# Perspectives Class from the US Center for World Missions?



## N. Eshelman (Dec 18, 2010)

I am wondering if anyone has taken the Perspectives Class that is offered by the US Center for World Missions? 

I am going to take the class to help me to think in a more world-wide-missions sort of way. The few people that I know that have taken it have given positive feedback, but I am wondering if anyone else has taken the class? It is offered all over the place, not just at the US Center in Pasadena, CA. I will be taking it in Pas, but it is offered in many, many, places. 

Thoughts? 

Here's their homepage: 
Home - Perspectives


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## au5t1n (Dec 18, 2010)

My old roommate took it. It's a lot of writing. Early in the class, his instructor made some statements about the exclusivity of Christ that were out of sorts. After my roommate called him on it, I don't think there were any more problems. I wish I could remember what, specifically, the instructor said. I believe it had something to do with the concept of "messianic Muslims." Other than that, he learned a lot from the course and said it had a profound impact on him.


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## N. Eshelman (Dec 18, 2010)

thanks. Anyone else?


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## Edward (Dec 18, 2010)

Glad you posted this. They are offering it at our church this winter, and I haven't decided whether or not to take it. If you do find out anything, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.


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## DMcFadden (Dec 18, 2010)

I have read the materials over the decades in all four of the editions of the Perspectives book. And, a couple of months ago, a Perspectives class had me lecture at one of their biblical and theological foundations weeks.

Overall? Wonderful tool used of the Lord to expand the horizons of the vision of his spoiled and materialistic American children, affording them a more global-sized look at the work of Christ.

However, like most things marketed to broad evangelical audiences some of the readings would not have made the cut in my own personal edition. I am, for instance, NOT a fan of Blackaby and have a hard time with some of the more "third wave" missiologists out there (e.g., my old seminary prof, Peter Wagner).

Authors of sections include a odd assemblage of theologians, biblical scholars, pastors, missiologists, etc. Included in the 122 chapters are featured contributions by folks like: John R.W. Stott, Walter C. Kaiser, Stanley Ellisen, Richard Bauckham, Steve Hawthorne, John Piper, Henry Blackaby, George Eldon Ladd, N.T. Wright, Leslie Newbingen, Gregory Boyd, Don Richardson, Robert Coleman, Arthur Glasser, Howard Snyder, Robertson McQuilkin, Charles Van Engen, Brother Andrew, Ralph D. Winter, Robert Woodberry, David Howard, William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Cameron Townsend, Samuel Zwemer, Charles Kraft, Paul Hiebert, Leonard Kwast, Miriam Adeney, Eugene Nida, Rick Love, Phil Parshall, the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, Peter Wagner, Rick Warren, Kay Warren, Larry Walker, and a whole lot more!!!

*Biblical
*
#1. The Living God is a Missionary God
God's purpose is three-fold: against evil—kingdom victory; for the nations—redemption and blessing; and for God—global glory in worship. God's purpose revealed in promise to Abraham. Exploring God's purpose for the nations: Blessing to the nations described.

#2. The Story of His Glory
Exploring God's purpose for Himself: How God has been steadily unfolding a plan throughout all nations and generations to bring about His greater glory, ultimately drawing to Himself the worship of all the peoples. Passion and prayer for God's glory.

#3. Your Kingdom Come
Exploring God's purpose regarding evil: How God has accomplished a defeat of evil powers in order to open a season of history in which the nations can freely follow Christ. The kingdom of God as the destiny of all history. Christ's mission seeks a hindering of evil to bring about a sign of the coming peace of the kingdom of God. Our prayers contend with evil in order to bring about the transformation of society with Christ's kingdom in view.

#4. Mandate for the Nations
Jesus shows great strategic interest in Gentiles; wise strategic focus by initiating a global mission on a few disciples among the Hebrew people. The Great Commission and the ways of God's sending in relational power. Dealing with the ideas of pluralism (all religions the same) and universalism (all persons saved).

#5. Unleashing the Gospel
The first followers of Jesus: obedient in costly, foundational ways. The climactic act of the book of Acts is the freeing of the gospel to be followed by Gentiles without Jewish traditions as a requirement. A foundational act of God which speaks to the situations where the gospel is hindered today. Strategic suffering and apostolic passion.

