A Good Question - w/ special guest writer, Ted Esler

Dear Church Mission Leaders,

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the Lausanne presentation by Dr. Ralph Winter on “unreached people groups.” This missiological concept has had a huge impact on how we have understood and executed on mission. You can find Winter’s original paper online, along with the critiques posed at the time. It makes for interesting reading considering what has transpired since then. Today, the Evangelical church is vastly more distributed into hundreds more cultures. Like leaven, a little has gone a long way. Yet, the task continues to be daunting.

Piper’s book Let the Nations be Glad argued that “panta ta ethne” is biblically infused and should illuminate our priorities, much like Winter proposed. Academic missiology has mostly turned against the UPG paradigm. There are calls for redefinition of missions around themes of justice, reconciliation, immigration, generational shifts, and other topics.

I recently spoke to a “next gen” advocate. She pressed me to see the UPG paradigm as hopelessly lost in boomer-land, unappealing to GenZ, and a weight around the neck of the missions movement. I do ask myself if I am being bound in my own generational, missiological frameworks. I am on board with continual re-evaluation. I am in favor of appropriate innovation in missiology.

But…

I then asked her a question which revealed (to me) the seriousness of what we face in GenZ. “Do people without saving knowledge of Jesus go to hell?” She claimed that was a question for another time, too complicated and needing nuance, implying that I was probably unable to understand. She said it was irrelevant to the UPG critique.

These are the headwinds we face.

Ted Esler | President, Missio Nexus

Put it in your calendar

In less than 3 weeks!!!! Church Mission Leaders Peer2Peer Virtual Event: Understanding Gen Z on April 3^rd, 2024. Let’s learn together!
2024 Church Mission Leaders Conference “Priority: Progress, Prospects & the Panta ta Ethne” @ Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky https://missionexus.org/event/mission-leaders-conference/ Registration begins next week on March 19^th, 2024
Join us live on April 18^th as we discuss the findings of a comprehensive study conducted by Missio Nexus & Brotherhood Mutual into the nuanced dynamics of Risk & Short Term Missions.
Christian and mission groups, large and small, around the world are invited to participate in the upcoming Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization through a curated and connected satellite site experience. Register your site!

Feedback

Several of you reached out with information on regional gatherings that your churches are a part of. It’s awesome to see the Body of Christ working together that way!
With that said…Familia! Reply and let me know of any Regional Church Mission Leaders Groups that you are a part of/aware of that we can partner with & collaborate. We are trying to create a list/interactive map of these regional “gatherings” and would love to include yours with a link to the gatherings website and/or leader.

Worth Checking Out

Love Muslims! Let’s pray for them! During this month (Ramadan). Let’s lift them up before the Lord!
Should your church be involved in global missions? Of course…and here are 5 reasons why.
Are you called to missions? Read this article about how God confirms your desire to go.
It’s Ramadan. How are you sharing the gospel with your Muslim neighbor?
Building Bridges. The changing dynamics of the American Church. How are you dealing with them?
What does it mean to “send” and be “sent”? Keeping Christ at the center.

Being strong & courageous, abounding in love for one another,