Uncharted Mission: Going to the Final Frontiers
Ebook
Too Soon to Celebrate—Too Soon to Quit “Lord, why another mission agency? There are already so many good ones,” Greg Livingstone cried out on a beach in 1983. But, as he made his case to God that he should find someone else to change the world, the answer became clear: the world needed a new agency, operating in a new way, that would focus entirely on all Muslim peoples. So began the wild, risky, worthy story told in Uncharted Mission, a book that is more than the history of the founding of Frontiers. D. C. Keane weaves together interviews with over one hundred missionaries who refused to accept the status quo in missions and were willing to go where no one had gone before—to the Muslim frontiers. In this inspiring true story, you’ll meet pastors, engineers, artists, pilots, and others whose lives changed course when they discovered that Muslims were largely left out of historic missionary efforts. This is a book for innovators who ask, as Greg Livingstone always asks, “How can we do this better? How can we improve?" Don’t simply admire the groundbreakers who went before us in this compelling narrative; there is still work to be done. There are still “frontiers” of mission for the next generation of Christians who want to change the world.
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Prototype
Chapter 2: The Unmission
Chapter 3: A Walk on the Beach
Chapter 4: Bonding
Chapter 5: Perseverance
Chapter 6: Please Call Me
Chapter 7: Betrayal
Chapter 8: CATS
Chapter 9: Multicultural Partnering
Chapter 10: Going Ahead as Far as You Can See
Chapter 11: Leaving or Staying In
Chapter 12: S. O. S.
Conclusion: It’s Too Soon to Celebrate and Too Soon to Quit
Acknowledgments
Endnotes
Bibliography
About the Author
A fire broke out in the village barn. The sturdy citizens stood helplessly while flames climbed the sides and engulfed the roof. Just when it seemed that all was lost, they heard the sound of the firetruck siren. All eyes turned to the top of the hill as the volunteer fire brigade came into sight. Gathering speed, the firetruck raced straight on toward the burning barn. The crowd watched in astonishment, as they saw something they did not believe was even possible. That firetruck, with its bell ringing and its siren wailing, crashed right into the middle of the barn. Those brave firefighters battled the blaze from inside and extinguished the flames and saved the day. As the firefighters emerged from the smoke, the crowd waved their hats and shouted their admiration. It was a sight never to be forgotten, and indeed, the citizens would later tell their children and grandchildren of the wonderful deed of heroism that distinguished those from all others. This is Frontiers. Someone in the crowd said, “Let’s take up a collection.” When the hat was passed around and the donation given to the captain, someone asked, “What are you going to do with the money?” “Well,” he replied, “we’re going to fix the brakes on this here firetruck.” This too is Frontiers. God led Greg Livingstone to sound an alarm. A few brave volunteers did not think it through; they believed the cause was worth it: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is how Frontiers changed the world. This is the extraordinary story D. C. Keane tells in this superb book. But as Greg says, “It’s too soon to celebrate, and too soon to quit.” I can show you a hundred cities in the Muslim world where millions are perishing. God is sending a new generation to the final frontiers, “and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14). If you can think of anything better than that, you will have to tell me. As Jordan Grooms said, “If God calls me to be a missionary, I would not stoop to be a king.”
-Bob Blincoe | president emeritus, Frontiers US
The book of Acts is still being written. This book tells us how. It is more than a collection of very interesting stories. It is a voyage into the heart of God and his ways, and a testimony of the fact that God uses ordinary human beings to do extraordinary things. It is absolutely fascinating.
-Abraham Duran | Fronteras
On the one hand, here’s a story of Frontiers—the history, the founding, the values. But thanks to Dave’s writing and storytelling, this is the story of men and women whose encounters with Jesus and his mission were so deep and real that they heard the call to go to the Muslim world. This is a book about faith and courage. Though missionaries to the Muslim world are profiled, I think we all will find ourselves challenged to exercise faith and courage in whatever neighborhood we are placed in. Finally, this book is also a clarion call to the Western church—to keep praying and sending women and men who will bring the good news of Jesus to the Muslim world.
-Eddy Ekmekji regional ministry director, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
Having served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, attended numerous Urbana missions conferences, graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary, and currently serving as lead pastor of the author’s sending church (not to mention having parents who emigrated from a Muslim country), I felt a strong overlap while reading about the founding of Frontiers. I am so grateful to read D. C. Keane’s history of Frontiers, which shows how God uses a number of influences to see his passion for all people move forward. The ambition to “preach the gospel where Christ was not known” permeates through these pages.
