What is Perspectives?
Perspectives on the World Christian Movement® is a 15-lesson study program designed to educate believers concerning God’s ancient and global purpose. This purpose is seen in the promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “In you all the families of the earth will be blessed” and in the mandate Jesus gave to His followers in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (people groups)” and in the revelation of God’s purpose fulfilled recorded in Revelation 7:9, “Behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
The Perspectives on the World Christian Movement® course examines four “perspectives” of God’s mission - Biblical, Historical, Cultural and Strategic - exploring the why and the how of being on mission with God. First developed for college students in 1974 by Dr. Ralph Winter and the US Center for World Mission, Perspectives has emerged into a global movement attracting Christians of all generations and nations.
The hallmark expression of Perspectives students around the world is “my eyes were opened.” Almost 50 years of history has demonstrated that the experience of “taking Perspectives” results in transformed lives and transformed churches, ensuing in the transformation of unreached people groups as the gospel spreads within their midst.
4 PERSPECTIVES
The biblical perspective follows three interrelated thematic trajectories throughout the Bible: the blessing, the glory, and the kingdom of God. Following these themes allows us to see a coherent story that encompasses all the stories in the Bible.
The historical perspective shows the continuity of God's purpose from biblical times to the present day. This section does not limit itself to recounting representative events in missionary history, but presents a theology of history.
The cultural perspective allows students to understand the complexity and viability of effective gospel transmission by cross-cultural messengers to foster culturally appropriate movements of Christ-following. This section helps students understand how two elements can thrive in their cultural context: the message and the messengers.
The strategic perspective shows how the task of fostering Christ-following movements in every people can be accomplished. It analyzes the possibilities and complex challenges of seeing vibrant ecclesial movements flourish in every people, and shows how ecclesial movements realize God's promise of transforming blessing in all peoples.