*History*

#6. The Expansion of the Christian Movement
The story of God's purpose continues relentlessly from Abraham's day until the present moment. An overview of the largest and the longest-running movement ever in history—the world Christian movement. How the gospel surged through the peoples and places of the world. Important insights for our own day.

#7. Eras of Mission History
The greatest explosion of growth ever has taken place in last 200 years in three "bursts" of activity. Why we could be in the final era of missions. The global harvest force comprised increasingly of non-Western missionaries.

#8. Pioneers of the World Christian Movement
Today we anchor the race by continuing what others have begun. It's a day of finishing. All the more reason to learn the wisdom and the heart of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in earlier generations. Reading the writings of William Carey and other leaders to discern what these people have left to us. Exploring the contribution of women in missions throughout the centuries.

#9. The Task Remaining
God's pressed His purpose forward until the present hour of amazing opportunity. Understanding the concept of "unreached peoples" to assess the remaining task. Recognizing the imbalance of mission resources shapes strategic priorities. The basic minimal missiological achievement in every people group opens the way for working with God against every kind of evil so that the gospel of the kingdom is declared and displayed with clarity and power. The need and opportunity of urban mission.

*Culture*

#10. How Shall They Hear?
Culture and intercultural communication of the gospel. Communicating the gospel with relevance at the worldview level helps avoid syncretism (blending of cultural error with God?s truth) and also enables powerful movements of the gospel. Sensitive missionaries will look for ways that God has preserved or prepared people to hear the gospel, often finding redemptive analogies for God's truth.

#11. Building Bridges of Love
The incarnation as a model of missionary humility. How missionaries can enter appropriate roles in order to form relationships of trust and respect to develop a sense of belonging, and thus to communicate with credibility for understanding. Explore the intricacy of identification in another culture. Explore the even greater complexity of presenting identity with integrity in a globalized, terrorized, pluralized world. Recognizing the dynamics of social structure in order to initiate growing movements of ongoing communication throughout the society.

*Strategy*

#12. Christian Community Development
A survey of world need. Dynamic balance of evangelism and social action. Hope for significant transformation as a sign of Christ's Lordship by Christian community development. Exploring the charge that missionaries destroy instead of serve cultures. Healing the wounds of the world between the peoples.

#13. The Spontaneous Multiplication of Churches
Look beyond institutional features of churches to understand churches as dynamic movements of Christ Himself being followed. Such a view of churches as organic, living things opens up the practicality of seeing them multiply rapidly as movements and also flourish in society bearing the fruit of social transformation. Churches as counter-communities, acting as salt and light, bringing change to their cultures. How movements multiply by connecting with entire families and larger social structures.

#14. Pioneer Church Planting
The hope of planting churches among unreached peoples. How the breakthrough of the gospel in an unreached people requires that the gospel be "de-Westernized". The difference of contextualizing the message, the messenger and the movement. Distinguish and appreciate people movements, church planting movements and insider movements.

#15. World Christian Discipleship
What it means to integrate life for Christ's global purpose as a "'World Christian". Into the great story for His glory: a Person-driven life as a way of. pursuing a purpose-driven life. The basic practices of world Christians: going, sending, welcoming and mobilizing. The essential disciplines of World Christian discipleship: community, giving, praying and learning. Simplifying your lifestyle as if in "war-time". Exploring the practical ways of pursuing God's purpose. Business and mission. Short-term mission. Welcoming international visitors. Wisdom in working with local churches and in partnership with Christians in different parts of the world.


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## Pergamum (Dec 18, 2010)

This is a very good tool. I recommend it to many young people as a first look into missions.


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## N. Eshelman (Dec 19, 2010)

Thanks all! I would appreciate hearing more. Overall I am very encouraged and looking forward to taking it. I can wink at the evangelical stuff. Dennis- why don't you take it again this coming semester at Lake.... I'll sit by ya!


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## DMcFadden (Dec 19, 2010)

Thanks, brother. But, with the ectoskeleton of my four steel-framed three story buildings now nicely topped off with a roof, bright yellow fiberglass drywall on its exterior, and sporting a 135' crane in the middle of it all, "McFadden's Folly" requires more time than I can spare for Perspectives. 

[This is what it will look like in April, D.V.]







Correcting one point, I have never taken the class, merely read the book in its various iterations and lectured at one night of a course in Orange County.

You will have to "wink at" the evangelical stuff, especially the Blackaby and Peter Wagner stuff barfy. But, Piper are Stott are good and the material challenges both mind and heart.


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