlement in St. Louis. Leadership in such areas has its own complexities. We will discuss how RTM addresses these challenges.

From There To Here & Back
Torli Krua – Missions Door
Explore a refugee-led, mutual ministry model that helps refugees heal from trauma. It also gives Christians opportunities to advance their Christian witness through their refugee partners. This partnership causes the Gospel to spread to the ends of the Earth in linguistically and culturally appropriate manners. This model assumes that God has a purpose for sparing the lives of refugees, and bringing them to America. The mission of this ministry model is to leverage resources in engaging refugees to impact the world. It concludes with a true story of how Kadijatu, a Muslim from war ravaged Sierra Leone, was saved and baptized in Boston, and now serves as a missionary in Sierra Leone. She was sent by a refugee-led church, with inadequate resources, to establish a school and church in her home village.

Panel of North American Pastors: Planting a Refugee Church in America
A panel of refugee pastors will discuss what they are learning about planting a refugee church in America.

Mobilizing Your Church For Loving The Nations In Your Neighborhood

Improving or Starting: Thinking through Church- Based Refugee Ministry in your Community
Julie Carlsen & Susan Odom – Exodus World Service
How can you create and/or improve on an effective relationship-based refugee ministry that mobilizes the Church through bite-sized steps? You'll walk away from this session with the tools to do all this (and the theory behind it) along with ways to engage best practices, utilize and do research to identify the gaps in the refugee highway and concrete examples from Exodus World Service's 26 years of refugee ministry.

Discipling the Nations in Your Own Community
Jeff Jackson – Shepherd’s Staff Mission Facilitators
Impart God's heart and demonstrate practical expressions of love to the refugees whom God has resettled in to your community. Learn how to engage your church members and provide on-ramps for them to participate in the Great Commission -right where they live.

Volunteers: Getting them and Keeping Them
Sheli Cowley – Mission Community Church
Come and learn how to acquire, keep and serve volunteers well. Brainstorm around recruitment strategies, discuss how to maintain healthy relationships, hear how to ensure that those who serve in your area are happy and enjoy returning to continue serving others.

Stay Home and Be a Missionary
Stan Rowland – Collaborative for Neighborhood Transformation
Refugees and immigrants long for relationship, but most Americans are quite independent - for multiple reasons. Americans are very mobile, relocating often. American churches are no longer neighborhood focused - the congregants live miles from one another. This Table Talk will share techniques for helping your church learn how to identify and build on existing assets, and how to develop a stronger sense of community by becoming skilled at building relationships around common interests. It will also share how to recognize and activate the many assets that refugees and immigrants have that can be used to help them assimilate in the USA.

Church Mobilization Through Coalition Building
Kirt Lewis – World Relief
Brian O’Connell - REACT Services
Join a conversation focused on how we can unite the broader Christian community (many local churches and organizations) around the call to ministry and mission amongst our refugee neighbors. Developments in Sacramento will serve as an example and discussion starter, and the Good Neighbor Churches Coalition will be presented as a tool for facilitating this kind of Kingdom collaboration in your city.

Harvest Hope, Feed Families, and Create Community
Stephanie Plotas - Iskashitaa
Iskashitaa Refugee Network was founded in 2003 in Tucson, Arizona. This network of refugees, community members, businesses, and local farms uses the Biblical practice of gleaning to decrease food waste and distribute fruits and vegetables to food-insecure refugee communities. The program emphasizes authentic community building, cross-cultural exchange, and valuing creation’s natural food resources. Learn about how Iskashitaa locates and distributes food resources and how they involve refugees in this process. Learn about the multifaceted benefits of their program and get ideas for how such a program could work in your context. Every community has food resources, and churches can use this model to engage with their local community in meaningful ways.

Resettlement Agencies and Your Church
Donna Buckles – Refugee Focus
Berta Myers – Scottsdale Bible Church
This Table Talk will provide information about how to give your congregation a look at the refugee situation and inspire them to make a commitment to one or many types of ministry with refugees. Recruiting and training are crucial to establishing successful resettlement teams and there will be opportunity to hear how that can be accomplished. There will be further information on steps to implement the ministry and effectively make assignments to team members. Because each church is unique with unique gifts and abilities, there will be examples given of many models of refugee ministry and how to make the ministry on-going and long term. Members of congregations have an opportunity to welcome refugees in a culturally relevant and appropriate way. There will be discussion around this topic as well as looking at ways to empower refugees to be successfully resettled and integrated into their new community. From grassroots to church leadership, all are called to love and welcome new neighbors who are coming from many nations. There will be opportunity to discuss this calling and how to answer the call in practical ways.

