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Chicagoland Area - Chicago, IL V21    Spring 2021
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You Were MADE FOR MORE!

Use what's in you to bless the world around you!

 

Perspectives is a 15 week class that will change the way you view the world around you. In it, you will have your eyes opened to the heart and purpose of God, and how you can take part in His work all over the world, from the urban streets of America to the rain forest and deserts of distant lands. A fantastic array of pastors, theologians, international missiologists and mobilizers will challenge and inspire you to see just how big God is, and how much He desires that all might come to know HimWhether you are single, married, a student, a homemaker, a professional or retired, Perspectives will bless and challenge your life and direction.


Join us this January to May for a VIRTUAL class! We will hold each class online, using zoom as our platform. So whether you are in Chicago, the suburbs, or the elsewhere- you can skip the traffic and join us from home!


Email Lindsey if you have any questions! We look forward to seeing you (virtually!) in January! 

Class Info

Date: Thursday, January 21, 2021

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: VIRTUAL online class Chicago IL 60610

Contact: Lindsey Rice

(847) 903-1953

 
    • 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

      Kyle Reschke

      Wheaton Bible Church - Pastor or Sending and Outreach, St. Charles IL

      Kyle Reschke currently works as the Pastor of Sending and Outreach Wheaton Bible Church. Previously, Kyle has served as a volunteer teacher and educational developer on the Manu’a Islands with the Center for International Development at Harvard University, and as a Project Manager with The 410 Bridge in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 2010. Kyle is passionate about standing with vulnerable people and communities around the world, assisting people in identifying their own community assets, personal gifts, and God-given identity as agents of positive transformation in their communities. With these passions, Kyle has traveled to and worked in 42 different countries in his career. Another of Kyle’s great passions is to work with the Western Church in partnering more effectively and strategically around the world. Kyle holds undergraduate degrees in Cell and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (also minoring in music performance, French Horn) and Masters Degrees in Secondary Education and Educational Development, a Fellowship in International Development, and a Masters of Liberal Arts with a focus on Christian Ethics and Literature. Kyle got married in the summer of 2017 to Joy, and looks forward to all of their shared adventures and mission together in life. Kyle and Joy continue their regular runs, now with a jogger stroller with their 14 month old son Liam. Outside of these passions, Kyle personally enjoys trail running, triathlons, good meals with family and good friends, and reading anything he can get his hands on!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, January 21, 2021

      Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 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

      Bryan Padgett

      Redeemer Stillwater, Stillwater OK

      Bryan has served in mission mobilization for over 10 years with ministries such as The Traveling Team, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, Frontiers, Avant and more recently as missions pastor at Redeemer Church in Lubbock, TX. He and his wife are currently planting a church in Stillwater, OK. They hope to plant a church that would intentionally develop and send many church planting teams out among unreached and unengaged people groups. If there was one verse that drives what he does, it would Habakkuk 2:14 which states, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as water cover the seas." He is married to Abbey and has four kids - Judson, Lydia, Isobel and Hazel.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, January 28, 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

      Paco Amador

      New Life Community Church, Chicago IL

      Paco Amador is pastor of New Life Community Church in the Little Village community on Chicago's west side. Paco has served as a missionary, a public school teacher, and is currently a pastor at the mexican immigrant of Little Village. He and his wife, Sylvia, have seven children and live in Chicago.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, February 4, 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

      Jon Hardin

      Frontiers, Highlands Ranch CO

      Dr. Jon Hardin is the National Communications Specialist for Frontiers. He has served in full-time missions work for over 25 years. Jon regularly speaks and teaches in churches, conferences, and various training events around the world--he has taught over 35,000 Perspectives students. Jon has a passion for seeing local churches and ordinary Christians step into strategic roles in the global missions enterprise. Jon is an ordained minister, holds a PhD from the VU University in Amsterdam, and did post-graduate studies at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague. He is also a graduate of Denver Seminary. Jon is a CPA and prior to going into full-time ministry he worked for IBM Corporation for nine years.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, February 11, 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

      John Fuder

      Moody Graduate School, Chicago IL

      Dr. John Fuder (PH.D., Biola Univ.)is a prof. at Moody Bible Inst's. Grad. Sch. in Chicago since '94. He spent 12 years with CityTeam Mins. in San Jose, CA and did his doctoral research in skid row in LA. He lives on Chicago's northside and has 3 children and 1 grandchild. He is the author/editor of 3 bks:Training Students For Urban Min.; Heart For The City; & Heart For The Community.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, February 18, 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

      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.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021

