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Abilene, TX // S22    Spring 2022
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What is Perspectives?

Perspectives is a 15-week life and learning opportunity 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 rainforests and deserts of distant lands. A fantastic array of pastors, theologians, international missiologists, and mobilizers will challenge and inspire you with their personal experiences that will open your eyes to see just how big God is and how much He desires that all might come to know Him. Whether you are single, married, a student, a homemaker, a professional, or retired, Perspectives will challenge your life and direction.

Spring 2022 Semester Plan

How Does the Perspectives Course Work?

Register

Clear your calendar for Monday nights this Spring – we’re going to have an exciting semester learning from the most amazing pastors, professors, theologians, and mission and ministry leaders.

Prepare

Once you register, all you need to do is grab a friend or two…or five…to take the class with you. Make sure you order your Perspectives Reader and Study Guide before class.

Arrive

Check your class start date and time. Make sure you arrive early to check in and claim your seat. Bring your Bible and your Study Guide (and a few friends). You’ll meet each week for the next 15 weeks.

Press In

Each week after class you will read extraordinary articles on the lesson topic that build on the instructors’ teaching. These articles are really powerful so make sure you carve out enough time each week to really press in and read them.

The Investment

Key Reading - $225 + Books

Certificate -
$225 + Books

Credit (Undergrad) -
$500 + Books

High School Dual Enrollment -
$500 + Books

Be enriched by instructors, short weekly readings, and five personal reflections, but you’ll miss the accountability and additional learning that the Certificate level provides. Students will not earn a certificate of completion, but may attend future classes for free or a minimal cost.
Enhance your understanding of God’s global purpose through lectures, activities, and selected readings. Receive individualized feedback upon completing weekly reviews, personal responses, and the integrative project, deepening your understanding.
Perspectives partners with accredited universities to offer undergraduate level credit hours for completing the course. These may be local or national credit options. Additional reading or assignments are sometimes required based on the credit granting institution.
Perspectives partners with an accredited credit-granting organization to allow high school students to take the course for college credit. Some private Christian schools will accept this for credit as well.

First Night

Want to check out the class before making a commitment? Join us on Monday, January 10 for the first night for FREE! You will learn more about the course and hear the first lesson taught by an amazing guest instructor. Invite your friends to join you - everyone is welcome!

Class Info

Date: Monday, January 10, 2022

Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Beltway Park Church - North campus 2850 Highway 351 Abilene TX 79601

Contact: Gloria McQueen

(612) 532-1543

 
    • 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

      Matthew Ellison

      Sixteen:Fifteen, Albuquerque NM

      Matthew was rescued by Jesus when he was twenty-three. Shortly after, he found himself in Ghana, West Africa on the first of what would be many ventures to the mission field. That first trip, Matthew says, "ruined me for anything less than a life lived for God's global purpose." In 1993 he began serving at Calvary of Albuquerque, in New Mexico, where he attended and graduated from their School of Ministry. He worked as the missions pastor at Calvary for nine years, developing and launching a strategic church-wide missions ministry. There he founded LifeLine Missions, an international short-term mission ministry that gave thousands across the country the opportunity to experience the mission field firsthand. Through these ministry opportunities he became extensively involved in short and long-term mission endeavors in countries around the world. Now, he devotes his time to serving local churches across the country by coaching them in strategically focused missions and helping them to discover and use their unique gifts in partnership with others to make Christ known among all nations. Matthew is the President and co-founder of Sixteen:Fifteen, and currently lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with his wife, Renee, and their three children, Matthew, Caleigh, and Landin.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, January 10, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Blu Tidwell

      Brownwood TX

      Originally from West Texas, Blu became a follower of Jesus at nine years old. He and his wife, Darbi, served more than a decade in Zambia, Africa-first with the International Mission Board and later helping to start an orphanage. Blu & Darbi have three children - Caedmon (15), Cambree (13), and Cason (11). In 2018, they felt God calling them back to Texas to minister to their own people. Blu currently lives in Brownwood, Texas, where he runs his family's construction business and serves as youth and music pastor at Rocky Creek Baptist Church.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, January 17, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Anne Hocking

      Halbert Center for Missions & Global Service, Abilene TX

      Anne currently works for the Halbert Center for Missions & Global Service at Abilene Christian University as a coordinator and trainer of summer interns. Since 2013 Anne has also directed Fulfill UR Ministry Inc, aka “FURM”, an online informational and networking service for missions and missions’ resources. When not engaged for ACU or FURM, Anne can be found investing in students and community members, spending time with her husband, gardening, reading or doing something active like hiking or biking.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, January 24, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Greg Despres

      East-West Ministries International, Cypress TX

      Dr. Greg Despres is the Regional Director of the North American Field for East-West. He lives in Cypress and also directs the Houston East-West Team. Greg has formerly served as a Lead Pastor, Missions Pastor, and Youth Pastor. He is married to Alli and they have 5 kids. Both Greg and Allison have a desire to see people get mobilized for Great Commission service.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, January 31, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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 Oh

      Dallas International University, McKinney TX

      After working as an engineer and completing his seminary education, John worked as a mobilizer at a mission agency. He joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1998 and served as a Bible translator in Southeast Asia. He also served as the director of Korean Church Engagement and provided missions education and training. He is currently serving as the Director of External Relationships at Dallas International University.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, February 7, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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



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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, February 14, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Rebekah P

