Posts by Aaron Kauffman
From Virginia into the Heart of Christendom
“I do not believe that it is above what we could expect, if the Lord tarries, that we would have a native Mennonite Church in Sicily.” These were the words of Truman Brunk in his report to the executive committee of the mission board upon his return from a visit to Sicily in November 1950.
Read MoreBeginnings: 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. Though many declined the invitation to serve, a steady stream of workers labored over the years, eventually giving birth to over a dozen churches.
Read More2019 Mission Fund Goal Nearly Reached
We express a hearty thank you for your generous gifts to our Mission Fund during our 2019 fiscal year end campaign! We ended the campaign on August 31 with $146,404 received of the $150,000 goal.
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 More2017 Mission Fund Goal Exceeded
Thank you for helping us extend the great chain of disciples who make disciples who make disciples. We slightly exceeded our 2017 fiscal-year-end goal of $110,000!
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.
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