February 01, 1986 by

The Year in Retrospect

It has been nine years since the USCWM was founded. In that time the central organization has been joined by many more autonomous agencies which work in cooperation with it. They work together to fulfill the original founding vision of the Center. Looking at 1985 alone, just what did they all accomplish? What have they done?

A Year of Accomplishment in Training.

1985 was the year in which 1100 students attended Perspectives classes held in 59 different locations. 'Wesley Tullis, national coordinator of the Perspectives program, said, "More than 63 copies of the Perspectives text were sold in places ranging from Liberty University (Jerry Falweii"s school) to Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship headquarters, and a bockstore in Lima, New York. We still don't know what spurred the sale of 132 Copies of the book in Lima!"

1985 was the year in which three of the largest, most influential churches in the Los Angeles area all held the Perspectives class. Grace Community Church pastored by John McArthur, Fullerton Evangelical Free Church pastured by Chuck Swindoll, and the First Foursquare Church of Van Nays ("Church on the Way") pointed by lack Flayford all held classes.

According to Tullis, "These classes helped other churches in the area to realize the quality and credibility of the course,"

1985 was the year in which Youth With A Mission committed itself to use the Perspectives course as a field based program in six Asian countries, Todd Johnson of the Frontier Peoples Project of YWAM is currently working on a simplified Perspectives textbook and study guide for use in Asia.

1985 was the year in which the Zwemer Institute of Muslim Studies taught 110 students about ministry among Muslims. Three summer courses were taught Introduction to Islam (the faith and cultures of the Muslim world); Gospel & Islam (crosscultural communication principles in witness to Muslims); and Church Planting in Muslim Contexts (various approaches in specific contexts)

John Heir, Northwest regional director, Sudan Interior Mission, took one of the courses and wrote in August "We look forward to coming next summer to finish the course. We found what we did receive to be enriching and stimulating. It was a great experience! If we would have just had something like this 35 years ago when first going to Africa,..

1985 was the year in which the Institute of Hindu Studies held its first summer institute, "Introduction to Mission Among Hindu Peoples," with a daily attendance of more than 50 students. Thirteen students so far have completed the course for three university credits apiece. The course was so successful, it will be offered again this summer.

1985 was the year in which Dan Henñch, vice president of International Communications, Inc., led the first "Workshop on Media Ministry in the Third World," Workshop sessions alternated between discussions of strategies for systematic use of the mass media and actual case study analysis. The program was successful enough that it will be offered this spring through William Carey International University.

1985 was the year in which the institute of Chinese Studies completed its four lesson "Urban Working Peoples of Taiwan" multimedia kit. Three churches are now testing the kit with their 4th through thin grade children.

198 was the year in which the Episcopal Church Missionary Community helped the Episcopal Church to develop an on going missionary training process; held four one week "Introduction to World Mission" courses; and catalyzed the beginning of a two  to three year program for study and strategy planning for expansion of Episcopal Church ethnic ministries in Southern California.

1985 was the year in which the Institute of Japanese Studies prepared a Japanese Studies reader. The Institute taught three introductory courses, one away from Pasadena, and two through WCIU. Students included four from West Germany!

1995 was the year in which 35 students participated in courses sponsored by FACE (the Fellowship of Artists for Cultural Evangelism), and acquired a new appreciation for communication media not normally found in the West, but often used in other cultures.

Mary Lou Totten, course instructor, said, "We're losing out if we don't pay attention to artistic forms with which we are unfamiliar. Dramatic presentations, dances, or poetry are, in various cultures, exceptionally powerful forms of communication, even though in the West they are not often apreciated."

A Year of Accomplishment In Mobilization.

It was the year in which the Global Prayer Digest first hit the airwaves in a radio version now heard on over 125 Christian stations around the country,

1985 was the year in which ACMC Australia began distributing an Australian Global Prayer Digest. According to OPEl Managing Editor Pat Durst, two other agencies made firm, commitments to produce their own versions of the Digest, two are still in "the introductory stage," and four agencies stopped production, The GPD maintained a consistent distribution rate of 20,000 copies a month throughout the year.

