|
Hercules CA, F21
Fall 2021
Looking for your assignments?
Sign In
Welcome to Perspectives
On The World Christian Movement
You Were MADE FOR MORE!
Use what's in you to bless the world around
you!
Why take Perspectives? What is this course?
Course Description: Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a 15 week life and learning
opportunity that will open your eyes and heart to the wisdom of God, and how
you can participate in making Him known, from urban America to distant lands.
God wants you on His team. He has already prepared you.
A fantastic array of pastors, theologians,
international missiologists, and mobilizers will challenge and inspire you
as they share from their experiences and teach God’s perspectives on the
Biblical, Historical, Cultural & Strategic plan for pursuing His mission.
Who should take it? Whether you are single,
married, a student, a homemaker, a professional or retired, Perspectives will
bless and challenge your life and direction.
Where and When? Valley Bible Church,
Hercules, Monday nights 6:30pm-9:15pm (See sidebar on right for more details).
Classes are planned to be in-person interactive with
worship, prayer, activities, breakout sessions and live instructors. All
government guidelines as well as the host church safety for COVID-19 will be
followed. In case we cannot have in-person class, we will switch to online
(Zoom) format. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Justin
Chang (class coordinator, )
Key Class dates:
Information & Orientation Meeting: Monday, August 23, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
First Class (Lesson 1): Monday, August
30, 6:30 – 9:15 PM
Celebration & Ministry Fair: Saturday, Dec 18, 2021, 4-6 PM
Cost: Key Reading ($240), Certificate ($240), College Level Credit ($510), For more information select Class Pricing tab on sidebar
(see right side)
·
Early Bird Discount: Register and pay by August 23 to get $30 off!
·
Additional Family Members: When one family member pays full
price, the second and additional family member(s) in the same
household may claim this discount and receive $25 off!
· Alumni Pricing: Alumni have free
registration for Key reading and a $40 Grader fee to upgrade
from Key Reading to Certificate Level.
Class Enrollment Levels:
Everyone - First Night Free: If you are curious about Perspectives
do come to the Information & Orientation meeting (Aug 23). You are also
welcome to attend the first night for free. Watch 3-minute promotional
video here.
Key Reading Level: This level requires about 1-2 hours of reading
per week with no written homework. There are five "Personal
Reflections" assigned during the course which would require approximately
an hour each to complete. Missed classes can be supplemented by the online
video lesson.
Certificate Level: This level is recommended for those who seek to gain a deeper
understanding of the topics. It involves weekly homework
assignments, five "Personal Reflections," and one research
project due at the end of the course. This level requires about 4-6 hours
of work per week.
Credit Level: 3 credit hours A
more in-depth study with 3 semester credit hours. More information and Course
syllabus available upon request.
-
-
-
Instructor
![]()
-
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Bruce Green
Bridges to Common Ground, Los Altos CA
Rev. Bruce has a unique job of "bridge building facilitator," encouraging better understanding between Muslims and Christians. Since 2002 he has worked with the largest concentration of Afghans outside their homeland, located in the East Bay Area, centered in "Little Kabul," Fremont, California. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, August 30, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Ziad Srouji
San Mateo CA
Pastor Z. Samuel Srouji came out of war torn Lebanon in the ‘70s and encountered Jesus at the age of 16 through the truth that “the grave is empty and Jesus is alive.” Since then he has been captured with the Father’s heart of love for the nations, and miracles have followed his ministry of worship and preaching around the world. For twenty five years he has pastored on the peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, September 6, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Markos Zemede
Horn of Africa Evangelical Mission, Fresno CA
I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I immigrated to the USA as a refugee in 1984. When I took the Perspectives class in 1999, it ruined me for the ordinary. In addition to my busy medical practice, I now serve in many missions organizations, a few of which were birthed out of the Perspectives class, including Horn of Africa Mission (www.hornofafrica.org). b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, September 13, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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).
-
Instructor
Hermie Smit
CityTeam in the Neighborhood, San Jose CA
Hermie grew up in South Africa, moved to the US in Nov. 1999 and started working for CityTeam Ministries in 2001. He got exposed to the Disciple Making Movements (DMM) principles in 2006 and since then has dedicated his life to seeing disciple making movements take root in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. By the grace of God, his team has seen significant multiplication over the past years, with thousands of new discovery groups/churches that have consistently multiply in multiple generations as God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways. The movement has spread far, not only in the San Francisco Bay Area, but also to Central California, the Los Angeles area, Missouri, Texas, as well as cities in Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Argentina and Cuba. He’s married to Linda, a Bay Area native, for more than 19 years and has a son Daniel who is 6 years old.
b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, September 20, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Samuel Nandakumar
SAIACS, Bangalore, India, Elk Grove CA
Samuel Nandakumar (a.k.a. Nanda) was born in Tamilnadu, South India and received both a B.S. and a B.Ed. from Indian universities before completing a B.S. from San Jose Bible College, a Master's in Divinity from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana. September 1998 saw the beginning of a new venture for Nanda at Crossroads Bible Church when he began to lead and mentor Global Outreach and Life Groups.
After having served as CBC's Interim Lead Pastor for several months, Pastor Nanda was confirmed as Lead Pastor in the spring of 2009. His most identifiable trait is his quick wit and ready smile. His passion for ministry is to see CBC truly become a multi-cultural body of believers. After his retirement from the pastoral role, Nanda has joined as a consultant, Global Leadership Development,for SAIACS (South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies), Bangalore, India.
