January 01, 1996 by Bruce Koch

Is it possible that after 1300 years there has been almost no significant successful witness to the now almost 800 million Muslim people? ... not a speck of yellow!" These thoughts haunted me as I lay on my dorm room bed in college staring at the "Hidden Peoples Pie Chart 1983" On this chart, produced by The US Center for World Mission, the yellow represented the proportion of true believers within each major block of unreached peoples. The Muslim wedge was the only one without even a drop of yellow ink.

What could be done to begin to bring salvation to Muslim peoples, not to mention the Tribal, Buddhist, Chinese, and Hindu peoples? My going as one more missionary to the field probably wouldn't amount to much on the chart.

Seven years later, I joined the staff of the US Center for World Mission after graduating from college, serving in youth ministry in my home church, and turning from a single college student to the head of a family of six and raising our needed prayer and financial support.

The strategic approach of the US Center has never been to try to meet the needs of the unreached directly. No one organization could take on nearly 1/2 of the world's population and 1/2 of the ethnic peoples by itself. Instead, there needed to be a new awareness and focus, new resources and new levels of communication and cooperation between mission agencies and churches. In short, to influence the way others thought about and involved themselves in God's passion to bring redemption to all peoples. Gradually, but steadily, more and more mission thinkers have accepted the people by people strategy as the Biblical strategy as laid out in the Scriptures starting with God's covenant with Abraham, affirmed through the prophets, commanded by Jesus, clarified by Paul, empowered by the Spirit, played out in the history of His people, and it's fulfillment envisioned by John in the Revelation

One purpose as defined by our mission statement is "to stimulate and encourage the growth of a movement for frontier missions." This implies the need to start a movement. It's time to revise that statement. Twenty years later, the movement we hoped and prayed for has become a global reality. A movement by definition has a life of it's own and is beyond anyone's ability to control it. Peter Wagner has described today's global prayer movement in particular as being "out of control." When 4000 delegates from 186 countries gathered in Seoul, Korea for GCOWE '95, there were never before so many people in

one place speaking our language. I don't mean English of course, but the themes of cooperation and commitment and mobilization to reach the remaining unreached peoples.

It is very rewarding to work together with others "behind the scenes" but on the "cutting edge" here at the Center. We continue to serve and to enhance the growth of this movement through "Perspectives" courses, Mission Frontiers, The Global Prayer Digest, the Adopt A People Campaign, regional ministries, international mobilization, William Carey Library Publishers, and the World Christian Foundations curriculum.

I and my family have served here at the Pasadena campus for 7 years. When I view mission videos or attend conferences, it always amazes me how many of the movers and shakers I know personally or have been exposed to here at the Center.

I have also found that those who have worked here and then gone on to the field, have been some of the most insightful and fascinating speakers when they return to visit. They learned and integrated the broader perspective into their work.

It would take a lifetime of traveling to be exposed to the diversity of individuals and perspectives you get here in just a few years. This rich mission environment has been a hothouse of spiritual growth and missiological awareness for myself and all who have served here, raw recruits and veteran missionaries alike. We have a wide diversity of ages, experiences, and theological persuasions. It is Christ's passion for the peoples of the world that unites us.

If you want to understand the broad scope of the global mission movement, this is the place. Maybe you sense a calling to mission, but are trying to find out "where in the world" you fit in. This is the place to find direction. Maybe you have served overseas, but cannot return to the field. Your experiences and insights could make a strategic contribution here.

Mobilization

Bottom line, the US Center for World Mission is all about thinking and working strategically. The addition of one new member here, has not meant one more person "added" to the global mission work force. It has meant multiplication and expansion. This small, often struggling, band of committed visionaries have, through the last 20 years, "multiplied" their efforts by changing the way that much of the world thinks about and conducts the work of world mission. Tens of thousands of others have committed themselves, directly or indirectly, to serious involvement in the frontier mission movement because of the faithfulness of the several hundred who have served with the US Center. That's multiplication. That's mobilization.

Yes, a global movement focused on the unreached peoples of the world clearly exists. The need for strategic thinking, cooperation, effective communication, proper training, tools and resources is therefore greater than ever. Will you join us in serving God's great and final movement to reach every last people on earth with the good news of Jesus?

Testimony of Evelyn Varney, With 11 years of service in Personnel.

"Nothing could compare with having spent 35 years in Japan as a missionary, but when retirement arrived I came to the US Center to work in the Personnel Dept. I can honestly say that I am contributing more to the cause by serving here than if I would have continued in Japan."

Testimony of Greg Parsons, Executive Director of the U.S. Center with 15 years of service

"I had the heart to see that missions was communicated NOT as something for others but as something for everyone. We have been blessed and have seen thousands of people directly affected by the vision and probably tens of thousands exposed to the gospel in formerly unreached people groups as a result."

Testimony of Lee Purgason, Perspectives Dir. 15 years of service

" The Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course has given over 20,000 people the foundation they need to make future strides in ministry. Our alumni are serving on missions committees, with internationals here and on-site among the unreached. Through their work, I am able to have a part in thousands of strategic ministries."