A Brief History of the Early Beginnings of OC Research

This article describes the early early beginnings of OC Research.

I. The Early Days

Research in OC has developed through the ministries of several of its distinguished missionaries and leaders. Its beginnings were, perhaps, informal. For Dick Hillis it was a matter of looking around to see what needed to be done and where the best opportunities were for ministry. The Holy Spirit prompted Dick to pay attention to the things he saw and to capitalize on those opportunities.

At the same time Dick was ministering in China another missionary by the name of Donald McGavran was observing the growth of the church in India. McGavran's observations prompted him to launch the Church Growth Movement which has been challenging Christians around the world to be aware of the patterns that are present in the growth of their churches and to respond to those patterns in faith with programs dedicated to increasing that growth. McGavran brought s more systematic approach to observation that has developed into the disciplines of Church Growth Research. For many years Dr. McGavran was an advisor and active member of OC’s board.

II. The Missionary Team

Another OC missionary and advocate of Church Growth research is Ed Murphy. Ed learned such about the church in South America as well as in India. He taught Church Growth Research as a professor at Biola College and as an instructor in seminars around the world. One of Ed’s major contributions was in the area of the missionary team. As the team concept developed in OC, research became a major emphasis.

III. The DAWN Concept

A good part of the vision of OC crystalized under Jim Montgomery. Jim was a student and then a colleague of Dr. McGavran. Jim took the concept of Church Growth and applied it to the idea of reaching a whole nation. Jim for many years was also the editor of the Global Church Growth Bulletin. One of his most memorable articles from that platform was, “The Challenge of A Whole Country”. Research is foundational to understanding and responding to that challenge. Jim was responsible for applying his vision for Discipling A Whole Nation (D.A.W.N.) in both the Philippines and in Guatemala. Roy Wingerd carried on that ministry in Guatemala where the population is rapidly becoming an evangelical majority. At the same time the denominations in the Philippines are closing in on goals to have a church in every barangay.

IV. The Establishment of OC’s Research Department

Dr. Clyde Cook became President of OC after several years of teaching Church Growth and Missions at Biola College. Dr. Cook has s concern for stewardship and accountability in the missionary enterprise. The evaluative tools of research lend themselves well to making good decisions, maintaining stewardship and conserving valuable resources. Dr. Cook initiated several measures that increased our effectiveness in this area. Dr. Cook was also responsible for bringing Pastor Paul Yaggy from his position on the OC board on to the OC staff. Paul‘s contributions to research lay mostly in analysis of OC's plans and activities and in management for greatest effectiveness. Paul and Jim Montgomery initiated research training for OC missionaries and began to call for recruitment of more experienced information specialists.

Bob Waymire led OC's research department in systematizing its data bases and in thinking through the information items needed to reach a whole country. Bob was pivotal in providing many of the instruments that researchers need to study the growth of the church. One of Bob’s research projects expanded to the point of becoming a ministry in its own right, now knows as Global Mapping International

V. First Field Researcher

In 1982 Jeanie Currier became the first designated OC field researcher. Jeanie was assigned to the Philippine field.

VI. Collaboration of Bob Waymire and C. Peter Wagner

Bob Waymire joined forces with another advisor and friend of OC, Dr. C. Peter Wagner. Together they produced the Church Growth Handbook. This manual enables a pastor or denominational leader to research the growth of a particular church or denomination in order to optimize its future growth potential.

Dr. Wagner has been a thorough student and teacher of the dynamics of Church Growth and has taught these principles to OC interns and furloughing missionaries. He has also participated in Church growth conferences with others like Dr. Daryl Platt, an OC missionary who is considered an authority on Latin American Church growth.

VII. Emerging Missions Research

Before assuming the presidency of Overseas Crusades Dr. Larry Keyes embarked upon a world tour in order to research the extent of participation in the missionary enterprise of non-western nations. The results of this study caused Dr. Keyes to make this a major concern for the mission. Dr. Keyes and Dr. Larry Pate have traveled around the world to train nationals for missions.

Although many have added to the knowledge gained, missionary research must still be considered to be in its initial stages. Missions are realizing the need to co-operate and share their data bases in order to reach the thousands of people groups around the world that still have not heard the gospel.