The Role of the Church: Seed Projects & Disciplines of Love
Linda Morris - Harvest
This Discipline of Love exercise helps believers know God better through obedience; especially by obeying the Scriptural command Jesus called the most important-- loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. The Discipline of Love Matrix is a training tool to help disciple believers to sacrificially serve others in every area of need. A Discipline of Love carried out by a group is called a “Seed Project,” which helps groups determine sacrificial ways to serve. This leads to greater sensitivity to the needs of others, balanced response to the needs of others, creativity in responding to others’ needs, enhanced ability to sensitively direct attention to God as the Source of response, greater naturalness and gracefulness in responding to others’ needs, consistency in demonstrating Christ's love to others, understanding and awareness of God’s love for yourself and for others, and closeness to God through obedience to His greatest command.

Mobilizing Your Church
Tom Albinson – International Association for Refugees
Explore and share ideas, lessons learned, and common challenges related to local churches seeking the welfare of refugees and asylum-seekers in their communities.

A Vibrant Ministry Team

Best Practices for Effective Teamwork
D. Speers – Encountering the World of Islam
Understanding team dynamics, importance of teams, creating and maintaining vision, leading by example, recruiting, training, equipping, and building a strong team.

Compassion Fatigue and Burn-out: How to Cope with Bewildering Issues and Unstoppable Sad Stories
Dr. Larrie Gardner – Wycliffe Bible Translation / Summer Institute of Linguistics
Steve Karum - New Tribes Mission
“I’m busy in my church but I signed up to help with refugees three years ago. Everyone thinks I know more than I do. But they don’t know how close I am to giving up. I can’t handle one more plea for help, and one more sad story.” In this Table Talk we acknowledge the reality of overwhelmedness, identify the symptoms of burn-out, discuss potential resources and how to establish good boundaries and hold to them. We will also discuss the faith issues: The Bible promises that “I can do all things…” and I find out that I can’t. It says, ‘His yoke is easy and His burden is light” but I don’t find that to be true. It says that ‘True religion is to care for the widow and the fatherless” so I dare not walk away from this ministry, but neither do I have the energy to continue. I need help.

Developing a Team that Loves
Meg Crossman - Pathways to Global Understanding
Understand the principles that work well in building up and encouraging a team that loves refugees and stays engaged in working with them.

Avoiding Burnout
Randy Reynolds – Community Renewal
We will look at a description of the symptoms of burnout, and what can be done on a practical and spiritual level to protect yourself from burnout.

“What? You mean we’re under Attack?” Spiritual Warfare in the Team Context
Anita Hensley – International House of Prayer (IHOP)
A behind the scenes look at spiritual dynamics that affect breakthrough in people hearing and receiving the Gospel. How to pray for breakthrough for people groups and how to cover yourself in prayer.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities for Fruitful Cross-Cultural Ministry
Nathan Harper – Global Frontier Missions
Turning obstacles into opportunities is what refugee ministry is all about. Anyone involved in ministry with their international neighbors knows the numerous challenges that stand in the way of fruitful ministry and disciple-making. This Table Talk looks at three universal obstacles, common to every cross-cultural worker, and explores avenues to turn these into opportunities for fruitful ministry. The presenter will share practical strategies as well as real life stories that will encourage and equip each attendee.

Maximizing Ministry Effectiveness Through Team Diversity
Ellie Sawyer
Being Jesus to our refugee friends means loving and serving them no matter their background, religion, or culture! Jesus brought non-believers alongside to serve in non-leaderships ways. Are we willing to use the recovering drug addicts, Muslims, and non-believers, if God is calling them, to help serve - all the while allowing God to work on their hearts in a nonjudgmental way?   We will explore how to lead, organize, and fund teams and events to have the greatest impact (on a shoestring budget). Additionally, how to leverage events to meet long term objectives. Overall how to recruit and develop workers to meet the needs and pass the passion on!

Trends

Empathy: An Approach to Ministry
Geoffrey Tio – Family Life Ministries / Arizona Conference of SDA
If proclamation is the masculine side of evangelism, the ministry of presence is the feminine counterpart. Empathy is a feminine, inclusive model that makes listening effective, universal and transcendent. Understanding the long lost art of reflective listening and caring is the key to experiencing a genuine incarnational ministry. Empathetic listening is a gift everyone can offer, but not everyone knows how to do it. This talk will give participants a chance to explore how to engage deeper in the ministry of presence.

Smart Short Term Missions Among Refugees
Grant Haynes - Global Frontier Missions
How can we do intelligent short-term mission trips among refugees and internationals? Often times, individuals and churches have great intentions and motives when going in to serve without realizing how much we are unintentionally hurting the effectiveness of the local ministry. We want to share some ideas about how to do short-term mission trips well, some of the dos, don'ts, and best practices and how to integrate STM opportunities with long-term strategies.

Reflecting the Languages of your Congregants in Worship Music
Moses & Erica Lugemye – Lugemye Music
Come consider and learn practical step-by-step approaches to help you implement multiple languages and multiple genres within one multi-ethnic, multicultural worship service.

