March 01, 1989 by

More than 3900 people have now signed the Caleb Declaration, a four-part commitment to world evangelization. Members of the Caleb Resources's traveling teams regularly encourage students and other young adults to sign the declaration as a means of accountability to grow further as World Christians. Disciplines include exploration of cross-cultural service, sharing mission vision, enlisting three others to sign the declaration, and submitting monthly reports for at least one year.

On Friday, January 27, the staff of the U.S. Center for World Mission dedicated the Children's Missions Resource Center on the top level of Hudson Taylor Hall. The resource center, coordinated by Gerry Dueck, features a lending library, books and missions curricula for review and sale, and advice for planning mission education in the local church.

To obtain a copy of Resources and Lessons for Children's Mission Education, compiled by Dueck, send a check for $7.00 (payable to the USCWM) to Children's Mission Resource Center, 1605 Elizabeth St., Pasadena, CA 91104.

Forty-seven mission leaders from 26 North American agencies converged on the Center March 15-17 for an “Adopt-a-People” symposium. An additional 35 workers from campus agencies joined the discussions on common guidelines for church-mission partnership in the "adoption" of unreached peoples. The group agreed to establish an Adopt-a-People Clearinghouse and designated Global Mapping International as the information manager for the clearinghouse.

The Mobilization Division is also market-testing the "Year of Vision" mission curriculum for local churches. The package—which includes video presentations, a leader's guide, and participant worksheets—is due for public release by the fall quarter of 1989. Participating churches are encouraged to establish a monthly mission fellowship, use the Global Prayer Digest, and "adopt" an unreached people.

The Center's personnel department will host another Staff Orientation Week April 2-7 for those wishing to explore staff service in Pasadena or at a regional center for world mission. The next orientation week is scheduled for July. For further information, call Linda Roal at (818) 398-2335.

More than 1100 students in 30 classes are enrolled this spring in offerings of the introductory "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" course across the United States. Perspectives classes are scheduled for other countries in 1989, including 25 classes in New Zealand alone.

Meanwhile, Center staff are also revising the class Reader, Study Guide, and videotaped lectures, hoping to have the updated materials ready for distribution by this fall. Fifty thousand copies of the Perspectives Reader have been sold since the first edition appeared in 1981.

In light of an apparent increase in spiritual opposition experienced by Perspectives staff and class coordinators (including the recent death of one coordinator in an auto accident), the Pasadena Perspectives staff has called for a "Day of Prayer for Missions Mobilization Efforts" on Saturday, April 15. Intercession will focus on current and upcoming Perspectives courses, the revision of curriculum tools (see above), and staffing needs throughout the Perspectives network and among regional centers for world mission. Friends from around the world are invited to join in between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time and to call (818) 398-2126 or -127 for updates.