June 01, 1991 by Hans Weerstra

A Step Beyond Perspectives

Yes, it's a reality! The Mission Training Division of the USCWM, through its related university, is offering to all who desire graduate training in World Missions a field-based or off-campus program which can be taken anywhere in the world.

This new program is of particular benefit to all those who cannot move their families, who are at a distance from training institutions and, even more importantly, who are unable to leave ministry responsibilities and move to a conventional in-residence program.

Dr.Winter notes: "our external M.A-Ph.D. program from the beginning has had as its principal function to reintroduce into missions the classic scholar/apprentice pattern. This enables missionaries and national leaders to undergo the characteristic discipline of such a program without the usual, drastic hiatus in their labors. Those who emerge successfully from this discipline then become mentors themselves for others within their same sphere."

It is our deep conviction that a field-based program like this is not only desperately needed to provide training to those who are unable to get it any other way, but that this program is in many ways superior to one in which all of the study occurs in an in-residence program, somewhere on a U.S. campus.

We assure you, therefore, that this non-traditional though classic off-campus program does not in anyway compromise the goals of standard accredited graduate studies, whether on the M.A. or doctoral levels. It is not a short cut nor an easy way to get a degree. In fact it is not degree oriented or even designed as such to benefit the candidate getting the degree. Rather its focus is on discipleship, a pattern of training others who then in-turn equip others for missions, in the context of affiliated with supporting mission agencies or other volunteer organizations. Furthermore, it is not only a field-based off campus program, but it also is mentor-based. Learning happens best in an accountable discipleship structure where the student is related on a regular basis with his or her academic advisor or teacher. Hence, it is not a correspondence course program.

What's the Big Picture

Dr. Winter, commenting on the M.A., says:

"We want to insure to the best of our ability that the content of this new M.A. will deal comprehensively with all the foundational areas of knowledge with which the serious Christian needs to be conversant--- if he or she will realistically challenge the worldly currents of our times. All of us have mainly received a secular education that has been fragmented and desperately incomplete in the sense of revealing and rejoicing in the hand of God, in history as well as in our present situation. The mission-minded Christian needs virtually a new foundation in order to be confident that whatever specific ministry God calls him or her to, it will not be limited by lack of insight or an inadequate knowledge foundation."

Dr. Winter believes that: "education in America has given us a loaf of bread, but the vitamins have been removed. Especially for people involved in the world mission movement, we want to put those vital elements back by means of one single comprehensive review of God's world and our place in it, re-centering the whole picture in the mission of God."

That gives you the big picture!

What are the different Versions of the M.A.?

Eight hefty courses, each "three semester units" in weight, comprise the core of the M.A. program. Additional courses of the same weight will be devoted exclusively to the particular "flavor" of the degree elected. Also a 3 unit M.A. thesis will be required, focusing on the specific degree chosen. The M.A. "flavors" are:

The M.A. in Bible and Missions, which is designed for those who sense God's call on their lives to professional service in the mission cause, specifically focusing on the cross-cultural aspect of frontier missions in actual field missionary work. This version of the basic M.A. lays extra emphasis on cross-cultural communication, and Gospel language learning contextualization, etc.

The M.A. in Mission Mobilization is designed for those who sense God's call to work either full-time or part-time in the mission cause, but who appreciate the special urgency and strategy to be involved on the "Mobilization Front." They are willing "to go" but they sense God's leading that for them it's more strategic "to stay," at least for the time being. This version of the basic M.A. puts special emphasis on various aspects of mission mobilization on "the home front."

The Career Foundations M.A. is designed for those who at present do not sense God leading them into full-time ministry, at least not mission-related ministry (e.g., missionary or mission mobilizer), but who still wish to get a solid foundation for whatever career God may lead them into. This version of the M.A. degree program gives a basic orientation to cross-cultural frontier ministry, home mobilization strategies, and the role of the laity and the home church in the mission cause, etc.

Be assured that it is not necessary for a person enrolling in the program to state a preference up front. This can be decisive in midstream. In fact, it would not be difficult to complete one version of the degree and then turn around and take the special courses which belong to one or both of the other versions.

Who are the people involved?

