• Strengths: An unparalleled introduction-to-missions experience due to the extensive and well organized content of the Reader (and it’s dozens of contributors) and it’s study guide. A rich mix of practical insight, vision and passion is provided by fifteen different mission professors from diverse backgrounds in mission.
• Limitations: If your city is blessed to have a class, Perspectives requires a significant time commitment (especially if it is taken for credit) and it is often held only once a year (sometimes even less) on one particular evening of the week. If you're naturally a self-starter/self-sustainer, you can get Perspectives online.
  
  

• Strengths: Students are led to: 1. evaluate World Christian roles (Intercessor, Giver, Welcomer, Goer, Sender, Connector) 2. list ministry opportunities in their church that involve these roles, where they are connected and at what cultural distance (Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, Ends of the Earth) and 3. Discover practical ways to express these roles and additional resources for further study. Especially helpful is the Crossing Cultures Handbook for training in local & global cross-cultural outreach.
  
• Limitations: Very little on the Biblical Basis of mission.

• Strengths: A good study on the Biblical basis of mission.
• Limitations: Little on either follow-through action steps or discovering the various World Christian roles … but if followed by Eternal Impact (see above) you’d have a winning combination.
  

• Strengths: Great for church missions teams (committees) to take as a group, allowing for discussion and applications of the course material. Kairos also contains: the essentials of the Perspectives Course, uses helpful videos to reinforce the study material, “growth point” discussion groups, and an entire class devoted to World Christian roles. It is rapidly being translated into other languages, making it perfect for taking the course overseas to help another ethnic group the church is working with to become involved in reaching the unreached.
• Limitations: You need a trained coordinator to run the course. The upside is that once you’ve taken the course and have been trained as a coordinator, you can help spread the course in your city and beyond.

KINGDOM EXPANSION 101
Kingdom Expansion 101 is a high-quality, facilitated, online basic missions course that can be taken anywhere in the world. The curriculum provides a biblical and strategic framework to assist both churches and individuals in making informed decisions about their local and global outreach involvement. The material is not only designed to help global outreach teams, but also assists any adult believer as the individual considers his/her response to God’s plan for all the nations.

• Strengths:
  • Online allows the participants to do the readings, video viewings and Q&A at their own convenience.
  • Participants can interact with each other on the responses and answers that they post online
  Emphasis on:
  • A biblical perspective for kingdom expansion
  • A scriptural analysis for local church involvement in global outreach
  • The status of world evangelism
  • The major global issues the local church must consider
  • Practical applications for you and your church
  
• Limitations:
  • Each week requires at least 4 hours of study time, making it less likely as a study for Sunday Schools and small group studies.
  • Online orientation also prevents Sunday School and small group study.
  
  

OPERATION WORLDVIEW

Based partially on the life-changing course, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, Operation WorldView introduces the Biblical, Historical, Cultural, and Strategic aspects of world missions. Eight lessons are presented through a live seminar event — or through a video/DVD curriculum. Featuring powerful lessons based on classics such as “The Story of His Glory” and “The Kingdom Strikes Back,” Operation WorldView is perfect for local churches wanting to explore profound truths in Scripture, history and culture — to motivate greater involvement in world missions.

• Strengths: Very well done Powerpoint and video media presentation (Ee-Tauw! and The Harvest videos are included) and contains many of the powerful truths contained in the Perspectives Course.
• Limitations: It connects viewers to a strong emphasis on supporting national workers.

SIX WAYS TO REACH THE WORLD (OMF)

In partnership with the Perspectives Study Program and The Traveling Team, OMF has produced a series of five-minute videos to help you discover how you can be involved through learning with intention, prayer, going cross-culturally as messengers of the gospel, sending (which includes giving), welcoming internationals around you and even mobilizing others for all of these strategic roles. 6 Ways to Reach the World includes discussion starters for small-group or large-class settings, and is easily shown in six sessions. Check this web resource in January for additional practical ways to live out one’s faith to make a difference locally and around the world.

• Strengths: Brief, professional video presentations introduce participants to the following World Christian roles (Learner, Prayer, Goer, Sender, Welcomer, Mobilizer), and a variety of practical follow through steps are offered on OMF's web site. If these steps are followed as an individual or study group - and especially if the Perspectives course is taken for a much deeper exploration of mission, lasting impact is highly likely.
• Limitations: Six Ways follow through steps are largely connected to involvement with OMF. Also, if participants are not encouraged and led through the follow through steps, the impact for most will likely remain a "seed" waiting to be watered.

• Strengths: A very powerful Biblical basis of World Mission course on DVD.
• Limitations: Doesn’t provide “Where do I go from here?” assistance.