All posts Archives - Page 19 of 41 - Virginia Mennonite Missions

College students worship in the living room of 264 OSH, a hospitality ministry called Eastside College that invites students into a growing relationship with God.

Nurturing the faith of college students

God awakened in me a dream for the dividing walls to be broken down and for all of us—university students and local members of congregations—to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the unique gifts of these students to be nurtured for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Seeds of transformation

I soon came to realize that my primary purpose for being at LAC was to build relationships. Teaching my subject area well was important; but the real substance of our time there was in the one-on-one conversations with students, other teachers, and persons in the community. Students watched us closely and asked deep questions, trying to understand our faith and our relationship with God.

Aaron M. Kauffman Graduates with Doctor of Ministry Degree

Dr. Aaron M. Kauffman, president of VMMissions since 2014, graduated with a Doctor of Ministry degree from Asbury Theological Seminary on May 18, 2019. His dissertation uncovered five key strategies of local churches that are successfully engaging young adults.

The 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.

Michael H. prays for workers at a resource event for Ministry Support Teams. Workers in South Asia, he and his wife Ruthy practiced organized prayer as a foundational aspect of their ministry in a large Muslim city. They are currently exploring future ministry assignments. Photo: Carol Tobin

Seeing the harvest that Jesus sees

With one sweep of my husband’s eye on our garden, he sees past investment, present challenges, and future promise. I learn a lot when I ask him to show me what he sees. This is what we do when we pray. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges or exasperated by the complexities—“What do we do? Where do we start?”—we ask, “Lord, what do you see?”

Putt Fore Missions is May 23

Join Putt Fore Missions, a mini-golf tournament and meal fundraiser for VMMissions on Thursday, May 23, 5:30PM – 9:30PM. There will be two waves of the tournament, with teams of four. Not a golfer? Come just for the dinner (suggested $10 donation) and enjoy a fun, family atmosphere and support missions!

College students pray at a prayer and worship service at 264 OSH, a ministry of worker Rachel Yoder. Courtesy Facebook

Sowing seeds close to home

Workers in the U.S. are seeing transformation firsthand as God’s activity permeates local communities among people of every background.

The sprawling Moria refugee camp in Lesvos. Photo: UNHCR

“Hello, my friend”

I came because I thought that I could do something for God. But I soon realized that God brought me to Greece so that he could do something in me. The stories of bravery and courage I heard have impacted me and changed the way that I see the world.

Expect 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?