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Columbus, OH S20
Spring 2020
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What is Perspectives
Perspectives is a 16 week course that focuses on the Biblical, Historical, Cultural, and Strategic aspects of God's redemptive purposes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ for people everywhere.
Each week features a different instructor and lesson that will equip you to live with greater vision, hope, and passion in the knowledge that God has made you for more.
Biblical Lessons (1-5): The Word of God is revealed with striking clarity as Perspectives illuminates God's unchanging promises as they unfold from Genesis to Revelation.
Historical Lessons (6-9): Discover your spiritual lineage as you learn Christian history is wrought with the immeasurable power of God as He makes His name known among the nations.
Cultural Lessons (10-11): The peoples of the world come alive as we eventually see, through Christ Jesus, the expressions of the New Testament church thriving among every nation, tribe, people and language.
Strategic Lessons (12-15): Find your place in God's story as there are endless opportunities to help complete the Great Commission.
When
Orientation/Pick up textbooks is January 6, from 6:30 pm to 9:15 pm
Classes start January 13, 6:30 pm to 9:15 pm to April 27, 2020
Where
Grace Polaris Church - Ministry Center Rooms 3 and 4 8225 Worthington Galena Rd, Westerville, OH 43081
Check out the links on the right to view the class schedule, pricing, and to register for the class.
Contact For more information, contact Dan Green phone - 614- 394-7124
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Registration & Orientation
Orientation Open House
Registration & Orientation
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Instructor
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Date: Monday, January 6, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
David Guiles
Encompass World Partners, Decatur GA
Dave has been the Executive Director of Encompass World Partners since 2000. Prior to that, he and his wife served as missionaries for 12 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina where their primary focus was church planting. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 13, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
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Brian Hogan
Disciple Making Mentors, Fayetteville AR
Brian and Louise Hogan have served in mission since 1987. From the Navajo Tribe to Outer Mongolia, their passion has been to see Jesus glorified and lifted up among those who have never known Him.
From 1993-1996 their team pioneered a church planting movement in Erdenet (AIR-DUH-NET), Mongolia that continues to grow under fully indigenous leadership to this day. Their Mongolian disciples are now training and sending out their own missionaries to other unreached people groups. The story of the work in Erdenet can be read in Brian’s book: There’s a Sheep in my Bathtub (Asteroidea Books), and in the case study article – “Distant Thunder: Mongols Follow the Khan of Khans” – on page 695 of your Perspectives Reader. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 20, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Matthew Chittum
Hilliard OH
Matt hails from Columbus, Ohio, where he spent his high school years and has since resided upon graduating from Liberty University in 2001. A wearer of many “hats,” Matt serves as a pastor, leadership coach, and professor of “Global Studies” and "Intercultural Communication" for Liberty University Online. A truly relational person, Matt brings 25 years of hands on cross cultural experience to each discussion and a true enthusiasm for helping others reach their potential. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, January 27, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Jeff Johnson
Frontiers, Gilbert AZ
Jeff Johnson and his wife Roxanne have been working with Muslims since 1988. They have served on and led church-planting teams in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. They have witnessed firsthand the martyrdom of Muslim back-ground believers and fellow missionaries, birthed underground Christian fellowships in war torn countries, and seen the miraculous hand of God throughout the Muslim world. Jeff currently works in Frontiers' International Leadership group as Co-Director of Sending; overseeing 32 sending bases and engaging with indigenous sending partners and churches in the Global South and Majority World. After being arrested and deported from Uzbekistan, Jeff and his wife Roxanne split their time working with Frontiers International Office in London and in Phoenix, where they engage Frontiers' Latino Sending Bases.
Jeff & Roxanne also coach and oversee church planting teams in South Asia. Jeff is a popular speaker and preacher at large, specializing in training followers of Jesus to engage Muslims both domestically and globally. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 3, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Richard Mendola
International Friendships, Upper Arlington OH
Rich was born in Buffalo, NY, the grandson of immigrants from Italy who settled in Western, NY. His mother and father were both raised in the Italian section of the city. Although he was raised in a religious family who attended church, he did not personally know Christ until he was 17 years old. Prior to that, the death of his father at age 13 triggered a search for meaning and truth. This eventually led to studying the Bible, where he discovered that the true purpose of life was to worship and serve God. Through reading the New Testament he learned that Jesus Christ made it possible to come to God because of His sacrificial death for sins. Immediately upon coming to know Jesus, Rich had the strong desire to let others know the good news.
Rich attended Colgate University in New York State where he majored in Biology and minored in Education and Philosophy and Religion. After his graduation, he had the first opportunity to pastor and was called to serve a rural congregation . At the same time he served on the Dean’s staff at Colgate University as the Director of Housing. In addition, he studied for a Master’s degree in counseling.
In 1979 Rich and Janet attended.the Urbana Mission Conference. There Rich sensed a call to full time cross-cultural ministry. In 1980 he began to work full-time with international students in Buffalo, NY. At the same time, Janet attended medical school at SUNY Buffalo. In 1987 they moved to Athens, Ohio to open a new ministry to international students while Janet fulfilled her obligation to the National Health Service Corp – a program placing physicians in shortage areas.
In 1991, Rich and Janet moved to Columbus, Ohio to work with International Friendships.
Since 1998 he has served as the Executive Director. He also leads Bible studies and does 1-1 discipleship with students. He has written several Bible studies for internationals. He has served as the Chairperson for the Association of Christians Ministering to Internationals. Rich has also helped to plant two churches. He currently serves as lead pastor for All Nations Christian Fellowship.
