Outreach

Seeing the world through God’s perspective

Perspectives is an invitation once again to joyfully run the race He has set before us, setting no limits on how or where He will use us.

“God is a God of global purpose. He has already put in our hearts the longing to be a friend to a great God, to somehow become a co-worker with Him, living in the dignity of a purpose larger than ourselves.”1
These are the introductory words to thePerspectives on the World Christian Movement course (otherwise known as Perspectives), a course with alumni of 230,000 participants from all over the world.

Perspectives is a Christian discipleship course focused on who God is and how He glorifies Himself in the world that He has created. It provides a lens with which to view the entire Biblical narrative: a purpose-driven story in which God loved his Son so much that He gave Him the World, and loved us so much that He invited us to be a part of that story.

Perspectives is an invitation once again to joyfully run the race He has set before us, setting no limits on how or where He will use us. It is an invitation to “dream big” of the things that God is doing and will do, and to be a participant in God’s great purpose.

Sadly, we can often be ‘motivated’ by guilt that we should be serving more. Perspectives encourages us to recover the Biblical truth that, as Tim Dearborn (one of the Perspectives authors) puts it, “to engage in mission is to participate in the coming kingdom of God… Participation in God’s kingdom is no longer a sombre duty. It becomes a joyous privilege and an adventure of passion and hope.”2

Methodist Missions Society is a supporting partner of the Perspectives Course in Singapore.

2014 saw the first full Perspectives course run in Singapore since 1989. An initial enrolment of 53 participants took part in 15 weeks of teaching on the Biblical, historical, cultural and strategic aspects of the World Christian movement. Each week, participants read articles from the Perspectives Study Guide and Reader which helped to consolidate their learning.

It is amazing to see how God is using Perspectives to move hearts and help people connect the dots between their faith and other areas of their lives.
One participant, a historian by training, commented that “the detailed study on God’s revelation of His glory throughout the Bible has compelled me to see God’s hand over all histories and challenged me to re-evaluate my understanding of history.” Another participant had this to say: “One overall
takeaway that I gained is that Scripture not only contains doctrinal truths about our faith but also a wealth of practical strategies on how to reach the world for Christ.”

Yet another participant reflected: “I am thankful for the readings which struck chords within me, reminding me to seek God, and equip myself for His work.” Still another said: “I am really excited to journey with Him, and just immensely thankful that He is simply who He is.”3

We are indeed thankful for who God is, and the privilege that it is to participate in His work.

VISIT perspectivessingapore.org for more information on the Perspectives Course in Singapore. The next course is scheduled to start in July.

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1 Steven C. Hawthorne, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: Study Guide (2009 Ed, William Carey Library), p 1.
2 Tim Dearborn, “Beyond Duty” (1997) in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A reader (4th Ed, 2009, William Carey Library), p 73.
3 Comments reproduced with permission from participants

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Ailene Grandey and her husband Benjamin are part of the coordinating team with the Perspectives Course in Singapore. They worship at Living Waters Methodist Church. Ailene also works as a lawyer.

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