Missions Upside Down, a free resource from Ƶ's Rev. Aaron Baart and Mark Volkers, challenges traditional views on mission work and equips churches and individuals with a Christ-centered, strategic approach for the 21st century.
What if the way we think about missions is upside down?
A found that many churchgoers struggle to articulate what the Great Commission—a cornerstone of Christian faith—is. This is even more motivating for Ƶ Chief of Staff Rev. Aaron Baart and Digital Media Production Instructor Mark Volkers, who created to reignite a passion within the Church for strategic, Christ-centered mission work in today’s world.
A free resource that includes study and discussion materials, Missions Upside Down engages in stories from past missionaries, witnesses the distinctiveness of missions work today, and identifies future needs for mission work. Missions Upside Down is meant for small groups, Sunday schools, deacons, missions committees, and anyone passionate about missions.
The project focuses on supporting indigenous leaders who are already established within local communities and finding effective, stewardly ways to support the work they are doing.
“It’s good for us to honor those who have done mission work for hundreds of years while also asking fresh questions about what is needed in the 21st century and beyond,” says Baart.
Baart and Volkers brainstormed story ideas, locations, and episode themes and titles. The pair traveled to seven countries on four continents to tell stories of mission work within those communities. Additionally, Volkers was responsible for cinematography, post-production, and more.
Through engaging stories, insightful questions, and practical guidance, Missions Upside Down invites individuals and communities to engage deeply with the evolving realities of global missions and their role in advancing the Kingdom of God.
Ƶstudents gained valuable experiences through Missions Upside Down, too. Digital media and theology majors participated in the writing, filming, and post-production work to create the video series; some even had the opportunity to travel to countries like India and England as part of the project.
“They were a huge part of the process in shooting, audio capture, editing, graphics and animations,” Volkers adds.
Ultimately, Volkers and Baart hope Missions Upside Down will serve the Ƶcommunity and beyond.
“In Dordt’s Digital Media Production program, we talk about producing ‘content worth consuming,’” says Volkers. “Our hope is that Missions Upside Down is exactly that, and that many people around the world will take advantage of the content, and that the Kingdom will expand through our combined efforts.”
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About Ƶ
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Ƶ equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Ƶis a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
Ƶ has renamed its Health and Human Performance program to Kinesiology, a more widely recognized and accurate term that better reflects the program’s focus, career outcomes, and alignment with industry standards.
Six months after graduating, 99.3% of Ƶ's class of 2024 were employed or continuing their education, exceeding the 92% national average for private colleges and universities.
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