- John Fanous lead pastor, University Covenant Church, Davis, California
A fascinating and riveting account from seed to the spread of Frontiers across the Muslim world. True to form, meet the out-of-the-box thinker, maverick, rebel, recruiter, stirrer, and inspirer whom I have had the privilege to know—Greg Livingstone—and his equal copartner, Sally, and you will be challenged. And the amazing story to the Muslim world is not complete yet. May many more such laborers be raised up so that someday there will be a great celebration before God’s throne!
-Dr Daniel Ho founding senior pastor, Damansara Utama Methodist Chruch (DUMC), Malaysia
This book is filled with stories of people who are both very ordinary—I know many of them and speak from experience—and who are quite extraordinary, even heroic. They are not necessarily heroic by nature, but by choice. It is not that they chose to be great, but they became great in the kingdom of God by simply obeying a call. It is a call that many hear and few follow. Whether that calling comes in the form of a dream, an inner voice, or the simple words of Jesus to make disciples of all the nations, these are stories of those who’ve obeyed the call. These are the stories of those who were obedient to their calling, and that obedience transformed the landscape of eternity. In a world desperate for heroism, will you heed God’s voice and allow him to forge great stories through the small stuff of your life?
-Chris Lang | director of mobilization, Frontiers USA
Frontiers was birthed in 1982 with determination to make disciples among all Muslims across the globe. I was hoping someone could write the history of our first forty years in such a manner that it would inspire many more to “leave their small ambitions” and joyfully lay down the best years of their lives to serve on pioneering church-planting teams among the 1.8 billion Muslims who still don’t realize there is a Savior. I suspect now that a play-by-play, detailed history of Frontiers might have been mostly an item for libraries. D. C. Keane, who left his pastorate to head up the recruiting department of Frontiers USA for eleven years (Frontiers actually has sending bases in more than two dozen countries), took up the challenge. He soon discerned rightly that readers want stories … true stories … of accomplishment, failure, and restarts. So read on about pioneer stuff of groundbreaking efforts to “leave behind” fellowships of Muslim-background disciples of Jesus from Mauritania to Mindanao, from the Uighur Muslims of China to the deserts in Somalia… 1,400 adults and their kids … eager to have Muslim friends “welcome them into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9) … then join us in this magnificent obsession.
-Greg Livingstone | founder, Frontiers
God is doing a great work on the earth. He is calling forth his whole global church to prioritize seeing his kingdom advanced among all the unreached peoples. Every church from every nation has a role to play, and every believer, knowingly or unknowingly, is a part of God’s global redemptive story and purpose. The Muslim world has long been a challenging stronghold, but in the last fifty years, through mission agencies like Frontiers, the Holy Spirit is taking back Muslim peoples for the Lord. This book is a powerful testimony to what God can do through ordinary disciples dedicated to their Master. God wants to activate thousands of fresh laborers today who will make it their life’s ambition to see Muslim cities opened to the kingdom of God in power through multiplying culturally relevant churches among them. Get ready to be inspired and activated through these awesome stories of God’s redeeming love.
-Ryan Shaw international lead facilitator, Global Mission Mobilization Initiative
Imperfect people doing an imperfect job for the glory of God! Read this and discover what God can do through you for his global purpose!
-Bob Sjogren cofounder, Frontiers; president, UnveilinGLORY
- Title: Uncharted Mission: Going to the Final Frontiers
- Author: D. C. Keane
- Publisher: William Carey Publishing
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2023
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9781645084136, 9781645084112, 1645084116, 1645084132
- Resource ID: LLS:9781645084136
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-05-09T00:51:37Z
For thirty years, D. C. Keane has been sending missionaries to the Muslim world, leading the recruiting effort at Frontiers USA for eleven years. He has seen more than nine hundred missionaries move to make new friends in Muslim neighborhoods. D. C. has visited Turkey, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Iraq. Before his ministry with Frontiers, Keane was an associate pastor at University Covenant Church in Davis, CA. He holds a BA (Humboldt State University), an MDiv (Trinity International University), and is pursuing a PhD from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church.