Posts by Aaron Kauffman
Beginnings: Called to the Mountains
In the early days, mission vision emerged at the district level of Virginia Mennonite Conference. Middle District was exemplary in mobilizing witness over the mountains into West Virginia. A steady stream of workers labored over the years, eventually giving birth to over a dozen churches.
Read MoreSowing and Harvesting: VMMissions Kicks Off Centennial Celebration
On July 18, 2019, a crowd of over 450 gathered at Lindale Mennonite Church to kick off a series of events celebrating the 100-year history of VMMissions. The evening’s theme was “cultivating good soil,” based on Jesus’ parable in Mark 4:1-9.
Read MoreThe School of Obedience
Discipleship is about the most important kind of learning possible, learning to follow after Jesus. Yet too often, we see it as an add-on rather than an essential part of faith. If discipleship were only a matter of acquiring information, perhaps we would be less inclined to neglect it.
Read MoreExpect a Harvest
We can get so preoccupied with our own needs that we can’t see the bounty in God’s global harvest. What if we allowed our hunger to drive us into the grain fields of the world? Can we trust that Jesus is already there, beckoning us to reap with joy what others have sown?
Read MoreThe Best is Yet to Come
It’s easy to look at the present landscape of the church in North America and get discouraged. Nearly all denominations are in decline. Where are the streams that God is causing to spring up in what feels like a spiritual wasteland? I see at least three streams of renewal.
Read MoreLifestyle Evangelism
Do we have the courage to live such radical lives of obedience to Jesus that we stand out from our culture, and perhaps even suffer for it? Do we have the humble confidence to bear witness to the gospel among our family members, neighbors, and coworkers?
Read MoreSetting Sail With Jesus
We live in an age when it’s popular to be spiritual but not religious. Many view the church with indifference or even suspicion, though they may still admire Jesus. So we at VMMissions know we are going against the grain when we say church is the primary instrument for God’s mission.
Read MoreKingdom Multiplication
Sometimes multiplication gets reduced to a business model. If we get more people gathered into more churches, we’ll have more money for what we hope to provide. I am certainly in favor of increasing our membership, but church growth is not the primary aim of God’s multiplying mission.
Read MoreAll of Life Under the Reign of Christ
Holistic witness is about letting the gospel declaration that Jesus is Lord permeate every corner of our lives. That’s why VMMissions works not only at evangelism and church planting, but also in many other areas. Christ’s kingdom impacts all of life, and so should our witness as his people.
Read MoreMission Begins With God
My father was crazy enough to believe that while it was his job to model and invite faith, it was God’s job to convert me to it. He chose patience over pressure. At VMMissions, we recognize that God is at work long before we ever arrive, and will continue to be at work long after we’re gone.
Read MoreExtending God’s Embrace
On the cross, Jesus extends his arms in an embrace that’s big enough to reach our entire broken world. Embrace is a compelling image for mission in a divided world. Like Jesus, we open our arms to others, inviting them to the kingdom. To make the offer understood, we learn their language and adopt their customs.
Read MoreKnow Them by Their Fruit
What motivates you? What underlying beliefs and values inform the decisions you make? These are hard questions for many people to answer. Our convictions and motivations often lie below the surface, beyond our full awareness. Yet they are at work all the time.
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