Innovationinmissions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A MAGAZINE OF FRONTIER VENTURES | missionfrontiers.org ISSUE 43:4 JULY/AUG 2021 INNOVATIONINMISSIONS KNOWN KINGDOM 1375 MOVEMENTS MISSION FRONTIERS JULY/AUG 2021 ISSUE Editorial: Innovation Grounded in the Accelerating Transformation Spirituality of Frontier Missions Ryan Crozier 04 Paul Dzubinski & Steven Spicer 32 The Discipline of Innovation: Transformation in Community Approaching Planning Paul Dzubinski & Steven Spicer Differently 08 35 Derek T. Seipp Doing Contextualization Is This China’s Final Solution in Cambodia for the Uyghurs? 14 Claire TC Chong 37 Keith Carey Wordly Collective: Building a Collaborative Ecosystem Toward the Edges An interview by Steven Spicer Kevin Higgins CONTENTS 19 with Melvyn Mak 40 Rich Soil for Spiritual Innovation 24:14 Coalition Update 22 Joan & Ed McManness 42 Emanuel Prinz with Dave Coles ‘Little Drops, Mighty Ocean’: HUP An African Case Study in Partnership Greg Parsons 25 Victor M. Tukura 48 Design Thinking: Designed for Missions Unreached Of The Day 29 Brent McHugh 50 Formerly known as the Global Prayer Digest To subscribe to Mission Frontiers, go to www.missionfrontiers.org SUBSCRIBE and click on the SUBSCRIBE button on the top of the page. Mission Frontiers is published six times a year. Rick Wood, Editor Call 888-881-5861 for subscriptions, address changes Taya Johnson, Production Coordinator (714-226-9782 for Canada and overseas) Mike Riester, Graphic Design Email [email protected]; Photos from Unsplash.com, unless otherwise noted. Order online: www.missionfrontiers.org, choose subscribe. Cover photo by Daphne Frenchie, Unsplash.com Editorial Office: [email protected] Photos on pages 52, 53, 57, 58, 60, 62, 63, 65, and 66 VOL.43, NO.4 JULY/AUG 2021 Advertising: [email protected] are from the International Mission Board ISSN 0889-9436 Website: www.missionfrontiers.org Photos on pages 37, 38, and 39 are from iStockPhotos.com Address: 1605 E. Elizabeth St. • Pasadena, CA 91104 Contents © 2021 by Frontier Ventures Frontier Ventures is a member of MissioNexus and Evangelical Press Association (EPA). MISSION FRONTIERS JULY/AUG 2021 Innovation Grounded in the Spirituality of Frontier Mission Paul Dzubinski is the Innovation Catalyst of Frontier Ventures and the Director of the Winter Launch Lab, the innovation lab of Frontier Ventures. He is on the Vision 5:9 European Region Core Team and served many years as a church-planter in Spain and Austria. He currently BY PAUL DZUBINSKI resides in Los Angeles with his wife. & STEVEN SPICER Steven Spicer is the Innovation Lead in Frontier Ventures’ Winter Launch Lab, where he works to integrate innovation and spiritual discernment in mission. His orientation towards group discernment was shaped by four years in a prayer ministry focused on encouraging intercession and member care for emerging movements in the Middle East and Central Asia. Jesus-centered innovation can bring They surface over time through a We are talking about change to ministries and even social group’s experience of transformation innovation that contexts. This is part of kingdom together that leads to new ways of brings about the transformation. seeing, listening, and being. While breakthrough of Jesus’ At Frontier Ventures we define innovation practices provide helpful kingdom. innovation for integral mission as the ways of thinking, asking questions, creation of sustainable new solutions and reframing challenges, prayerful to the problems faced in discerning, group discernment is about creating From big business to the laboratory EDITORIAL proclaiming and living out God’s space to abide in Jesus, allowing the to tech companies, everyone is good news for individual persons, Spirit to inspire fresh imagination in talking about innovation and how societies and creation. We approach us as we follow the Father’s wisdom to make the next incredible new this with tools and practices of design and direction. thing. And we think about the thinking and systems thinking, but amazing innovators of the past like we insist on adding to them group Theological Grounding Madam Curie (who discovered thinking, spiritual discernment, radioactivity and won Nobel Peace The articles in this edition of Mission theological grounding, and a prizes in two fields), Thomas Edison Frontiers address things like ministry missiological focus. and his light bulb, the Wright models, contextualization and social Brothers (who gave us flight), and transformation. But all of them have Dr. Shirley Jackson (who completed We believe that a theological grounding in a holistic research that led to solar cells, fiber significant innovation understanding of the gospel of optic cables, portable fax machines, in missions requires Jesus. As Colossians 1:14-20 shows