This is an article from the October-November 1982 issue: Mission Agencies and the Final Frontier

News

News

Bible College sets Frontier Strategy

Another confirmation of the quickening interest in frontiers is Cross Cultural Communicators a new program for recruiting and training cross cultural evangelists and church planters, which has been initiated by North Central Bible College in Minneapolis.

College president Don Argue says, "Young unstoppables with a clear understanding of the Great Mandate of Jesus Christ are volunteering to make disciples and plant churches in frontier areas among today's 16,750 Unreached Peoples groups.

Contrary to the popular notion that the people of North India do not respond to the gospel, Ebenezer Sunder Raj of the Friends Missionary Prayer Band says that sample surveys in a dozen areas and people groups indicate receptivity. However, he explained, "There is receptivity only if we can sense the ethnic realities  that faith propagates naturally through kinship."

The CCC program is an Assemblies of God effort sponsored by the College. It is a recruiting and training program working in harmony with the denomination's Division of Foreign Missions. Potential CCC volunteers will take special courses as part of their regular studies at North Central. After graduation they will complete intensive language studies and then be assigned in teams of two to penetrate an unreached people group and engage In evangelistic work leading to the planting of an indigenous church.

Mission Frontiers readers wishing more information on the program are invited to contact Gerald L. Falley, CCC Director, North Central Bible College, 910 Elliot Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404.

Because of the vast areas and masses of people, about 40,000workers are needed to cover North India. The primary need is for cross cultural evangelists who will adapt to the new culture. "In our culturally knit societies," said Sunder Raj, "there are very few evangelists who venture to cross cultural boundaries. Among those few who do, there are fewer who fit into the cultural setting of the host culture and manage to communicate in modes that teach the people's heart and personality."

The Indian mission leader also cited other acute problems standing in the way of evangelizing North India. One is the number of crosscultural workers who give up evangelism for social work, since a good majority of the receptive people groups suffer economic, social or cultural oppression. Sunder Raj charged that liberation theology is having a powerful influence among evangelicals involved in crosscultural missions. He estimates that less than one fourth of all Protestant cross cultural workers are involved in evangelism and church planting.

Prayer Network Formed

"Prayer Networks are now functioning internationally." So states the Rev. Ben Jennings of International Missionary Advance, at the USCWM.

For example, the International Prayer Network founded only last year already includes 22 regional or national prayer networks, 21 organizations and 25 persons in 12 states and countries.

Rev. Jennings, coordinator for this new effort, states that an international network is essential if we are to detect the significant direction in which the Holy Spirit is moving and concentrate unified worldwide prayer on those particular objectives. To this end he sends out "Prayer Attack" newsletters, focusing on such needs as revival of mission concern in American churches, wisdom for effective strategies for reaching the Hidden Peoples, and the training and funding of third world missionaries, etc.

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