It was the year in which Caleb Project began publishing Co Laborer, "the Newsletter for Senders," an open forum for discussion of issues relating to improving one's ability to support mission work.

1985 was the year in which Caleb Project challenged and encouraged 600 active Calebites to fulfill their commitment to "go." Encouragement came in the form of the Caleb Newsletter, prayer, and personal letters.

1985 was the year in which the Institute of Chinese Studies completed its "Hidden Hani" People Group brochure (first in a series), and nearly completed its "Drawn to China" 32 page learning activity book for children.

1985 was the year in which the Zwemer Institute of Muslim Studies held 17 Muslim Awareness Seminars averaging SI students apiece. Said one member of the Zwemer staff: "The churches are astounded at the fact that

they have never considered the Muslim for missionary work and that the Muslim Awareness Seminar raises the level of awareness of their people and motivates them to train for Muslim evangelism."

1985 was the year in which Frontiers, Inc., Caleb Project, and TEAM worked together to sponsor student mobilization teams (SMT's) to spur students toward front line ministry among unreached peoples. The teams met with over 8,000 students. (See article, page 12.)

A Year of Accomplishment in Communication

By mid year, the Center was making available to all donors copies of the "Exciting News from the Frontiines" paper that John Holzmann had begun to write for his personal supporters, "Exciting News" is now also being incorporated into Mission Frontiers in the "News" and "Mission Awareness" departments.

By late October, the Center began publishing the "US AM Journal." a biweekly diary of important events at the Center.

Acquisition of an Apple Computer Laserwriter combined with same of the latest software, allowed Mission Frontiers to improve its look and begin using a new formal (We hope our new look encourages you to read us more thoroughly, and we are looking forward to more frequent publication in the near future.)

1985 was the year in which the international Journal of Frontier Missions went under new management and completed its first year of publication. This is the only scholarly journal exclusively devoted to the discussion of reaching the frontiers.

A Year of Accomplishment In Outreach

1985 was the year in which the Fellowship of Artists for Cultural Evangelism was able to sponsor artists from 'closed" countries to visit, study, and exhibit their art in the USA, providing opportunities for friendship evangelism both here in the United States as well as in the "closed" countries.

1985 was the year in which International Communications. Inc. helped to establish a major language dubbing studio in Nairobi, Kenya, and began dubbing the SuperBook cartoon series into Telegu and several other languages.

1985 was the year in which the Asia Evangelical Mission sponsored an Asian Pastors Conference in Taiwan, developed a network of pastors and lay people for evangelism, and took beginning steps toward evangelistic work in China.

1985 was the year in which Frontiers, Inc. achieved a total of 105 missionaries on Muslin, soil. Their missionaries are now working among 14 different unreached people groups in the Muslim world.

It was the year in which Frontiers, Inc. received inquiries from 6,000 Christians concerning the possibility of working among Muslims. It was the year in which they received 600 applicants for work on the front lines.

1985 was the year in which international Communications, Inc. cofunded and helped to produce The Pearl" the first indigenous, preevangelistic videofilm produced in India.

1985 was the year in which the Institute of Japanese Studies prepared for its first Consultation of Retired Japanese Missionaries. The Consultation, held January 2 4. 1986, discussed possibilities for ministry among Japanese in the U.S.A. Twenty. six retired or nearly retired missionaries attended. They were so pleased with the conference, they begged for another one to be held next year. US Directors Neal and Clara Jean Browning say they intend to sponsor another Consultation.

A Year of Accomplishment In Discovering New Facts

1985 was the year in which the Institute of Global Urban Studies (IGUS) was organized. The IGUS began its work with a study tow of six African cities in which Mission to the World (Presbyterian Church in America) personnel might work.

