November - December 2009

Editorial Rick Wood, Editor

Dear Reader,
From the Haystack Prayer Meeting in 1806 to the Cambridge Seven and the Student Volunteer Movement of 1886, students of previous generations have been a uniquely powerful force in the cause of world evangelization. They literally helped to transform the world of their day by not only bringing the gospel to the unreached but also by starting schools and hospitals around the world. Their consecration to the glory of God in all the earth illustrates to us today what our students can accomplish if we challenge them with a comparable vision. download pdf of this story (Our Adolescent Culture article by John Stonestreet, mentioned in the Editorial. Used by permission of Summit Ministies)

We don’t have to look far to see the incredible potential of the almost 70 million college students who currently inhabit our planet. Even though only one percent of the world’s population are collegians, what a powerful one percent they are! This small sliver of humanity provides, and will provide, leaders for every facet of society. Each country sends their best and brightest to the university for education and training. Focusing much of our evangelistic, discipling and mobilization efforts on this one percent is a very strategic way to expand the Kingdom of God and fulfill the Great Commission. Dr. Bright of Campus Crusade believed it: "If we can win the university today, we will win the world tomorrow!" download pdf of this story

Perspectives and College Students: A Dynamic Combination! Dave Flynn

In 1974, a small class took place on the campus of Wheaton College that would eventually grow into one of the most effective and widely used mobilization tools in history. The words of that first professor, Arthur Glasser, characterized the path the Perspectives course would follow: "Who despises the day of small things?" (Zech 4:10). In the 35 years since, Perspectives has impacted over 80,000 North American believers from all walks of life, and thousands of others around the world. download pdf of this story

There are all kinds of great conferences, programs and websites designed to help move students along the infamous "Missions Pipeline." All these resources provide excellent "air cover," but any military officer will tell you that just having planes fly overhead from a distance will not win a war. Battles are usually won or lost depending on how soon and how many "boots on the ground" can arrive to engage in the conflict. My comments here are not intended in any way to advocate war… except one, that invisible spiritual battle between God and Satan, the cataclysmic clash of the titans with eternal consequences at stake: the souls of all mankind, for all history. download pdf of this story

Raising Up Hope and Laborers for the Kingdom Claude Hickman and Todd Ahrend

The expectations our society has on this generation are through the floor. Not the roof, but the floor! Young people are criticized as incapable, uncommitted or apathetic. And although some real apathy does exist, we continue to see a flame flickering in the hearts of students who want a purpose bigger than themselves. Perhaps more would hope and would call students to greater things if they remembered how powerfully God has used students in catalyzing the great mission movements of the previous 200 years. download pdf of this story

INSIGHT is a one-year, college-level academic program of the U.S. Center for World Mission that prepares future World Christian leaders through intensive study of God’s purposes in the world throughout history. Here’s what some of our alumni have to say about how INSIGHT changed their lives! download pdf of this story

College students face three daunting decisions during the young adult years. The answers to these questions will determine the trajectory of their lives, yet they have to answer with little experience at their disposal. The questions are: What field of study should I pursue? Whom should I marry? (Some may feel exempted from this question, but they still have to ask whether they should marry.) What type of vocation should I pursue? download pdf of this story

Several years ago, someone gave me a small sign for my desk that reads "When God is in it, it is fun to watch." I have since concluded that when God is in it, you may find yourself running just to keep up. That is where I feel like I am right now. download pdf of this story

As a frontier mission consultation, Tokyo 2010 comes at a very auspicious time in both world and mission history. Opportunities abound to hasten the engagement of all peoples with missionary teams, but at the same time, very real challenges present themselves as the entire Church mobilizes for this final push. The world is quickly becoming a global village, and while this holds great promise for the rapid spread of the gospel, it also means that missionary work in restricted areas is more vulnerable than ever to misguided efforts. download pdf of this story

Though some conferences can be dull, that was not the case for this fall’s 2009 national mission conferences! Spontaneous midnight meetings at Denny’s over breakfast were sparked by world-class missiological research presented during the day. One young woman, a first-time participant at one of these conferences, described her experience as "surprising and refreshing! It was very intellectually stimulating. This is just what we were searching for but didn’t know existed." download pdf of this story

In 2005 I attended a meeting in Minneapolis where for the first time I heard Dr. Ralph Winter speak. I had come to greatly admire Dr. Winter after being introduced to the wealth of resources made available through the U.S. Center for World Mission. In Minneapolis I asked Dr. Winter about a statement that had appeared earlier in the year in his Mission Frontiers editorial: “ The need for global-level planning, coordination and strategy is much, much more relevant today than it has ever been in human history. ” I asked Dr. Winter about this quote, and it seemed as though he felt the need to defend the statement and explain his thoughts. download pdf of this story

Some of you know that I am working on a Ph.D. with an emphasis on the life and missiology of Ralph D. Winter. Thankfully, I took the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Winter for many hours of interviews and discussion before he died in May 2009.

In the process of that study, I continue to discover insights I believe will be of great interest to those of us who are committed to the advance of the Kingdom of God today. While I wish I could ask Dr. Winter further questions, I find it interesting that others who have tracked with him on any given subject often have insights from him that are helpful. download pdf of this story