He has been a dedicated Perspectives teacher for many years and is looking forward to sharing his passion for the Gospel with you.
b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, September 27, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Andy Pearce
International Students, Inc., San Gabriel CA
Andy serves as Director of Church Partnerships with International Students, Inc. (ISI) He has a Master's in Theological Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master's in Education from Cal State Los Angeles, and a Ph.D.in International Development from William Carey International University. Andy and his wife have four daughters and one son and live in San Gabriel, CA. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, October 4, 2021
Time: 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Christine Teng Henson
Grace Community Covenant Church, Santa Clara CA
Tina grew up on Long Island, New York, but considered Boston home for most of her twenties. She and her husband John moved to the Bay Area in 2011, never imagining they'd have 3 children here in California! She did her MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary after studying English literature at Harvard College. She presently serves as an assistant pastor at Grace Community Covenant Church in Los Altos. She is a writer, a spiritual director in training, and a community builder and networker wherever God takes her. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, October 11, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Viji Cammauf
Little Flock, Oakland CA
Viji Nakka- Cammauf is the President of Little Flock Children’s Homes a ministry to orphans and widows
.She is on Faculty at a Christian school in India called the Sam Higginbothams University of Science , Agriculture and Technology in the School of Theology. She teaches doctoral students in the filed of Christian Studies.
She is a lecturer and Professor of record for the Perspectives Study Program in Northern California.
b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, October 18, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
![]()
Se-Ah
Frontiers, Fort Lee NJ
At 16, Se-ah felt God calling her to serve overseas, particularly to the Muslim world, but not as a ‘traditional missionary.’ She later realized that God wanted to use her career and profession to reach people in countries that are difficult to access
otherwise. Since then, the Lord has taken her to the Middle East to meet and share the love of Jesus with those who do not know Him. In fact, the Lord has used her professional career (as a consultant, professor, researcher, policy advisor) to be light and share God's love to people in government and business. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, October 25, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Laurie Schlaepfer
Santa Cruz CA
Laurie grew up in Missouri but has been on the West Coast for all of her adult life. She attended Corban University in Salem, Oregon and Western Seminary in Portland. She has been speaking, teaching, and involved in ministry for more than 35 years. For 16 years she has been an adjunct professor at Western Seminary, teaching World Religions. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, November 1, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Tim Svoboda
Youth With A Mission, San Francisco CA
Timothy Svoboda is currently the International Urban missions Director for Youth With A Mission and also serves as the City Coordinator for YWAM San Francisco and the Bay Area. Tim, his wife and children have served in India from 1983 to 2007. Tim was the National Director for YWAM India, the South Asia Urban Ministry Coordinator and the Chennai City Coordinator. YWAM Chennai has developed into a decentralized movement of 17 focused teams that are living incarnationally and reaching out to leprosy patients, slum dwellers, university students, urban middle class people, Muslims, and into other sectors of society. Tim also was one of the founders for Chennai Transformation Network which is a movement that unites the Christians of the city for transformational ministry. Tim and his family currently live in San Francisco giving leadership to the ministry of YWAM there and around the world in cities. Tim also serves on the Global Leadership Team for YWAM international, the Global Urban Missions Network which is a broad consortium of City Missional leaders from various organizations around the world and locally Tim serves on several San Francisco faith initiatives. Tim earned his Doctorate in Ministry from the Bakke Graduate University in 2007 and is an adjunct professor for BGU for their courses in San Francisco and India. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, November 8, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Jimmy Quach
San Francisco CA
Jimmy Quach is founder of Good Paper, the leader in fair trade greeting cards. Good Paper supports disadvantaged communities such as survivors of human trafficking in the Philippines and orphans of genocide in Rwanda, providing critical jobs while also nurturing significant spiritual impact. Previously, Jimmy served as an Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Co-Director of the "Open for Business" Track at the Urbana missions convention. His passion is to support the development of "triple-bottom-line" businesses that are economically sustainable, improve social outcomes, and extend the impact of the Kingdom of God. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, November 15, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:15 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
_thumbnail.Png)
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
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, November 22, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Bradley Buser
Founder Radius International, San Diego CA
Brad came to faith in Christ at 17 and soon after was challenged with the need of unreached people groups. He began training for this directly after High School.
Beth is from St. Johns MI., her Mom and Dad love the Lord Jesus and raised her with a heart for the world. They met, had two boys and left for Papua New Guinea in January of 1979.
Soon after arriving they moved in among the Iteri people who live in the headwaters of the Sepik River Basin. After 4 years of studying the language and culture of the Iteri people they were fluent and began to share Christ with them for the first time.
The baby church was discipled and in a few years leaders were ordained. The Busers worked on the New Testament translation and by 1999, after 20 years in the village, with the translation done, the church up and thriving, their need to be among the Iteris was over.
Upon returning from PNG he and other men saw the need for appropriate training for missionaries who would be sent to Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. In 2010 he helped found Radius International as a ministry to do such training.
Radius is currently the largest training program for those going into Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Tribal peoples. For those who desire to do church planting among the least reached it is the premier training available.
b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, December 6, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
-
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.
-
Instructor
Keivan Tehrani
Compassion Bridges, Campbell CA
Born into a Muslim family in Iran, Keivan was powerfully moved to follow Jesus in 1992. Since then he has had the honor to preach the Good news of Jesus and share his testimony in dozens of countries over 25 years of ministry. After graduating from UC Davis with degrees in Psychology and Religious studies he served as the Youth and English pastor at the Iranian Christian Church for 10 years and since 2010 has been the Global Compassion pastor at WestGate Church. He also the co-founder and Executive Director of Compassion Bridges. He received a Masters in Theology from Fuller Seminary in 2008 and currently living in California with his wife and three beautiful children. b
-
Class Info
Date: Monday, December 13, 2021
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
-
You have not set your Security Questions and Answers.
Do you want to set it now?
|