June 01, 1991 by Jodie Van Loon

Strategy comes from the Greek word for "generalship" of armies. But it can also be used for the way any group marshals its resources to achieve its goals.

The goal of the U.S. Center is to be used by the Lord of the Harvest to help plant a viable, indigenous, evangelizing church in every last people group in the entire world! To do this, we need what any general needs: information on the territory to be taken, ways to mobilize the necessary troops and materials, and plans for utilizing all he has to overcome the enemy.

The main task of our Strategy Division are: researching who and where the unreached are, and finding what has been or may be successful in penetrating those peoples with the Gospel.

Jodie Van Loon, the head of this division, has been with us almost from the beginning. This is what she sees.

Have you ever daydreamed of standing at the WORLD'S CROSSROADS and having a front-line view of God at work in our world? Actually, this has been a reality for me these past 12 years while serving at the U.S. Center and Wm. Carey University. We have accessibility to data on unreached peoples researched by the various collaborating agencies here. With computer facilities, publishing and printing agencies, plus news services all housed on the grounds, you can gather the latest information--or interact with personnel just back from the field!

Are you informed on the Lord's working in Mongolia, China, India, USSR, Nepal, the Middle East? What strategies have been planned by Native American Indians to target other tribal groups of the Americas that they too may have the Good News? What are the needs of the numerous squatter settlements of many cities and how can they be met? What is happening among Latin, Korean and African Christians as they understand that the mission mandate includes them? Answers to questions like these can be found as you touch base at the U.S. Center for World Mission.

Or, has the Lord entrusted you with skills that would help us in the Strategy Division? Our dream is to see our various research agencies manned with many dedicated mission-vision workers with computer know- how, experience, in doing research, script writing and photography, as well as in office management. We would love to have you come and join us at the CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

How did I come to be head of this division? Like most of you, I did not set out at a young age to work with a mission organization. Following high school, I was introduced to the person of Jesus Christ and found that He had the answers to my nagging questions. Choosing to make Him Lord of my life, I entered training for Christian service and was challenged with the biblical mandate of missions. Due to the health problems of my husband, our goal of service overseas was not realized; instead the pastorate became the base for mission vision, praying, giving and sending.

Since I became a widow in 1985, I have served in cross-cultural ministry by going for a short term to the Church Growth Research Center in Madras, India. Even now working in the Strategy Division at the USCWM, I continue to be involved in Indian and Mexican missions. God has given me a "World Christian heart": a great burden for the world's unreached peoples. I enthusiastically share this vision with all who will listen.

For a taste of the many interesting people working in our collaborating strategy agencies, I would like to introduce you to Henrietta Watson, of the Institute of Hindu Studies.

Institute of Hindu Studies

The Institute is a catalyst for creative planning, prayer, strategy and research, targeted at making disciples among Hindu peoples wherever they are, especially among India's 3,000 unreached tribes and castes. We explore new entry and visa possibilities and have a three credit course on "Mission Among Hindu Peoples."

The Lord met me, an eight-year-old, through hearing about His death, resurrection and ascension. I asked Him to wash all my sins away. His loving voice said to me, "Now you can go to India to tell the children how to have their sins washed away."

The Lord in His great love and faithfulness, miracle upon miracle, brought me to India to serve Him there for 40 years. Just as the Lord guided our ship through dangerous fogs and mine-infested waters on my way to the field in 1942, so through many dangerous days afterward He watched over and protected me in India. One day alone He saved my life many times over.

During my last year, while working among very responsive people groups, a letter from missionaries at the USCWM came, inviting me to join them there after I retired. They asked if I would be willing to work in the Institute of Hindu Studies. That was 1983. I'm still here, although I've been alone in the Institute for the past two years.

Our Personnel needs: Administrative Director (an India missionary, or one who has worked with Hindus preferred), researchers, secretary, clerical assistants.

Jodie Van Loon again:

The other agencies on campus that work with the Strategy Division but are organizations separate from the USCWM are listed here. They include:

AAP Clearinghouse
Institute of Chinese Studies
Institute of Japanese Studies
Institute of Korean Studies
Institute of Latin American Studies
Institute of Tribal Studies
Sonrise Center for Buddhist Studies
Zwemer Institute of Muslim Studies

Now we want to acquaint you with two agencies here on campus who join with us in developing strategy for frontier mission.

DAWN Agency

The DAWN strategy (Discipling A Whole Nation) focuses on saturation church planting, supporting national-led church planting projects for whole countries. Its founder and director, Jim Montgomery, is convinced that when evangelical congregations have been formed in every neighborhood--cultural, ethnic, linguistic and social--then everyone will be able to make a considered decision about Christ, either for or against Him!

DAWN provides not only a goal but a systematic growth program on a cyclical model. As one set of goals is neared, research can give corrected data which produce new goals. In fact, research is crucial (both on the societies studied and on the strength of the Christian sectors to reach them) before we can find effective methods and potential responsiveness.

Montgomery and his wife Lyn served with Overseas Crusades for 27 years. DAWN was developed during their 13 years in the Philippines, and has been extensively tested in other countries.

AD2000 Agency

Organized as an outgrowth of the first Global Consultation on World Evangelization by the Year 2000 (GCOWE I), AD 2000 is a relatively new agency, headed by world-famous Thomas Wang.

The Movement's purpose is to inspire in church leaders around the world the vision of a mission-minded church-planting movement in each unreached and unevangelized people by the year 2000. This is being done by consultations, prayer efforts and written materials.

Dr. Wang's vision is to see national movements started in 200 countries by the end of 1993, linking Christian leaders in every country committed to fulfilling the Great Commission and networking with those in other countries with the same vision.

A second Global Consultation on World Evangelization (GCOWE II) is set for June, 1994 in Seoul to evaluate the progress that has been made. Dr. Wang is planning for 5,000 leaders from 200 countries with 14 tracks or interest groups.

Dr. Thomas Wang was born in Beijing to Christian parents. He became a preacher at age 28 and was quickly recognized as one of the formest Asian Christian leaders. After ministering throughout Europe as an international evangelist, he founded the Chinese Coordination Centre of World Evangelism for the 5,000 Chinese churches outside China. In 1987 he became the International Director of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE). In tlhat position, he saw ever more clearly the need to focus on fulfilling the Great Commission in this decade and after leaving he founded the AD2000 Movement!