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Pittsburgh North Hills, PA
Fall 2014
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Starting Monday, September 8, 2014 in the North Hills of Pittsburgh 6:30-9:30 pm
* or make up a class on Tuesday night at Grove City College 14 weeks. 14 Instructors. One Epic Story In the beginning - no, before there was a beginning - a story began... Come, explore the depths and riches of this story, as it has unfolded throughout the pages of the Bible and beyond, into modern history. Come, learn how God's redemptive plan is reaching, stretching, welcoming every tribe, tongue, and culture to worship before his throne. Come, disciple of Jesus Christ, discover your unique place, and get threaded into this cosmic story of God's glory. Come and hear what God has to say to you. Your mind will be challenged. Your heart will be moved. Your commitment will be tested. For decades and around the world, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement has drawn everyday people deeper into God's missionary purpose for the world. People of all ages, walks of life, and backgrounds have come out of the class with an expanded vision of God's work in the world and a new grasp of their part in it, revitalizing their walk with the Lord and strengthening their faith. Feel free to explore this site and learn more about the class. Click through the Lessons below to learn about their content and our instructors. Contact Bethany at the email link provided if you have questions. Is this course only for those interested in missions? Absolutely not! This is a course for the Church. The goal is to bring our individual lives into a closer alignment with God's purpose. To join God in His story. If you want to grow and be challenged—want more vision, direction and eternal impact to come from your life.
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Instructor
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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
Jennifer Haddox
ECO (A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians), Waynesburg PA
Jen first took the Perspectives class at Eastern College, and since then has been passionate about mobilizing the church for frontier mission. Jen served as a Perspectives class coordinator in Western, PA from 2002-2016. She currently serves as the Director of Global Engagement for ECO (A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians). In this role, she is a resource for mobilizing and equipping congregations for meaningful and effective global mission engagement. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, September 8, 2014
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
Luke Kuepfer
The Truth Made Simple, Prospect Heights IL
Luke Kuepfer is a keynote speaker, workshop leader, and co-author of Becoming a Leader Worth Following. Having founded and directed a non-profit in Southeast Asia, he now serves as president of the Reverb Network, a non-profit organization committed to growing missional leaders and starting serving leadership movements around the globe. Primarily focused on the business world in North America, Luke facilitates workshops on Serving Leadership, The Art of Listening, Employee Engagement, Teamwork, and Winning at Customer Service. He has a Master's degree in Leadership and has taught a class on Foundations of Management and Leadership at Colorado Christian University. As a leadership developer and life coach, Luke helps business and non-profit leaders understand how to maximize their God-given potential to lead and serve others. His newest venture in the experience economy integrates leadership development with high-mountain trekking adventures. You will find Luke online at LukeKuepfer.com, thetruthmadesimple.org, and ReverbNetwork.org. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, September 15, 2014
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
Stan Keehlwetter
Grove City PA
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Class Info
Date: Monday, September 22, 2014
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
Ted Martin
Hampton Presbyterian Church, Gibsonia PA
Rev. Dr. Ted Martin is the senior pastor of Hampton Presbyterian Church in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA. His love for missions was sparked after his first exposure to the Urbana conference in 1981. Since that time, he has led several domestic and international mission trips with youth and adults. At Gordon-Conwell, Ted had a focus upon Theology and Mission for his MDiv. His doctoral work at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary created a Theological Lab for High School Students. Ted's greatest passion is to lead people into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, September 29, 2014
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
Kang Na
New Castle PA
Rev. Kang Na is a professor in the Department of Religion, History, Philosophy, and Classics at Westminster College. He teaches courses on the Bible, biblical interpretation, and Reformed theology. His area of specialty is the New Testament, particularly Paul’s letters. The son of first-generation Christian parents, he was baptized in South Korea and brings special perspectives to the course. Kang studied at Princeton and Emory Universities b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, October 6, 2014
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
Francis Patt
Frontier Ventures, Exton PA
Graduated from Penn State in 1974 with a degree in History. Graduate studies at Penn State in 1976-7. Coordinating team for the first Perspectives class at Penn State 1980. Began coordinating Perspectives classes in 1984. Has coordinated over 100 classes. Joined the staff of Frontier Ventures (formerly the USCWM) in 1981. Regional director of Eastern Regional Office of Frontier Ventures 1988-2017. Church elder for 15 years. Part of leadership for church planting teams 1998-2004. Training workers to serve on Muslim fields 2004 to present. Serving on the Board of Frontier Ventures since 2015.
