Frontier Ventures and William Carey International University address 'World' magazine 'mischaracterization' of report about plans for Pasadena base

Contact: Palmer Holt,
704-662 2569

PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 20, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Frontier Ventures and William Carey International University (WCIU) have issued a statement correcting a World magazine report about the proposed sale of their long-time campus.

Leaders of the two groups say that the recently published article is "a regrettable mischaracterization of the situation," and have posted a detailed response at bit.ly/FV-WCIUResponse.

The World article centers on criticism by a handful of people, some who donated to the purchase of the 15-acre campus in 1976 -- 42 years ago -- who say that the property should be retained, and a few former and current employees.

"While we acknowledge that some disagree with the course of action we are pursuing, and do not question their sincerity, the suggestion that we have ignored concerns and have questionable motives is simply unwarranted and untrue," says the Frontier Ventures/WCIU statement.

"Indeed," it adds, "most people closely associated with Frontier Ventures and WCIU support what we are doing and see it, as we do, not as a dismissal of all that has gone before, but as building on that great heritage.

"Our founding vision remains unchanged, but the way in which we pursue its fulfillment has to change, just as the world in which we live has changed over the last 40 years."

Among the World article claims are that the founding vision of the organizations has been lost, the campus has been poorly managed, and the money from the sale would be used for purposes other than the founders had in mind—all points refuted in the joint response.

Frontier Ventures and WCIU say the proposed sale is an operational shift, not a strategic one, moving from a centralized to more decentralized mode. Nor is it primarily about cost-cutting, they say; though the cost of doing business and living in Southern California has increased, "the sale is not so much about saving money as wise stewardship."
 
While retaining a small portion of the property for ongoing work in Pasadena, the two groups intend to use the money from the sale to develop training projects in other parts of the United States and overseas. The plan is widely supported, they say, including a number who gave funds for the purchase of the campus originally.  
 
Founded in 1976 as the U.S. Center for World Missions by the late Dr. Ralph Winter, a leading advocate of missionary work in parts of the world where there are few if any Christians, Frontier Ventures―its name since 2015―has championed those efforts through research, training and education.

At one stage more than 30 missions and nongovernmental organizations were based at the campus, where WCIU was established in 1977. Utilizing a distance-learning platform, the university offers an MA degree in International Development, rooted in a Christian worldview, for cross-cultural workers. 
  
Frontier Ventures
Based in Pasadena, Calif., Frontier Ventures (www.frontierventures.org) promotes the cause of mission among the world's unreached people groups through research, education, and mobilization. Founded in 1976 as the U.S. Center for World Mission by the late missionary statesman, Dr. Ralph D. Winter, its subsidiary ministries include the acclaimed Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course.

William Carey International University
Named after William Carey, a pioneer British missionary to India in the late 1700s and early 1800s, WCIU (www.wciu.edu) was established in 1977 at the former U.S. Center for World Mission to equip international cross-cultural workers for overseas service. The distance-learning school has equipped students in 20 countries.