Let me introduce them to you:

1. Steve Burris, a Lincoln Christian Seminary graduate, has taught Church Growth and World Missions at the college level. He has also had many articles published in national journals. He currently is the Administrator of Cornerstone Christian School.
2. Phil Bogosian has been one of the key staffers/scholars in the U.S. Center for World Mission for the last ten years. He has helped develop many of the materials and programs, and is especially capable in the area of mobilization on the home front.
3. Robby Butler is another very well-informed long-term staffer at the U.S.C.W.M. with a far broader training by now than his college computer science background at Caltech. He will be a great help to us as we endeavor to equip our students with the right kind of computer hardware (with university discounts). We plan to be using electronic media in a number of ways.
4. Brad Cronbaugh has been closely involved with the Perspective program at the Center. His study in Israel and long-standing interest in Biblical and mission areas of concern has made him especially helpful as a long-term staffer in the USCWM, and for quite a time a close associate of Dr. Winter.
5. Chong Kim is a UCLA graduate with a degree in civil engineering. He has been closely associated with the Adopt-A-People movement, and presently is the director of the Korean American Center for World Mission located in Pasadena, California
6. Matt Welde has had many years of service in the church as a pastor, as the director of an evangelical caucus within a major denomination, and now as the General Director of the Presbyterian Center for Mission Studies. Since his office is in Philadelphia, he will be available for service in that region, and will be working with us hand-in-glove as the program further develops.
7. The writer, Hans Weerstra, for 20 years a missionary in Mexico, has his doctorate in missiology from the Fuller School of World Mission and directed the mission training division of the YWAM base in El Paso, Texas for five years. He is presently on loan to the USCWM from YWAM, specifically to assist in the development and coordination of this new field-based program.

This is the team the Lord has assembled, who under Dr. Winter's supervision are working to put this whole program together.

Who Will be Taking this Program?

We expect that at least 95% of those who enroll will continue with their life and ministry right where they are. Going through one course at a time on the M.A. level, it will take a person two to three years to complete. But there need be no hurry "to get through with your education," if you are involved in ministry at the same time--- right?

From the beginning every "associate" (as we prefer to call our students) works with a specific major advisor whom we call a mentor. This person needs to register as a faculty member with one of the various schools which we trust will eventually be in the consortium--- that is, working with ours or some other cooperating school.

In any event, the six of us, plus Dr. Winter, are working behind the scenes, preparing the block buster courses all of which constitute an expansion and augmenting of our basic Perspectives course (the introductory and essential prerequisite course of the whole program). Already we will have a list of courses coming from a number of different schools--- in much the same manner as we now draw on Perspectives professors (some 200 of them) from many different schools.

More on the Mentors?

A mentor should have a Ph. D. or be a candidate for the Ph. D. degree. Note the following:

An approved mentor either already is or will become an adjunct faculty member of WCIU or another collaborating school. This means that he or she has undergone the needed orientation for such a position and is both willing and able to follow the relevant position-description of a mentor.

If you need more information on this Mentor/Associate component of the field-based M.A-Ph.D program, ask for Dr. Winter's document, Discipleship in Graduate Studies (see my address below).

What Does it Cost?

We can tell you what the cost is per semester unit for the 28 to 30 additional units (beyond the Perspectives course) for those units taken under the university associated with USCWM, the William Carey International University (WCIU). But we expect that other colleges will work with us in this program with similar or virtually identical versions offered in a consortium of colleges and seminaries. Obviously, each of them will have its own tuition rates. You may wish to take one or more courses under some other school, no matter which school your degree will come from. In that case, it is impossible for us to tell you how much those other schools will charge. As you may know, tuition varies from institution to institution.

However, our cost for courses at WCIU will be $70.00 per unit, a 30% discount of the $100.00 per unit charged for the in-residence courses . This low subsidized price is made possible by means of missionary-supported staff who raise their own support.

There will be some additional expense such as the purchase of texts, cassettes and videos (or possibly renting them). Also, if possible, all students should have access to a computer, a Fax and possibly a modem. One of the long-term investments of a program such as this is the gathering of the basic equipment, key texts, and word-processing skills which will last a life time.

There is a tuition reduction for students studying this program if several study together with the same field-based mentor. Tuition rates will be reduced 5% for each additional student associated with the same mentor. Thus, two students studying with the same mentor will receive a 5% discount, three students will receive 10%, four students will receive 15%, etc.. up to 40% for ten or more students associated with the same mentor. (Part of the tuition fee constitutes an honorarium for the mentor's services.)

If you need more information, especially about the M.A. leading to a Ph. D. in missions, or wish to comment on this training program, please feel free to write or contact me:

Dr. Hans M. Weerstra, Coordinator Mission Training Division/ USCWM

1539 E. Howard Street Pasadena, CA 91104-2698
Phone (818) 398-2115
Fax (818) 398-2260