Ralph Winter
5/29/2009 1:38:08 PM
Related story: Winter extended reach of Gospel
Ralph Winter. One can only imagine what the world would be like if every person who considers themselves a Christian, actually lived a life so fully given over to Christ as this one man.
His first sense of call was to be a tent-maker in Afghanistan. To my knowledge, he prayed ardently for those people, but never served there. I have a friend serving in uniform in Afghanistan today and I wonder how different that nation would be if Ralph Winter had gone there 60 years ago.
His classmates included Bill Bright and his friends include people of every tribe and tongue. He “saw” more of the Kingdom possibilities than most of us ever imagine and we rejoice that today he knows that Kingdom reality in all its glory.
Ralph Winter helped us all appreciate that God is present before we ever arrive in a place. That although we might consider a people group “unreached,” God’s love has been extended to them in ways unrealized but none-the-less real. Ralph helped us understand ourselves as partners in God’s mission, with God’s people, for God’s glory.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Ralph Winter for helping us see mission frontiers in a new way, for helping us see ourselves and others in new ways, and for helping us capture a vision of the Missio Dei that stretches from before time into eternity.
If Ralph Winter’s life and ministry and teaching impacted you, I invite you to respond with a testimonial. Give grateful praise for this saint who now rests from his labor, which was for him always a joy.