Grace Evangelical Church in Fayetteville will host the first-ever southside "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" course beginning Feb. 1.

The course offers a comprehensive understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it continues to spread throughout the world. While studying Scriptures, participants will examine the movement of Christianity from a Biblical, historical, cultural and strategic perspective.

The Biblical portion of study will explore God's covenants, the meaning of God's kingdom, the Great Commission and how God has opened the door to all nations in the world to receive His Son.

According to Kevin Boot, Fayetteville coordinator, the Biblical aspect of study will show participants God's purpose in gaining worship and glory from every nation.

The historical portion of the study will point out cycles of Christian growth in culture, a glimpse of Christian movement from Christ to 1600, and the three eras of modern missions. Furthermore, the class will examine the lives of real "pioneers" in missions, including women.

The purpose of this portion of study allows the class to see the world as peoples, to measure how many people have been reached with the Message, and how to mobilize efforts to reach more.

The cultural portion attempts to tackle difficult questions like whether missionaries destroy or enhance cultures when they plant churches.

Overcoming this problem, according to Boot, is identifying what is Scriptural versus cultural or socially acceptable. Class participants will learn about cross culture communication, social structure, and how to approach "people groups" who make decisions as a whole rather than individually.

Boot said often we don't understand people movement in cultures, when a group decides together whether to accept the Gospel; the class will teach on how to build bridges of love that will overcome this barrier. Missionaries often witness "spontaneous multiplication," where mission-minded believers in unreached areas will boldly share the Gospel, producing a number of small churches and house churches all over the region.

The class is designed also to teach Christians their roles as both "goers" and "senders," according to Boot. There will be several classes focused on Christian development, de-Westernizing Gospel presentation, world Christian teamwork through organizations, the pooling of resources and more.

Among the guest speakers in this three and a half month class are Don Richardson, author of "Peace Child;" Steve Hawthorne, co-editor of "Perspectives Textbook" and "Waymakers;" Bob Sjogren of ACMC; Dr. Bill Jones of Crossover Communications International; Dr. Bob Priest of Columbia International University; Dennis Cochran of Wycliff Bible Translators, and Dr. Thomas Wright, member of the North American Mission Board and Southern Baptist Convention.

The Perspectives course has received wide support from churches and ministry organizations all over the state and country. Both Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and Billy Graham have praised the course as challenging, inspiring and informing.

The class will meet Mondays from 6:45-9:30 p.m. at Grace Evangelical Church, located at 164 Flat Creek Trail, and can be reached by calling 770-487-0791.