      Cafe 1040, Argyle TX

      Rebekah lives in north Texas with her husband Chad, and they have two adult children and two grandchildren. Rebekah graduated from the University of North Texas with a BA in International Development and spent 7 years serving with a children's advocacy organization. Now she works for Cafe 1040, a mobilization organization with a mission to lead this emerging generation to tell the story of Jesus where it has never been told. She loves the local church and helps lead her church's missions team with her husband. She often mentors young women and college students as they seek clarity in their involvement in the Great Commission. She has studied in Italy and has been on short-term missions to Mexico, central China, and southeast Asia. She loves Perspectives and is grateful to be able to share the course with others!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, February 21, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Barbara Yandell

      Hope for the Nations, Round Rock TX

      President Hope for the Nations, director of Engage Course and teacher at Horizons International, ordained minister and board member of the Alliance of Reformed Churches, Interserve USA, founder of Legacy Muslim Ministry conference.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, February 28, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Marsha Relyea Miles

      Pioneer Bible Translators, Allen TX

      Marsha Relyea Miles is a missionary with Pioneer Bible Translators. Together with her late husband John Relyea, she has served as a Bible translator for the Aruamu people group in Papua New Guinea for 23 years. The Relyeas lived in an Aruamu village, analyzed and created an alphabet for this previously unwritten language, and worked together with local leaders to develop an extensive literacy and scripture-use program, and completed the translation of the New Testament into the Aruamu language. After John's death in PNG, Marsha has continued working as translation advisor to the Aruamu Old Testament team. The full Aruamu Bible was completed and published in 2021. The Bible dedication is being planned in PNG for August 2022. Marsha currently serves as an international translation consultant During 2007 Marsha served as President of the National Missionary Convention. She served as Director of Church Mobilization and Development with PBT for 5 years. Marsha is married to Nathan Miles of the United Bible Societies. She holds a Bachelor of Theology from Ozark Christian College and an MA in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Arlington. God has given Marsha a passionate heart for world missions, and a very compelling story to tell, drawn from front-line mission experience, sitting in the dirt in steamy jungles sharing with people about the Lord and translating the scriptures for them. Her inspiring challenge to mission involvement comes through with bold eloquence.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, March 7, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Bob Hay

      SIM USA, Charlotte NC

      Born in Nigeria, but raised in New Jersey, Bob Hay is a Third Culture Kid and a third generation SIM missionary. He has been involved in ministry since 1982. He graduated from Bryan College (TN) with a BA in history and minors in Bible and Biblical Greek, and then from Columbia Biblical Seminary (now Columbia International University (SC)) with an M.Div in cross-cultural ministry. Ordained to gospel ministry in 1991, he and his wife, Amy, went to Japan in 1992 where they helped plant a Japanese church in the Tokyo suburbs and he served as pastor while raising their sons together. Since 2003 he has been involved in the recruiting, selecting, equipping, and member care of missionaries serving with SIM. He currently serves as Deputy Director of People Care and Development.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, March 21, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Ken

      Pioneers International, Plano TX

      Ken has walked alongside Hindus for over a decade. He loves helping Hindus in their spiritual journeys and teaching others how to better love and serve their Hindu friends.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, March 28, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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 Dorrell

      Texas Christian Community Development Network, Waco TX

      Jimmy & Janet Dorrell moved into an low-income neighborhood in Waco, TX, in 1978, and founded and is now president emeritus of Mission Waco, a large urban Christian community development organization with 16 programs and 80 staff, with work among the addicted, unemployed, homeless, sick, illiterate and unchurched. In 1992, The Dorrells planted Church Under the Bridge in 1992 as an outdoor church meeting under the Interstate 35 and S. 4th Street underpass (currently meeting at the Magnolia Silos until Summer 2022). As pastor, the church now has 275 very diverse attendees. Dorrell also founded the statewide Texas Christian Community Development Network. As an adjunct professor at Truett Theological Seminary and Baylor, he teaches Christian community development, missions, and community engagement classes. Dorrell has written four books, including "Commonwealth: Transformation through Christian Community Development;" "Dead Church Walking," "Trolls and Truth" and "Plunge2Poverty." The couple, married 43 years, also continue to work in Haiti, India, and MxCity. They have four children (one deceased) and 10 grandchildren.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, April 4, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      John Weaver

      YWAM, Lindale TX

      Since experiencing PSP in the early 90's, John has been praying for the nations, mobilizing believers, and sharing God's Love with Muslims. In 1998, after earning a MA, John joined a pioneer church planting team in Central Asia. He met his bride-to-be there and they had a Christ-centered wedding in 2005 surrounded by hundreds of curious Muslims. By God’s grace, they've seen some fruit and also birthed five children. John continues to facilitate disciple-making among Muslims. He is the author of Inside Afghanistan, A Flame on the Front Line and Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan.

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, April 11, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Doug West

      East-West Ministries International, Belton TX

      Doug currently is engaged in coaching church planters in Muslim areas of Southeast Asia. His prior background is in business start-ups and entrepreneurship. **This instructor's identity is concealed due to the nature of their work**

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, April 18, 2022

      Time: 6:00 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

      Matt Clayton

      Forefront Experience, Richardson TX

      Matt helps direct an organization called Forefront Experience. Forefront works to see disciples made among international populations living in the United States, focusing on individuals coming from unreached countries. Many of the people they serve are refugees and international students. He also trains western believers how to develop fruitful ministries among these populations. He has a passion to see the unreached reached and the churched equipped for that mission!

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    • Class Info

      Date: Monday, April 25, 2022

      Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

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