1985 was the year in which the Global Mapping Project set up several national research bases worldwide, completed the first major section of mapping software, and entered into computer data banks large blocks of information concerning Hidden Peoples of the world.

1985 was the year in which all the strategy institutes conducted interviews, held advisory meetings and consultations, counseled dozens of students, missionary candidates, furloughing missionaries, mission representatives, etc., and spoke at mission conferences, workshops, worship services and prayer meetings.

Barbara Brown, of the Institute of Tribal Studies, described just one interaction typical, she said, of the kinds of meetings that the research institutes often conduct

"Waiter, a missionary on furlough, came to us last Spring. He figured he'd invest a couple of hours in our work by telling us about his experiences on the field. At the end of the two hours, he was so pleased with the way the conversation had gone, he asked I he might come back and talk with us some more,

"What he found was that by our relating his experiences and his insights to those of others, arid by asking the kinds of questions we tend to ask, his own understanding of what was happening in his situation was greatly improved.

"The next day he came, back and spent the whole day with us."

A Year of Financial Difficulty

1985 started out with disappointment because we were already under a cloud, waiting day by day for foreclosure to be announced. An agreement was finally reached in March which added two payments to the principal and allowed us to move forward again. There was so much confusion however that it seemed exceedingly unlikely we could make the July 1st payment.

At the end of May it was decided to suspend a portion of staff salaries in view of the possible crisis at the end of June. Thankfully, we were able to squeak through July 1st without using these funds. As a result, however, almost the entire staff agreed to accept only two thirds of their expected salaries for three months. After this experience, we felt able to recommend a similar practice to our Mission Frontiers readers.

By the end of the yew, the "One Third Times Three" plan had attracted 35 families (now up to 42 see page 8). On December 31st we had only $220,000 toward the January 1st payment, but at neon, two businessmen in Chicago phoned us "out of the blue' to indicate their desire to make up the $80,000 difference.

A Year of Disappointment

Some wonderful businessmen offered to help with a "Walk a thon.' And so, with great anticipation, the Center launched a fund raising program of colossal proportions: an international Walk A Thon campaign combined with a Trans Continental Relay.

It seems that, after months of hard labor and the investment of tens of thousands of dollars from outside sources, and despite radio and newspaper coverage, appearances on the 700 Club, and the loss of dozens of man weeks in labor from staff members who helped out in various ways, the Walk A¬Thon posted no more than a $100,000 profit

It was a bitter disappointment to those who figured the Walk would possibly even pay off the final $8.5 million due on the campus.

1985: A Year of Expectancy

Despite the difficulties, despite the on going financial crisis, despite disappointments and adversity of all kinds, our staff is bouyed with faith and an expectancy of good things to come. As Jim Grasley, a writer with the Global Prayer Digest, said one morning in the staff prayer meeting, "I really can't explain why, but t have this irrational optimism that God is going to bring us through to a great victory soon."

"We truly believe God is going to do 'something marvelous in our eyes," said Mrs. Whiter.

"Irrational as it may seem to those who are not a part of the day to day life at the Center, even the most sane a men have spoken of what they believe God is going to do if the staff will only trust and obey.

"This is not because we have in our hands all the resources we need, but because the One Who does have these resources in His hands has us in His hands as well."

At Seminary

At the regular Frontier Fellowship meeting held this evening at the U.S. Center for World Mission, Bill Campbell, president of Theological Students for Frontier Missions, a mission mobilization group for seminary students, said that "only 9 of over 200 seminaries in the US¬require student participation in a course on missions,"

Yet, said Campbell, despite the lack of mission fervor evident in seminary leaders, there are hopeful signs of renewed and growing interest in mission involvement on the part of evangelical students. In fact, said Campbell, "the presence of evangelicals is so keenly felt" on some campuses that even liberal seminary administrators are sensing a need to cater to evangelicals' demands or lose a significant portion of their constituency,

The Frontier Fellowship meets at the U.S. Center for World Mission every second through fifth Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.