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Class Info
Date: Monday, October 13, 2014
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
John Grusendorf
New Wilmington PA
Pastor, New Wilmington Alliance Church
John has been serving the Lord for 40+ years in various roles, including as pastor, educator, administrator and adjunct professor. He is currently serving as the Pastor of Wilmington Alliance Church. John took Perspectives in 2009 and has been teaching Perspectives classes since 2011. Missionaries and missions have played an important role in his life and he has been a strong supporter and promoter of missions throughout his ministry days. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, October 20, 2014
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
John Grusendorf
New Wilmington PA
Pastor, New Wilmington Alliance Church
John has been serving the Lord for 40+ years in various roles, including as pastor, educator, administrator and adjunct professor. He is currently serving as the Pastor of Wilmington Alliance Church. John took Perspectives in 2009 and has been teaching Perspectives classes since 2011. Missionaries and missions have played an important role in his life and he has been a strong supporter and promoter of missions throughout his ministry days. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, October 20, 2014
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 Schneider
Global Missions, Akron OH
Bob is the pastor of global ministries at The Chapel in Akron, OH. This program supports nearly 65 western missionaries and 75 nationals in 30 countries.
Bob is deeply committed to the great commission and to sharing the vision and strategies for evangelizing unreached people groups worldwide. He and Myra provide pastoral care for Chapel missionaries and visit several on the field each year. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, October 27, 2014
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
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Scott Boyd
Pittsburgh Region International Student Ministries, Pittsburgh PA
Rev. Scott Boyd and his family served nine years as church planters in Slovenia. He is currently Director of the Pittsburgh Regional International Students Ministry. P.R.I.S.M. is a dynamic network of cross-cultural programs and ministries to international students and visiting scholars in the Pittsburgh area. We include Scott in every Perspectives class as his ministry is so important to our area. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, November 3, 2014
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
Chuck Walton
Wycliffe Bible Translators - Ret., Hatboro PA
Chuck Walton is a graduate of Cairn U, Wheaton College and Temple University. He and his wife Janice have served with Wycliffe Bible Translators for many years. Most of their career has been in the Philippines. They worked with two very different ethnic groups in there, the Itneg of Northern Luzon and the Sama of Pangutaran Island (a Muslim UPG) where they completed the translation of the New Testament.
In addition to translation Chuck had been involved in mission administration and has taught Linguistics at the Wycliffe affiliate school in Dallas, Texas, Alliance Biblical Seminary in Quezon City, Philippines and the University of North Dakota.
In 2013 Chuck retired but still does Mobilization for Wycliffe on a volunteer basis, and teaches ESL. They live in Newtown, PA (Bucks County).
Chuck has taught for Perspectives since 2006 and is a coordinator. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, November 10, 2014
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
Kimberly Merrell
Metro-Urban Institute, Pittsburgh PA
Kimberly Merrell is a graduate of Ohio University and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She is the founder and executive director of the Live Foundation which partners with indigenous organizations around the world to champion gender justice while encouraging Christian communities to advocate on their behalf. She has empowered thousands through her teaching and preaching in more than 16 international contexts spanning five continents. As the new director of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s Metro-Urban Institute she is helping churches and the broader faith community address growing concerns related to urban living. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Time: 1:00 AM to 1:00 AM
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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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Derek
KRIN , Allison Park PA
Derek is the Executive Director of a network for an unreached people group in East Asia.
He was formerly the East Asia Director for Beyond, overseeing missionary strategy for starting discipleship / church planting movements among unengaged / unreached people groups of East Asia. He lived in Asia for 12 years. Derek has taught extensively on church planting movements and pioneer church planting to locals in numerous Asian countries. Author of "Innovation in World Mission" through William Carey Library. He started several companies for business as mission. Holds a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and Foresight from Regent University. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, November 24, 2014
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
Robert Antonucci
Frontiers/EPC, Wenham MA
Robert has worked in Church-planting and Development work in Central Asia in a war torn country 15 of the last 20 years. He and his wife and 3 children have led Frontiers Church-planting teams in new areas most of that time. Rob has an MA in World Christianity from Denver Seminary and teaches Christians insights useful in understanding Islam/Muslims in the world today. He did MDiv. studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is a Doctor of Ministry program there and is Assistant Director of the Dr J Christy Wilson Jr. Center for World Missions and an adjunct professor at Gordon Conwell. He works with Frontiers and with EPC World Outreach consulting on ministry among Muslims. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, December 1, 2014
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Lesson 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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Instructor
Don Dawson
World Mission Initiative and New Wilmington Mission Conference, Gibsonia PA
Rev. Dr. Don Dawson is the director of World Mission Initiative at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and also director of the New Wilmington Mission Conference. Don had 24 years of pastoral experience leading churches in mission involvement before beginning as director of WMI and NWMC in 2000. Learn about these mission organizations at www.WorldMissionInitiative.org and www.NWMCmission.org. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, December 8, 2014
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
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Instructor
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Class Info
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