Uncharted Mission

Too Soon to Celebrate—Too Soon to Quit “Lord, why another mission agency? There are already so many good ones,” Greg Livingstone cried out on a beach in 1983. But, as he made his case to God that he should find someone else to change the world, the answer became clear: the world needed a new agency, operating in a new way, that would focus entirely on all Muslim peoples. So began the wild, risky, worthy story told in Uncharted Mission, a book that is more than the history of the founding of Frontiers. D. C. Keane weaves together interviews with over one hundred missionaries who refused to accept the status quo in missions and were willing to go where no one had gone before—to the Muslim frontiers. In this inspiring true story, you’ll meet pastors, engineers, artists, pilots, and others whose lives changed course when they discovered that Muslims were largely left out of historic missionary efforts. This is a book for innovators who ask, as Greg Livingstone always asks, “How can we do this better? How can we improve?" Don’t simply admire the groundbreakers who went before us in this compelling narrative; there is still work to be done. There are still “frontiers” of mission for the next generation of Christians who want to change the world.

Legendary explorer Lt. Col. Juan Bautista de Anza completed a 1,000-mile journey from Sonora, Mexico, crossing the Mojave Desert with the first settlers, to San Francisco’s pristine harbor. Fr. Francisco Palóu celebrated the dedication of Mission San Francisco de Asís on June 29, 1776. First established to protect Spain’s interests in Alta California from foreign ships, California’s landmark buildings are featured here with newly discovered photography depicting a romantic era of colorful Spanish conquistadors, Franciscan padres, and mission Indian neophytes from 1769 to 1823. Explore the heritage of California pioneers’ first communities and the 21 California Spanish missions of adobe, stone, and tile that are considered architectural wonders that have captured the imagination of visitors and historians over centuries.

The first comprehensive textbook on the theology and methodology of Fresh Expressions, one of the most important developments within the contemporary church.

The Christian movement is entering a new postcolonial era with centers of the faith on all continents. American Christians have often felt uniquely qualified to lead this growing movement because of a long history of sending missionaries and funding mission projects. Yet something is hampering the relationship between Western and non-Western churches, preventing the dynamic synergism that Christians might expect. Roots and Remedies of the Dependency Syndrome in World Missions, Robert Reese identifies this hindrance as the Dependency Syndrome, a relic of colonial mission methods. With three decades of experience in Zimbabwe, Reese explains the roots of dependency and how this continues to cloud the vision of many well-meaning Western Christians. He documents the tragic results of relying too much on foreign ideas, institutions, personnel, and funding that sideline non-Western churches from fulfilling the Great Commission. Reese addresses remedies for dependency, examining healthy mission models tried and tested since the days of the apostle Paul. From issues that arise from globalization to best mission practices in the twenty-first century, Roots and Remedies aims to achieve what most Christians are seeking but find elusive: how all parts of the diverse Body of Christ around the world can cooperate productively to bring Christ where He is not now known without creating dependency.

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded in 1791 by a friar named Fermin Francisco de Lasuén. It was the thirteenth mission to be founded. Life at Soledad was challenging for everyone. The area around Soledad was hot and dry in the summer and very cold in the winter. In the early 1800's an aqueduct was built to regularize the water supply, helping crops to grow, making life for both the friars and the Indians more manageable and less grueling. The content provided in this book, aligned to California state standards, will provide students with a greater insight into the story of Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad and California's mission system. This book is filled with excellent primary source materials and visuals, including illustrations, paintings, and maps.

The story of the missions is a compelling human drama that is a vital piece not only of California history, but also of American history. Indeed, many keys to California's past lie in the stories of the 20 missions that stretch along the state's west coast from San Diego to San Francisco. This vital series is compatible with the mission-baed curriculum used in fourth-grade California classrooms. It resonates equally with all social studies programs that explore the defunct notion of colonialism and its controversial role in the history of the United States, and with curricula that seek to explore the interaction of different cultures and the rights and voices of indigenous peoples.

Drawing on previously unused or underutilized archival sources, Human Rights and Transnational Democracy in South Korea offers the first account of the historical intersection between South Korea's democratic transition and the global human rights boom in the 1970s.