The Fourth Era of Modern Missions

Have we entered into the 4th Era of Modern Missions?

Dr. Ralph Winter, the founder of the U. S. Center for World Missions and the originator of the Perspectives course, taught that there have been 3 Eras of Modern Missions. When I first took the course in 2005, the section on Missions History was the most intriguing to me because of my personal interest in History. In college, my minor was history and ever since I have been a history buff in many areas. I have spent years studying church history, revival history, and missions history, not to mention various areas of secular history.

After taking Perspectives, it became my privilege to become a Perspectives teacher and I have taught the History of Modern Missions in Perspectives classes in a number of places these last few years. In fact, I will be teaching those lessons again in the Nashville, Tenn. area this weekend.

This lesson centers around Dr. Winter's observation that in the last 2 centuries there have been 3 discernible patterns in missions strategy . He called these "Eras of Missions History" and as I have taught many times, we are living in Era 3.

Each Era is characterized by a distinctive strategic focus (either geographic or sociological) a distinctive leadership base (Europe, America, or Non-Western) a kind of missional structure (denominational, faith mission, or specialist structures) and is illustrated by specific leaders who were instrumental in pioneering these Eras or movements. The Eras overlap by great numbers of years (sometimes a 60 year overlap). Here is a quick breakdown of the 3 Eras:

Era 1: The Era of the Coastlands- 1792 through 1910
European Dominance (meaning most missionaries were from Europe, mainly Great Britain)
Denominational Missions Structures
Geographic Strategy
Key Leaders: William Carey, Adorniram Judson, Henry Martyn, etc.

Era 2: The Era of Inland Missions- 1865 through 1980
American Dominance
Faith Mission Structures (non-denominational or trans-denominational)
Geographic Strategy
Key Leaders: David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, C. T. Studd, etc.

Era 3: The Era of People Groups- 1934 through the present and into the unknown future
Non Western Dominance
Specialist Structures (Linguistics, Medical, Relief etc.)
Cultural and Peoples Strategy
Key Leaders: Cameron Townsend (founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators), Donald McGavran

I believe that these 3 eras are helpful concepts to help us understand the progress of world Missions in the last 200 years. Now, I am asking if perhaps with the emergence of church planting movements in the last 20- 30 years, we are actually entering into a 4th Era, while still overlapping in the 3rd Era. In order to show what I mean, and in comparison with the other Eras, consider this idea:

Era 4: The Era of Organic Missions- 1990 toward the unforeseen future
No Dominance (Missional, Church Planting, Disciple Making movements emerging among multiple cultures)
Organic Structures: or perhaps no structures. Missional structures with only the necessary organizational features in order to facilitate, but never control the movements.
Multiplicational Strategies
Key Leaders: David Watson, Neil Cole, Alan Hirsch as pioneers and communicators of the paradigm, but in reality the leaders emerge in each movement.....totally non hierarchical.

Only time will tell if we are in another Era, or if perhaps this more Organic focus is a subset of Era 3. Personally I think that we are moving into something qualitatively different. It is a missiology that is being recreated by a more Biblically oriented Ecclesiology. And I think that this is the beginning of what may be truly the Closure Era as we see Matthew 24:14 become a reality in our lifetimes.