Fundraising and Community Resource Development
Sarai Richter – AmeriCorp with the State of Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program
Phong Le
IDEA SOUP is a micro-granting dinner celebrating creative projects in Phoenix. For a donation of $5 and up, any community participant receives soup, salad, bread, and a vote. The assembled group will hear from presenters who will share their ideas looking to make a difference in the lives of local Phoenix Refugees. We eat, connect, share resources, and vote together on what project we think should win the money gathered from the event. When the night nears to a close we count the ballots and whoever has the most votes takes home the money for the winning proposal. Grant recipients come back to a future IDEA SOUP event to tell the audience how their project went, how they used the money and what impact the project had on the community. Each dinner is a unique experience brought to life by a volunteer committee.

Teenagers as People of Peace in Refugee Communities
Nathan Harper – Global Frontier Missions
Are teenagers a bridge to reaching their communities with the Gospel? What might refugee ministry to and through teenagers look like? What is a "person of peace" and how might refugee teenagers be a key to providing a faithful Gospel witness among their ethnic communities? This Table Talk will explore these questions, as well as discussing the specific opportunities and challenges that are faced in working with refugee teens. The presenter will also provide a case study of teens from a resettled refugee community who are presently active in making disciples and planting churches. Discuss real-time strategies that will equip workers to see a multi-generational movement in their local contexts. Hear stories that will encourage and inspire. Leave with practical steps that will lead to fruitfulness, new disciples and churches.

Helpful Resources for Refugees and Those Who Serve Them
Julie Carlsen & Susan Odom – Exodus World Service
Need new ways to engage with refugees and equip the volunteers who serve them? Come and learn about resources from FirstSteps Press, which provides useful tools and materials for volunteers to build relationships with refugees while helping them integrate into life in the U.S. These one-of-a-kind materials were designed by a team of educators, publishers, designers and refugees. You'll learn about the unique research and design concepts behind these tools, and how to more easily facilitate meaningful relationships between refugees and volunteers.

Refugee Issues and Effective Cross-Cultural Training
Julie Carlsen & Susan Odom – Exodus World Service
How can you create and/or improve on an experiential training process that effectively equips volunteers to walk alongside refugees in relationship? You'll walk away from this session with the concepts, process and examples of experiential learning modules you can use to train volunteers in your community. Come learn from Exodus World Service's 26 years of training volunteers for relationship based refugee ministry.

Researching the Peoples in Your City
Chris Clayman - Global Gates Network
Based on several years of researching the ethnic groups of Metro New York that resulted in the book, “ethNYcity: the Nations, Tongues, and Faiths of Metropolitan New York”, Clayman will describe the research process. Around the world, workers and church planting increases when there are prayer guides specifically focused on that area. Prayer guides are formed from good research. This Table Talk will outline how to go about ethnographic research and will point people to tools to help them in the process.

The Language of Honor and Shame
Werner Mischke - Mission ONE
All refugees deal with the loss of honor and dignity in varying degrees. Can Christians address this loss through the Gospel? Even though the Bible is full of honor/shame dynamics, Western theology focuses almost exclusively on a legal framework for the Gospel and ignores the Bible's abundant material about honor and shame. Discover how the Bible also has much to say about salvation as a provision for shame—restoring honor and shalom for individuals and the community. Avoid a truncated Gospel biased by Western theology. Discover how you can lead your team to incorporate honor/shame dynamics in sharing the hope and blessing of Jesus Christ.

Communication Tools

Storytelling the Gospel
Erik & Teri Powell - Scriptures In Use
Most refugees are coming from oral cultures. What is the difference between oral cultures, and literate or book cultures? How do each of them learn? How can communication styles be adapted to reach oral learners? How did Jesus relate to the oral culture peoples of His day? Would refugees feel more comfortable in an oral Bible storytelling group where dialogue and participation are encouraged, rather than in a traditional church setting? How can stories impact worldview and personal issues that refugees face every day? These are some of the questions to be discussed and addressed.

The Jesus Film: Practical Training
Vance Nordman - The Jesus Film Project
Ev Davis - Cru
See how easy it is to equip people to reach out to immigrants who may know little or no English in a meaningful way. Hear the examples of others who have used the DVDs and learn how individual lives have been touched. Plus, step-by-step training will be given on how to use the DVDs.

Media Tools for an Abundant Harvest
Gerry Gutierrez - Global Recordings
Fruitfulness in ministry to the ethnic peoples around us depends on having the right seeds, knowing the soil and season of our listener’s hearts, and seeking wisdom from God, the Master Harvester. This presentation will spotlight resources and give practical suggestions for sowing the word of God in the hearts of oral communicators from many different cultures and diverse languages.