May 01, 1997 by Frank L. Roy

"Got Milk?" The milk commercials depicting frantic people who have just eaten a cookie but can't get a drink of milk are an example of how an industry can generically promote its product. Each dairy promotes its own cause, but an organization is needed to do the things that one dairy on its own can not do. What about the cause of missions? Who is educating and promoting the cause of frontier missions?

International Centers for World Mission can advance the cause of frontier missions and accelerate the completion of the Great Commission. With thousands of ministries operating, each with its own specific goals, Centers can develop goals that serve the agencies and the movement as a whole.

No one is quite sure how many Centers are operating around the world, yet there is a list of 180 possible Centers in different parts of the world. These Centers may be doing one or many of the functions of a mission center. A network of Centers is needed. This network can allow centers to learn from each other and link resources.

>From April 15-17, 1997 a third International Consultation was held at the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM) in Pasadena, California to learn about international Centers and improve their networking. A small gathering reflected on the future of Centers for World Mission.

A previous similar consultation in Singapore resulted in the following explanation of a Center for World Mission:

• A Center for World Mission is an interdenominational, inter-mission organization, working in a support role for the cause of World Evangelization and especially for the reaching of unreached peoples.
• A Center for World Mission is intended to fill gaps not being filled by other organizations. We expect the various Centers to have different histories, to have different organizational structures and links, to have different missiological perspectives and to emphasize different tasks. We welcome this diversity.
• A Center serves churches, mission agencies, mission associations, and others in one or more of the following ways:

a) By serving as a Mission Research Center: conducting, distributing, and/or guiding missions research, especially on unreached peoples and how to reach them.

b) By serving as a Missions Training Center: building missions awareness and involvement among Christians, preparing missionaries for cross-cultural service, and/or offering specialized training in specific areas.

c) By serving as a Missions Mobilization Center: seeking to awaken those who are asleep to missions, seeking to mobilize those who are awake to missions, and seeking to facilitate those who are moving in missions.

d) By serving as a Mission Resource Center: distributing from a centralized place a wide range of mission books and media resources to churches, students, leaders, laypersons, and mission organizations.

e) By serving as Mission Development Center: acting as a catalyst for the formation of structures necessary for the advancement of World Evangelization.

Mission Frontiers asked Greg Parsons, the executive director of the USCWM two questions to help clarify the purpose of Mission Centers.

MF: With the acceleration of mission activity around the world, what do you think is the highest priority for a Center for World Mission?

Greg Parsons: To help focus the efforts of mission structures in their respective countries on reaching unreached peoples, both inside and outside their borders. We are becoming more and more convinced that training linked with mobilization is key.

MF: How has the USCWM served the missions movement like the Dairy Association has served the dairy industry as evidenced by the milk commercials?

Greg Parsons: By keeping our "ears to the ground" in mission and church circles. Our "goal" in this way is not our own. By listening we are better able to help when opportunities arise.

If you want to receive the Center Net newsletter or are aware of a Center for World Mission please contact: Greg Parsons at 1605 Elizabeth St., Pasadena CA 91104, or E-mail: [email protected]