Dynamic Equivalence

A few months ago, at age 97, one of the premier missionary anthropologists of the twentieth century passed on to glory, a death reported by journals and newspapers around the world. You might not know, however, that his dramatic story … (read more)

Fellow Workers in the Truth

In 2012 we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our first missionary sending. Our newsletter has featured testimonies month-by-month throughout the year, ranging from our earliest years as a missionary community until today. This month we feature a pair of stories … (read more)

The Vision will Surely Come

Political calamity. Debilitating illness. Detour. Disappointment. It is one thing to have a vision for the thing to be done; it is quite another to accomplish it. We find detours along the way. Have you ever noticed? Detour and disappointment are … (read more)

Lutheran Bible Institute, circa 1940

Above the Horizon

In 1937 the South American Mission Prayer League organized formally in Minneapolis. By the end of the year, the organization had sent its first missionaries – John Carlsen and Ernest Weinhardt, off to the mountains of Bolivia. In 2012 we … (read more)

Ernest and Hildegarde Weinhardt, c.1931

Can God Do These Things? Yes!

God gave the vision in 1929: you can read the story of Weinhardt’s famous vision on the facing page. God sowed the vision in 1932: Weinhardt and his family arrived in Minneapolis, planting the vision wherever they could. God blessed … (read more)

Frontier

The Task Remaining: The Final Frontier

Over the past few months, we have been considering the missionary task remaining. We have presented a few statistics – and learned that one-third of our human family have yet to hear the gospel. We have examined some biblical background … (read more)

The Task Remaining: Strategic Partnerships

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, we find the Great Commission of Jesus: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19, NRSV). This is the program that has driven the church – and people like you – since … (read more)

The Task Remaining: Unreached Peoples

In some circles, as we observed last month, it has become fashionable to maintain that the missionary task of the church is completed. The church was sent into the world, it is true, once upon a time. Then we got … (read more)

The Task Remaining

In some modern circles, it has become fashionable to maintain that the missionary task of the church is completed. Once upon a time, it is reckoned, the Great Commission of Jesus Christ commanded our collective attention, demanded our personal involvement, … (read more)

William Booth's Vision

Industriously Scheming

A few weeks ago, I pulled out a bit of history. And this bit pulled back. It happened one day during our annual missionary candidates’ Briefing Course, held every summer during the month of June. I was leading a Bible … (read more)