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Altoona, PA
Spring 2013
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Welcome to Altoona Perspectives - 2013 Looking for the 2014 course?
It will be available VERY SOON! Keep looking back.
We are very excited to see Perspectives back in Altoona. You may also visit www.altoonaperspectives.org for our local organization's permanent website.
Dates/Times/Location
We will be meeting on Monday nights from 6:30-9:30 pm from January 7 to April 29, 2013. Kick-off meetings will be 1/3 at 7pm or 1/6 at 3pm or arranged with the coordinator.
The last time Perspectives was held in Altoona in 2008, we met at the Lighthouse on Woomer Road. In 2013 we will be hosted at the Altoona Alliance Church at 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd.
Partnerships
We are partnering with State College Area Perspectives to bring outstanding speakers to our class. If you miss a Monday night class, you can go to State College on Tuesday and hear the same presentation. We will also be sharing a Missions Fair in State College on March 19 (no class March 18).
We are currently looking for contacts at local churches and churches that will partner with us to bring this course to Altoona on an annual basis. Contact Terry Ruhl () for more information.
Our speakers
From Richmond, VA, Bob Sjogren is the president of
UNVEILINGLORY. Author, innovator and
mobilizer, he works toward “awakening the church to a new awareness of God’s
glory in all area of life and to see that glory go to all peoples of the
world.” His books include “Unveiled at
Last” and “Run with the Vision.”
Pastor Ken Beichler is the senior pastor of Hillside
Community Church in Bellwood, PA where his goal is to “make committed followers
of Christ.” He is an Adjunct Professor
at Trinity University.
Dave Shive has spent 40 years as a pastor, Christian School
director, and college professor. He
currently serves as a missions mobilizer for the US Center for World Mission.
President of Christar, Pat Cate has served in Iran and Egypt
and now is giving himself to the training and sending of missionaries to
Muslims.
Jim Rhodes has been on the staff of Cru (formerly Campus
Crusade) for 35 years and has helped initiate ministries in Japan, Egypt, North
Africa and the Middle East.
Dr. Sanford Good (Sandy) is former Chair of Intercultural
Studies at Lancaster Bible College. He
has led 63 short-term missions trips to 27 different countries. He currently is the director of Live 10:27
Ministries.
Dr Rich Noble is pastor of the Washington Union Alliance
Church and teaches communications and missions at Geneva College. He is currently writing a book entitled
“Living on Mission: The Global Component of the Missional Lifestyle.”
Bob Tickner is the Director of Regional Offices for the US
Center for World Mission.
Coordinator of the Altoona Perspectives course, Dr. Terry
Ruhl has taught about missions and devised missions curricula besides helping
found a unique missions support network.
Sue Patt is the Northeast Regional Coordinator for
Perspectives and has been a mobilizer for 25 years with the US Center for World
Mission.
David Shenk grew up in Tanzania and has served with his wife
in Somalia, Kenya and Lithuania. He is a
teacher, author and missions consultant.
Glenn Schwartz served as a missionary in Zambia and
Zimbabwe. He is the Executive Director
of World Mission Associates. He has a
special interest in sustainability in the Christian Movement.
Steve Niphakis is the Eastern Regional Director for OMF
USA. He served as a church planter in
Thailand and now mobilizes for unreached people groups.
Steve Sanford is a Tribal Church Planter and instructor with
New Tribes Mission. He worked with the
isolated Joti people in Venezuela for 12 years.
Click on the session numbers to see more
details about our speakers
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Registration & Orientation
Orientation A
Registration, introductions, overview, questions answered and materials distributed.
May take Orientation A OR Orientation B OR make arrangements with the coordinator.
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Instructor
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Date: Thursday, January 3, 2013
Time: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Bob Sjogren
UnveilinGLORY, Mechanicsville VA
Bob Sjogren (pronounced show - gren) is the president of UNVEILINGLORY, a ministry awakening the Church to new awareness of God's glory in all areas of life, and to
seeing His glory go to all the world's peoples.
Bob has been mobilizing the Body of Christ to reveal God's greatest glory through reaching all ethnic groups with the gospel. He and his wife Debby have written homeschool Bible curricula. And in 2021, Bob launched a YouTube Channel called, "Maturing The Bride."
Bob and Debby live in Richmond, VA.
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 7, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Ken Beichler
Hillside Community Church, Bellwood PA
Ken is a 1968 graduate of Washington Bible College and a 1972 graduate of Capital Bible Seminary with a Th.M. in New Testament Greek. Ken and his wife served as missionaries with InterAct Ministries in western Canada for 15 years. He has pastored Hillside Community Church in Bellwood, PA for the last 21 years. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 14, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Dave Shive
Frontier Ventures (formerly US Center for World Mission), Catonsville MD
Dave Shive is a 1968 graduate of the Washington Bible College, a 1972 graduate of Capital Bible Seminary with a Th.M. in New Testament Studies, and a 1994 graduate of Baltimore Hebrew University with an M.A. in Biblical Literature. Dave has spent the past 47 years in full time ministry as a pastor, Christian school director, and college professor. He currently serves with Frontier Ventures (formerly the US Center for World Mission) as a missions mobilizer for the northeast region of the United States. Dave lives in Catonsville, MD, with Kathy, his wife of 52 years. Dave and Kathy have three married children, Dan, Mike, and Becky. They are also the proud grandparents of 9 grandsons and 2 granddaughters. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 21, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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).
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Instructor
Patrick Cate
Christar, Durham NC
With my wife, Mary Ann, we have served in Iran 4 years, Egypt 5 years and as president of Christar for 16 years. Mary Ann went to heaven June 30, 2019.