      Time: 6:30 PM 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

      Dave C

      Park Community Church, Chicago IL

      Dave serves as the Global Outreach Pastor at Park Community Church.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, March 4, 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

      Joe Gerber

      Loving Shepherd Ministries, Mahomet IL

      I am honored to be a servant of Jesus Christ. My wife and I have 5 children. God has blessed us with a number of experiences that have given us a deep appreciation for the work of God around the world. It is our joy to play a small part in making His glory known locally and abroad. It's all about Him!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, March 11, 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

      Lindsey Rice

      Perspectives USA, Chicago IL

      Lindsey is a Greek-American living in Chicago, Illinois. After serving in East Asia, and having her eyes opened to God's love and desire for the nations, Lindsey has been focused on doing cross-cultural ministry in various contexts. Planting herself and her family in Chicago, Lindsey found multiple opportunities to be a part of expanding God's kingdom. She has now invested 15 years serving with international students, welcoming refugees, working with Perspectives, and mobilizing her church to help every follower of Christ take their next step in being a World Christian.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, March 18, 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

      Pam Arlund

      All Nations, Kansas City MO

      Pam is currently the Co-Editor of Perspectives 5th Edition and a member of All Nations. She lived in Central Asia for ten years, where she planted churches among three people groups, two of whom are Muslim. She earned an MA and PhD in Linguistics (i.e. Bible Translation) from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has published numerous books and articles in missions. She is most well known as “The Stick Figure Lady” for her popular book “Stick Figures Save the World.”

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, March 25, 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

      Shine Gidla

      Chicago IL



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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, April 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

      Eric

      Dignity Coconuts, Saint Paul MN

      At 23, Eric boarded a plane bound for the Middle East that changed the direction of his life. Thinking this would only be a year of helping the poor before returning to the business world, he did not expect this would turn into a life calling. After returning, he resolved to marry his best friend and commit the rest of his life to helping the unreached know Jesus. Eric has been involved in community development work among Muslims in many countries including Tunisia, Yemen, Cameroon, Iraq, Turkey, Russia, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In 2012, Eric re-entered the for-profit business world in a Kingdom Business in order to use the untapped power of business to transform communities.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, April 15, 2021

      Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 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

      Stan Yoder

      World Partners, Maquoketa IA

      Stan and his wife, Valli, served full-time with World Partners since 1978. Valli passed away in November 2021 after a long battle with M.S. Their experience includes 10 years of church planting and curative medical work in Sierra Leone, West Africa among the Yalunka People; 3 years at the US Center as Administrative Director for the Adopt-a-People Clearinghouse; 3 years mobilizing churches to adopt unreached people groups; 2 years training students at Bethel College, Mishawaka, IN; 4 years coaching workers in Africa and the Middle East; and 16 years reaching out to Middle Wast refugees in Kansas City, Missouri. They moved to Maquoketa, Iowa in October 2018 and will begin a new ministry to Middle East students. Stan will continue to serve with World Partners as a traveling evangelist among Muslims and instructor for Perspectives.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, April 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

      Vicky Warren

      MissionNext, Mena AR

      Vicky spent 33 years working in innovative and creative environments from multimillion dollar technology deployments, alliances with technical luminaries such as Steve Jobs, Nicholas Negroponte's MIT media lab, Stanford Research Institute (SRI) and The Walt Disney Studios to entrepreneurial startup businesses. Her primary focus in these organizations included leadership and business development, strategic planning, research and development, innovation and creativity. She became "known" in these organizations for her heart for the Gospel through her daily walk in these high paced and demanding environments. Her passion for Christ took her on a 30-year journey of adventure as she walked on burning coals, assisted with eye clinics in Mexico, participated in medical relief efforts in Bolivia, planted pioneer businesses in Asia and Africa, came face to face with the persecuted church in Orissa, and served widows in the rainforest of Panama. Now she is committed full time to taking the Gospel to the nations through Pioneer Business Planting, building Kingdom businesses, and gobalization!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, April 29, 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

      Todd Ahrend

      The Traveling Team, Fayetteville AR

      Todd Ahrend graduated from Northeastern State University, has a Masters from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the founder and international Director of The Traveling Team, a national missions mobilization movement. He and his wife, Jessica, have spent almost two decades traveling both nation-wide and abroad, speaking to thousands of people about involvement in world evangelization. Todd has exposure in over sixty countries and has lived in the Middle East. He is the author of The Abrahamic Revolution and In This Generation. Todd and Jessica have six children: Camden, Brody, Axel, Noble, Quincy and Cruz!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Thursday, May 6, 2021

      Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

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