Frontier Ventures: A Unique Constellation of Initiatives

My Journey with The Ralph D. Winter Lectureship

Andy Bettencourt

The Ralph Winter Lectureship has a significant legacy! It has included speakers like Greg Boyd, Amos Yong, Rene Padilla, and Andrew Walls, and it honors the legacy, genius, and curiosity of Ralph Winter, the founder of Frontier Ventures. Each year, we attempt to put on a lectureship that probes the field of missiology and questions of the day. Like our founder, we seek to push these questions toward the edges of mission, where those who have not yet clearly heard the gospel in an understandable form lie.

Frontier Ventures’ Foray into Podcasting

DAVID EARL DATEMA and ANDY BETTENCOURT

In the spring of 2023, Andy Bettencourt, Victoria Ky, Amanda Richey, and Dave Datema started brainstorming about developing a new podcast that would highlight the realities surrounding reaching unreached people groups. After interviewing some podcasters and doing our own research, we launched our first season in fall 2023 and our second season in spring 2024. The third season began its release this past fall, 2024.

Communion, Community and Sustainable Mission Flourishing in the 2nd Half of Life

Jamey Lewis

“It was the first time I said in prayer, ‘I don’t know how long I can do this.’” One of our “2nd Half Collaborative” (2HC) Campfire small group members was talking about a time of depletion and exhaustion in ministry.
Another Campfire member talked of his “original dreams being pulled apart.” He had wanted to be all things to all people at all times. Now he is drawn to the potency of being patient and unhurried, with emerging rhythms and ministry contributions very different from that original version of himself.

Perspectives USA: Rivers of Life through Perspectives

James Mason

For individuals who experience Perspectives, it’s often like a river that begins as a mere trickle in the high mountains. Initially, a student might not discern how the waters will shape the landscape of their life. But as the small stream continues its journey, it gathers strength from countless tributaries and swells into a powerful current, shaping everything in its path—shaping every aspect of how the student views God, the Bible, and even their own life and commitments. Ultimately, students are awash in the reality that they can walk intimately with Jesus as he brings his purposes and transformation to all peoples.

Crossing Barriers at the Winter Launch Lab

PAUL DZUBINSKI and ANDY BETTENCOURT

You probably recognize iconic artists like Picasso, E.M. Forster, Georgia O’Keefe, Jackson Pollock, or Andy Warhol. Maybe you know scientists like Robert Oppenheimer, Marie Curie, John Bardeen, or Francis Crick. All these people are both accomplished and famous, but they also owe a good deal of their success to the communities that surrounded them.1 They are kind of like actors who give Oscar acceptance speeches. They have a community of people to thank.
The same is true of innovators. That is why, in the Winter Launch Lab, we strive to be a community of innovators. There are nine of us, each working in a different area. And even though we live in multiple countries, we encourage one another and help each other to innovate in our unique ministry contexts.

Health for All Nations at Frontier Ventures

MIKE SODERLING MD/MBA

The year was 2008, the setting was Fuller Theological Seminary, and the annual West Coast Healthcare Missions conference. This was the 5th year of this gathering of what I would now call those with an interest in global health initiatives from a Christ-centered mindset. At the time, there was growing criticism about short-term, health-related mission outreaches. This author’s context at the time was a full-time commitment in Guatemala which had started in 2001. It is where I witnessed first-hand the mostly downside elements of this sort of outreach. We were a group of only six individuals, but we had a big vision. Rather than continue to be simply critical of what we saw happening, we decided to do something to positively influence the Church and her efforts at helping people become healthier.

Missions Innovators Gather to Reflect on the Spirituality of Innovation

NATE SCHOLZ

This year, the Ralph Winter Launch Lab at Frontier Ventures hosted an unusual three-day gathering in Scottsdale, Arizona. Thirty prominent missions innovators representing 18 organizations participated by designing our event “on the fly.” We practiced a new model for gathering, known as a “nonference,” to draw out relevant topics and organize breakout sessions into a collaborative agenda. We called the event Inno+Faith 2024.

Mission Frontiers Magazine: Casting Vison for Breakthroughs in All Peoples

RICK WOOD

What difference do words make? We are inundated with words every minute of every day. It is hard to separate out the truly significant from just noise. It can be exhausting, but when we do make that distinction, the results can be earth-shaking and life-changing. When the apostle John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God,” it changed everything. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church, it started a revolution of faith. And for 46 years, we have published Mission Frontiers magazine in the hope that the words we publish will likewise change the course of world evangelization—catalyzing kingdom breakthrough in every people group so that every person may have access to the gospel.

The Legacy and Vision of William Carey Publishing

MELISSA HICKS

William Carey Publishing (WCP) publishes resources that edify, equip, and empower disciples of Jesus to make disciples of Jesus. We love hearing how our books make a difference in the kingdom, and we are humbled to be part of what God is doing. Here is a testimony from a reader—this is just one glimpse of the impact our books have. She describes how Stick Figures Save the World: Drawing Simply to Share Jesus Well, has transformed the ACTeens program at her church and encouraged a group of young girls to share Jesus’ stories with newfound courage.