July 01, 2006 by Darrell Dorr

Much has been written on the Back to Jerusalem Movement, the ambition of some leaders of the church in China to evangelize westward through Asia all the way back to Jerusalem. A March 2006 consultation brought together mainland Chinese, overseas Chinese, and others to further explore many of the practicalities of Chinese churches sending effective workers cross-culturally, including recruitment and mobilization, training, sending, and
midway stations.

The campus community at the USCWM will soon review and critique Darwin’s Nightmare, a recent documentary film given a variety of awards. The film portrays the effects of globalization on the peoples of northern Tanzania and other fishing communities along the shores of Lake Victoria. Darwin’s Nightmare evokes sympathy for the poor and disenfranchised, but does it tell the whole story fairly, including what mission agencies and other non-governmental organizations are doing to holistically alleviate suffering and combat its causes? Darwin’s Nightmare provides mission agencies
with a good opportunity to explain how their work relates to the multi-faceted challenges of international development.

During September 28-30 the USCWM will host “Selecting, Sending, and Caring,” a training seminar for churches and agencies co-sponsored by Member Care International and Frontiers. A variety of tools will be offered to help churches and agencies to upgrade in missionary selection, sending, and nurture.

Since January 2006 Joshua Project has been a ministry of the USCWM. We’re pleased to welcome this Colorado Springs-based ministry to our
family. Note recent changes to the Joshua Project Website (www.joshuaproject.net), including the addition of a PrayerTools icon and links throughout the site that point readers to the Global Prayer Digest, the Ethne movement, and other resources.

More mission agencies are giving increasing attention to modes of communication suitable to oral learners. The International Orality Network is a prominent example of the momentum in this area, featuring collaborative efforts by Campus Crusade for Christ, Epic Partners, Faith Comes By Hearing, The God’s Story Project, the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Jesus Film Project, Progressive Vision, The Seed Company, Trans World Radio, Scriptures in Use (SIU), Vernacular Media Services, and Wycliffe Bible Translators. This network’s next consultation is slated for November 14-16, 2006 in Colorado Springs. For further information and to register, see www.oralbible.com.

Our plan is that later this year Mission Frontiers will present a special issue with a survey of frontier mission needs and opportunities among Cushitic peoples and the Horn of Africa. My colleague Rick Wood (point man for this special issue) is looking for researchers, writers, and editors with specialist
knowledge of this bloc of unreached peoples. If you have suggestions for Rick, write him at [email protected].