What is Perspectives?

Perspectives introduces you to the unchanging desire of God from the very beginning to have people from every language, tribe, and people group worshipping Him at His throne in heaven. You can see how God has worked through history and cultures to bring this about… and how you can fit into this plan!

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a dynamic, 15-week discipleship training course developed by Ralph D. Winter, founder of the U.S. Center for World Missions in Pasadena, California. This course explores God's global purpose as He has declared it throughout scripture. It is often the one most important entry instrument for opening up the hearts of people to God's eternal purposes. Over 50,000 individuals have been impacted by Perspectives world wide in the last 20 years. It is a catalytic course designed to equip the people of God for strategic participation in His plan to reach all peoples, tongues, tribes and nations. Because believers want to honor God with lives well-lived, they want to make a lasting contribution to the Kingdom Of God. There are so many options and so many distractions. How does one sort out the will of God from his own inclinations? Whether an individual is involved in same-cultural or cross-cultural ministry, or is simply sensing God stirring his heart to practical involvement, Perspectives is for everyone! A different missions expert will instruct the class each week, allowing participants to interact with some of the country's most dynamic Christian leaders.

The course is designed to explore four basic dimensions of God's Global purpose:

• Biblical Mandate - God's unchanging purpose from Genesis to Revelation
• Historical Foundation - How God has used history to shape the future
• Cultural Awareness - How God has shaped other cultures and prepared them to receive the Gospel
• Strategic Planning - How God is accomplishing His plan and how global efforts are strategizing to work where God is working.

Biblical

Two thousand years before Christ, the Lord told Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the world would be blessed. Two thousand years ago, Jesus came to earth to die for the world. Now, it has been another two thousand years. Is there a connection between Abraham's promise, the Messiah's coming and what is happening in our world today?

Historical

When William Carey stood before a room full of pastors and pressed the need to take the gospel to India, he was told, "Sit down, young man. If God wants to reach the heathen, He will do it without your help or ours." But in 1793, William Carey sailed to India where he would start churches, oversee six complete translations of the Bible and found colleges. How are we to respond to the Great Commission of Christ?

Cultural

The Sawi people of Irian Jaya were head-hunting cannibals, and treachery was their highest virtue. When missionary Don Richardson told them the crucifixion story the tribal members thought that Judas Iscariot was the hero because of his act of treachery. However, that wasn't the end of the story, Today the Sawi people have a growing church in their culture. How could this happen?

Strategic

In the year 100 AD, there were 360 non-Christians for every believer on earth. In 2002, the number has shrunk to only 9 non-Christians for every believer on earth. Can the completion of the Great Commission be near?

To learn the answers to these questions and more, come join us at Perspectives on the World Christian Movement!

The Perspectives Study Program affirms the Lausanne Covenant of faith and resolve.