Denver Seminary

CHURCH RESOURCE ENGAGE 11 The Perspectives Study Program At some level, the goal of every church is to grow its members into ardent followers of Christ—disciples who care about what the Lord cares about, and who are equipped and ready to multiply that passion and purpose in others. How to go about doing this is another question. One solid answer to that question, which has been tested and refined over the last 40 years, is the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course. A recent Perspectives student explained her experience of the class like this: "God shared His heart for the lost with me and the urgency to proclaim His name to the nations." Simply put, Perspectives is a 15-week class, hosted by churches across the country. It is structured around four perspectives—biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic—through which we observe God accomplishing His global purpose. The course is centered on a multi-lesson study guide, which is accompanied by a dynamic reader with contributions from over 120 different authors. Each week a different missions professional teaches from the curriculum and their own experiences in the field. While Perspectives is a class, it is more than that—it's a movement. Averaging over 8,000 new students each year in about 250 local classes, this is a movement you want your congregation to be a part of. Through readings, speakers, and dynamic group activities, each student is invited to strategically co-labor with Christ as He fulfills His ancient promise to reconcile the world to Himself. Look into upcoming local classes throughout the US at perspectives.org. James Mason USA NATIONAL DIRECTOR, PERSPECTIVES STUDY PROGRAM James Mason is the US Director of the Perspectives Study Program. He earned an MDiv from Denver Seminary in 1995. After seminary, he served for 12 years as a pastor in Aurora, Topeka, and Las Vegas. For the past decade, he's been busy as a missions mobilizer with Frontier Ventures (the parent ministry of Perspectives). James and his wife, Kelly, live in Pasadena, California with their three children. He could accomplish. After an active 15-year speaking ministry, the Lord called her to step into another phase of outreach as the minister of women at her home church, Galilee Baptist, in Denver. From time to time, the pastor would ask Judie to speak from the pulpit on Sundays, which paired her gift of speaking with her passion for God's Word. During this new season of ministry, Judie took several classes at Denver Seminary. She wanted to deepen her own knowledge as she helped others grow in their collective pursuit of Christ. EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION Dick came to know the Lord a handful of years after Judie, but all through their life together, he was supportive of her calling and gifts. He recognized her ever-growing passion for God's Word and His people in the way she constantly poured into the lives of those around her. As Judie's retirement approached, Dick formed a plan to honor his amazing wife. "Without my knowledge, my husband partnered with Denver Seminary to establish a scholarship for women in my name—the Julia A. Amen Scholarship for Women," Judie shared. "Once it was all finalized, he surprised me with it." As a way to enjoy the ongoing experience of the scholarship, Denver Seminary coordinates yearly luncheons where Dick and Judie can meet the scholarship's recipients. Although Judie can't travel and minister to women as she once did, this scholarship equips women from Denver Seminary to carry on the legacy—to go where she can no longer go, to do what she can no longer do. After 17 years, the scholarship has helped dozens of women pursue theological education, allowing recipients to become teaching pastors, worship pastors, discipling pastors, and more. The one thing they all have in common is a desire to minister to people in despair and to inspire them to live the life to which God has called them. "Dick and I praise God for the vision Denver Seminary has for its students and the world," said Judie, "and for the opportunity they have given donors to pass on the legacy through the lives of students who have the passion to take God's Word to people, to change lives, and to give hope to a lost and dying world."

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