touch-tone telephones and caller a group of believers us, it is the saving message of the ID.) These are amazing people and to be on a journey of cross, but because that work was so quite honestly, we are grateful to powerful in its impact on humanity, God for the innovations that they discernment together. it also unites all peoples into the discovered, but we are not talking family of God, produces an ethical about that kind of thing in this transformation in all of us, exposes edition of Mission Frontiers. Group Spiritual Discernment evil before God’s judgment and is We are talking about innovation We believe that significant innovation the power of God at work in history that brings about the breakthrough in missions requires a group of and in creation (The Whole Church of Jesus’ kingdom. You will see believers to be on a journey of Taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole discernment together. Insights and articles that discuss innovation in World condensed, 2010). multi-cultural settings, innovation innovative ways forward emerge related to alongsiders and how from communities of prayer. 4 MISSIONFRONTIERS.ORG Missiological Focus the frontiers of mission. Those transformation and expressing paths might look and sound quite God’s blessing. A wonderful The focus of Mission Frontiers is the different all while following the example of this is the work of frontiers of mission. That is also same Jesus who shepherds us. Wordly Collective, which has built where we want to see innovation a collaborative ecosystem to help happen. We agree with the minority language communities definition of frontier missiology Some of the most flourish. Steven interviewed Pastor that is used at Frontier Ventures. difficult barriers to the Melvyn Mak to hear more about It is the attempt to understand and Wordly’s fascinating work. Another encourage the initial incarnation of gospel require new localized expressions example is the work of Ed and Joan the gospel into relational networks McManness with a community of of people, and the growth of the of following Jesus. students from around the world. initial disciples within such initial Their work integrates care for efforts into biblical, indigenous, people, community, creation and holistic and sustainable movements Some of the most difficult barriers God’s spiritual directives. of Jesus followers. to the gospel require new localized expressions of following Jesus. Ministry Design and Innovation Not all of the articles in this edition This often involves walking The last four articles show of Mission Frontiers fit squarely into alongside others from a particular this definition. However, they all innovative approaches and practices context as they discern faithful ways for ministry design. They focus express an innovation in missions of expressing the Good News. on ways in mission for creating that either can be or is already at the This type of innovation in a multi- sustainable new opportunities, frontiers of mission. cultural setting is addressed by services, and impact in people’s lives. EDITORIAL Inside This Edition Kevin Higgins in his regular article Here, Victor Tukura beautifully entitled “Toward the Edges.” shows us how Africans mobilize the With that in mind let us look at the He shows us what innovating at the church for global missions. Brent edition of Mission Frontiers that we edges of mission can be like when McHugh challenges us to adopt have at hand. The nine articles that insiders begin to explore ways for design thinking in order to reach make up this edition can be divided least-reached peoples to experience the 7,000+ unreached peoples. into three categories of innovation new life in Jesus. Innovation Ryan Crozier describes an approach in mission. Each expresses a different practices yield unexpected results. to support and walk alongside the focus: alongsiding innovation And while that can be true, Claire underdogs who have a calling to toward localized gospel expressions, TC Chong’s article about bring change through all sectors of societal transformation and ministry contextualization in Cambodia society. Finally, Derek Seipp gives us design. Let’s look at each of them. shows how Cambodian leaders a disciplined approach to planning come alongside their culture to find Alongsiding Innovation toward ministry differently. nuanced insights toward new Localized Expressions localized expressions of faith for the Grab a cup of coffee or tea and dive sake of the gospel. into the lead article. It is here that we, All of these nine Steven Spicer and Paul Dzubinski, Societal Transformation and Innovation articles will give you describe how discerning innovative a wonderful taste of ways forward in frontier missions Innovation aimed at societal requires personal and community transformation