Our passion is for the least reached to hear of and know the Savior. We give our selves to reaching Muslims here, speaking, writing and to training the next generation of missionaries in missions and Muslim evangelism. We have been training future missionaries in Muslim evangelism in the US, Spain, Paraguay, Panama and Venezuela and other Latin countries . b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 28, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Jim Rhodes
Cru, Malvern PA
Jim has served on the full time missionary staff of Cru for 44 years.
Over the years, Jim has directed the Hampton Beach Summer Project for 15 years and has helped initiate ministries in Japan, the former Soviet Union, Egypt, and throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Jim's favorite lessons to teach in the Perspectives course are Lessons #4 & #5.
Jim has been married to his wife, Barbara, since 1979. They currently live in Malvern, PA. They have three grown children, Becky, Mike, and Heather who are now serving as missionaries, also. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 4, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Sanford Good
Live 10:27 Ministries, Lititz PA
Dr. Sanford Good (Sandy) served at Chair of Intercultural Studies Department at the Bible College level for over 20 years and was Director of HIS Ministry Team Program at the college. He has personally led 63 short -term missions trips to 27 different countries. He is currently the director of a ministry that he and his wife started "Live 10:27 Ministries" which seeks to educate and motivate the North American Church to Love God and Love People, to obey and apply the first and second great commandments. He brings years of teaching and ministry experience along with a passion for God and the lost. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 11, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Richard Noble
Center for Missional Engagement, Pittsburgh PA
Rich is a husband and father who is committed to developing people, which is seen in his roles as missions mobilizer, college professor, pastor, and writer. Most importantly, he is on a journey of faith as a follower of Jesus Christ. He is passionately committed to missions and has been on many short-term ministry trips to various places in the world (mostly Eastern & Central Europe and Africa). He earned his Doctor of Ministry in Missions & Cross-Cultural Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2004 and is the author of "On Mission Together: Integrating Missions into the Local Church". b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 18, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Bob Tickner
FMF / USCWM, Paoli PA
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 25, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Terry Ruhl
T Peoples Resource Network, Duncansville PA
Dr. Ruhl has filled many roles as a missions mobilizer while practicing as a full time family physician. He has served as a short term worker in Asia and Africa. He has devised missions curricula and taught in a number of locations. He was one of the founding board members of an innovative missions support network, focused on the T people. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 4, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Susan Patt
Frontier Ventures, Exton PA
Sue Patt has worked as a mobilizer for more than 40 years (since 1982) with Frontier Ventures, formerly the US Center for World Mission. She has served as a Perspectives Regional Director (13 years) and as the Perspectives National Program Director (7 years). Her current assignment is Chief Strategy Officer with FV. She has been developing deliberate friendships with Muslims since 1980, and Hindus since 2005. She is married to Fran Patt since 1986. They have 3 adult children and live in Exton, PA in the Philadelphia suburbs. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 11, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
David Shenk
Eastern Mennonite Missions, Mountville PA
David was born and grew up in Tanzania, the son of pioneer Mennonite missionaries. He and his wife Grace have served overseas 20 years in Somalia, Kenya, and Lithuania. In the US David has served in missions adminsitration, pastoring, and teaching. He is a teacher, author, and preacher. His special interest is communicating the Gospel in a world of religious pluralism with special focus on Islam. He is currently a Global Consultant and a member at Mountville Mennonite Church. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 25, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Glenn Schwartz
World Mission Associates, Lancaster PA
Glenn Schwartz served as a missionary in Zambia and Zimbabwe in the 1960s. Following that he studied at the School of World Mission in Pasadena California and became Administrative Assistant to the Dean of the SWM from 1973 to 1979. In 1983 he became founding executive director of World Mission Associates and has been in that position ever since. He travels widely in the interest of sustainability in the Christian movement as part of his contribution contribution to the global Christian movement. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 1, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
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Steve Niphakis
OMF International, Dallastown PA
Steve Niphakis, has served in various leadership roles for OMF USA since 1999 after 17 years as a church planter with OMF in Thailand (5 years as Superintendent of language, orientation and training for new missionaries). In the US he developed a ministry of mobilizing seminaries to adopt un-reached people groups. He is presently focusing his efforts in helping churches develop creative strategies in reaching East Asia's peoples and coaching potential long term missionaries. He has been involved in Perspectives since 2001.
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 8, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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.
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Instructor
Steve Sanford
Ethnos360, Sanford FL
My wife Sharon and I served as Church Planters with Ethnos360 from 1993 to 2005 among the Joti people of Venezuela. We returned to the U.S. in 2006 after Ethnos360 was forced to leave all church planting works by the Venezuelan government. We have been serving in mobilization for Ethnos360 in Pennsylvania since our return. In November 2023 we will be moving to our home office in Sanford, FL to assume the role of Ethnos360 CEO. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 15, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 15
World Christian Discipleship
This will be panel presentation/discussion.
Panelists: Ken Beichler, Julie McElfish, Debby Rupe, Lori Ruhl, Ray Lucas
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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Instructor
Terry Ruhl
T Peoples Resource Network, Duncansville PA
Dr. Ruhl has filled many roles as a missions mobilizer while practicing as a full time family physician. He has served as a short term worker in Asia and Africa. He has devised missions curricula and taught in a number of locations. He was one of the founding board members of an innovative missions support network, focused on the T people. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 22, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Celebration
Missions Fair - State College
This is our one Tuesday night session. We will be joining our State College partners for a Missions Fair at Calvary Baptist Church (1250 University Dr., State College, PA 16801). See the coordinator if you are unable to attend.
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Instructor
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Class Info
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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