The Journey Concept: Rethinking Organisational Strategy in the Global Context of God’s Mission  

EMQ » April – July 2025 » Volume 61 Issue 2

Review by Birgit Herppich, PhD (intercultural studies), affiliate assistant professor of intercultural studies, Fuller Theological Seminary; international membership department coordinator, WEC International; and research scholar, Angelina Noble Center.  

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I have long been uncomfortable with the competitive military and sports imagery in mission literature and the prevalence of corporate strategic planning and evaluation models. Many practitioners feel the assumptions of these concepts do not fit well with the contemporary, complex, fluid realities of global mission contexts.  

I agree with van Wynen that “we … need a better model or concept, rooted in sound theological and missiological principles rather than originating from industry, military tactics, sports, and monetary pursuits (17).” She challenges us to use more humble and collaborative language and approaches to discern our participation in the mission of God.  

Susan van Wynen is a strategy consultant and has been in leadership roles with Wycliffe since 1998. She is the co-author of a history of its transformation into the Wycliffe Global Alliance (Franklin & van Wynen, 2022). Behind this were changes of thinking along the lines of the journey concept proposed in this book (59). 

Van Wynen offers journey, not as another model with specific steps to follow, but a mindset and approach to life. She uses Scripture, literature, history, and research among Wycliffe Global Alliance leaders to “explore and assess the viability of using the concept of a journey to create an adaptable, innovative approach for strategic thinking and planning in the context of Christian organisations” (4).  

Chapter 1 explores the power of metaphor. It highlights how thinking and practice are greatly influenced by the metaphors we use. Van Wynen examines the narratives and approaches that result from metaphors of warfare, sports, and industry to pose the journey concept as more fitting for Christian missions. It reminds us that “our journey is to follow God’s leadership as he accomplishes his mission and allows us to participate” and focuses on “a multidimensional way of being and doing life with God and finding purpose as an organisation. There are no roadmaps … It is the God who leads us who knows the way” (18–20). 

Journey is a metaphor that translates well across cultural borders. Chapter 2 explores different perceptions articulated in the “Journey Survey” of over fifty leaders from thirty-six countries who confirmed the concept of journey as an understandable, “theologically compatible, optimistically received, and realistically applicable … approach to strategy in multicultural, ever-changing organisational contexts worldwide” (5).  

Chapters 3–5 develop how journey literary, historical, and biblical accounts shape perceptions of the journey concept. The final chapter investigates how the journey concept can inform “missional intent,” understood as “our best efforts, under God’s leading, to discern, as leaders and in community, how God desires us to participate” (77). 

Reflection questions throughout the book invite application. An Appendix offers steps and questions to consider, as well as examples of how a journey approach has transformed mission thinking and practice in concrete situations (100–112). This is a highly valuable tool for beginning to implement the journey concept. 

This excellent book is born out of the experience of reshaping an international mission organization. The Journey Concept is a powerful resource for mission leaders. Its proposal of journey as a guiding metaphor is a much-needed transformation of our patterns of thinking and acting (Romans 12:2) in global mission. 

For Further Reading

A Missional Leadership History: The Journey from Wycliffe Bible Translators to the Wycliffe Global Alliance by Kirk J Franklin and Susan van Wynen (Regnum Books International, 2022). 

 

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EMQ, Volume 61, Issue 2. Copyright © 2025 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.