Ralph D. Winter

Ralph D. Winter
Born(1924-12-08)December 8, 1924
Los Angeles, California, United States
DiedMay 20, 2009(2009-05-20) (aged 84)
Pasadena, California, United States
EducationCalifornia Institute of Technology, B.S. in Civil Engineering
Columbia University, MA in TESL
Princeton Theological Seminary, B.Div.
Cornell University, PhD in Linguistics, Anthropology, Mathematical Statistics
Occupation(s)Missiologist, scholar, professor
Spouses
  • Roberta Helm
  • Barbara Scotchmer
Parent(s)Hugo H. Winter (civil engineer) and Hazel Patterson

Ralph Dana Winter (December 8, 1924 – May 20, 2009) was an American missiologist and Presbyterian missionary who helped pioneer Theological Education by Extension, raised the debate about the role of the church and mission structures and became well known as the advocate for pioneer outreach among unreached people groups. He was the founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission (USCWM, now Frontier Ventures), William Carey International University, and the International Society for Frontier Missiology.[1]

His 1974 presentation at the Congress for World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland – an event organized by American evangelist Billy Graham – was a watershed moment for global mission.[2]

It was during this presentation that Winter shifted global mission strategy from a focus on political boundaries to a focus on distinct people groups. Winter argued that instead of targeting countries, mission agencies needed to target the thousands of people groups worldwide, over half of which have not been reached with the gospel message.

Billy Graham once wrote: “Ralph Winter has not only helped promote evangelism among many mission boards around the world, but by his research, training and publishing he has accelerated world evangelization."[3]

In 2005, Winter was named by Time magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.[2] Dr. Ray Tallman, shortly after Winter's death, described him as "perhaps the most influential person in missions of the last 50 years and has influenced missions globally more than anyone I can think of."[4]

  1. ^ "Video tribute to Dr. Winter's life". U.S. Center for World Mission. Archived from the original on 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
  2. ^ a b "25 Most Influential Evangelicals Photo Essay: Ralph Winter". Time (magazine). Archived from the original on February 3, 2005. Retrieved 2005-01-30.
  3. ^ "US Center for World Mission Celebrating 25 Years of Service". U.S. Center for World Mission.
  4. ^ Vu, Michelle. "Ralph D. Winter Remembered as 'Giant' in Mission Field". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2009-05-22.