During Rich’s 29 years of service among internationals hundreds have come to know Jesus and many have returned as effective witnesses of Jesus among their own people. The kingdom of God is advancing among Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists because of the ministry to internationals. Jesus can share many wonderful and dramatic stories of God’s work among internationals.
Rich is a regular speaker at missions conferences, evangelistic outreaches, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement and is a lecturer at Vineyard Leadership Institute.
Rich and Janet have 6 children: Grace, Danielle, Hope, Philip, Melody, and Paul.
Rich’s interests are: Evangelism, Discipleship, trips, chess, and hats.
Rich’s spiritual gifts are leadership, exhortation, and evangelism.
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 10, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Elizabeth Himsworth
Columbus OH
Beth, her husband James and young children lived in the Northern Brazilian Amazon region for 6 years. Her focus was on meeting the felt need of people in indigenous villages – medical and dental clinics – and Bible study and training for discipleship. Another dozen years were spent in Southern Brazil and International ministry focused on leadership development and discipleship with World Team. In 1995, she started a discipleship network – writing a four-year training curriculum and raising up a dozen national workers. This network continues today in its fourth generation of training groups. Among other projects, Beth developed a 2 weekend Seminar to train pastors how to develop their own adult education for their churches and ministries.
Her current focus is on personal discipleship in the local church context and teaching parenting classes to equip young parents in the discipleship of their children.
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 17, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Estera Pirosca Escobar
Culture Bound, Mt Juliet TN
As a former international student from Romania, with a career in international student ministry (ISM) spanning over 15 years, Estera brings contagious enthusiasm and passion to everything she does. Estera is a gifted writer and speaker, a sought-after Perspectives instructor and is also involved in various cross-cultural training projects. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Intercultural Education from Western Seminary. Estera is married to Francisco, a global nomad originally from Chile, and they have a beautiful daughter, Esmeralda. They live in Nashville, Tennessee. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, February 24, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Andrew Fuller
World Horizons, Richmond VA
Andrew Fuller is the Director of Operations for Al Massira (www.almassira.org), a media outreach ministry. He formerly served as the International Director of World Horizons from 2011 to 2020. (www.worldhorizons.org) b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 2, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Diane Wido
North Royalton OH
Diane served as a C&MA missionary to Guinea, West Africa from 1986 to 1996. From 1996-2000 she worked throughout the C&MA in the USA as a Missions Mobilizer helping districts and local churches as well as networking with ACMC and other agencies for mobilization. In 2000 she married an Air Force Chaplain serving God as part of that unique culture. They recently retired to Cleveland, involved at Grace Church and beyond in areas of teaching, mentoring and missions. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 9, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
James Cha
Crescent Project, Leesburg VA
Rev. James Cha was born in Korea, but grew up here in the US. He studied electrical engineering at Cornell University, and worked ten years as an engineer. In 2000 he and his wife, Faith, took their 3 kids to Central Asia, where they served ten years as church planting missionaries with Pioneers. They are now back in the US reaching out to the Muslims in the Washington, DC area. James & Faith are Washington DC Area Coordinators for Crescent Project. They also direct ESL ministry in Leesburg, VA. They have three adult children and one grandchild. James recently published a book about their missions journey - Fear Not: Living a Life of No Regrets. Available on amazon. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 16, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Andy Sieberhagen
Heritage Christian Church, Westerville OH
Andy Sieberhagen joined the pastoral staff of Heritage in June of 2009 as our Missions Pastor. Andy studied for four years at Baptist Theological College of South Africa, and he has served as a full-time student pastor and associate pastor at a Baptist church in South Africa. He spent 14 years doing church planting among muslims in Central Asia as well as working with Church planters in Africa. Andy is currently one of the lead Pastors at Heritage Christian Church .Andy brings a wealth of personal experience in overseas missions along with a big heart to reach the ends of the earth with the good news of Jesus! He and his wife, Lynn, have two beautiful daughters, Stephanie and Rebecca. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 23, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Scott Arnold
Columbus OH
Scott has been the Executive Director of Central Ohio Youth for Christ since 1997. Scott is a graduate of OSU with a B.A. in Psychology, and has an M.A. in Biblical studies from Ashland Seminary. He lives in west Columbus with his wife and two daughters. Scott is a sphere leader and ordained teaching pastor in Dwell Community Church where he has served in various leadership and teaching roles since 1985. He is on the national board of YFC/USA and is a member of the YFC/USA City Life team. Locally, he is chairman of the board of Family Comes First, and a founding member of the Mission Columbus Advisory Team and a member of the Franklinton Partnership Advisory Team. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, March 30, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 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
Jim Leffel
Xenos Christian Fellowship, Westerville OH
Jim has been a part of Xenos since the 1970s and has served in many roles in the church from eldership to teaching classes. Jim has been one of the architects of the Global Partnerships and is passionate about all nations coming to Christ. He serves Global Partners by offering training to their leaders and visiting the fields regularly. He also meets with missionaries to offer strategic coaching. Jim and his wife Linda have been married for over 30 years and have two adult children. Jim is an active teacher at Xenos, and leads an adult home church with his wife. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 6, 2020
Time: 1:00 AM to 1:00 AM
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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
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Andrew Workman
Frontiers, Columbus OH
Andrew Workman, from Columbus, Ohio, attended The Ohio State University and in 2006 obtained a Masters Degree. After receiving a calling from the Lord, in 1993 Andrew and Martha Workman moved overseas to share the love of God. In 2011, they moved back to Ohio with their two daughters to continue this ministry coaching team and mobilizing more workers for the harvest. b
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 13, 2020
Time: 1:00 AM to 1:00 AM
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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
Mike Yoder
Westerville OH
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Class Info
Date: Monday, April 20, 2020
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 PM
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