A harvest in the hard places
February 7, 2019
Workers in Asia and Europe share stories of potential harvests in difficult soil, and of immense needs. Is God inviting you to serve?
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New ways of being church
November 5, 2018
Instead of asking, “Why aren’t people coming to our church? Where is the younger generation? What is the future of the church?” we need to be asking, “Where is God at work? How can we participate in what God is doing in this context? What are we inviting people to be part of?”
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A culture of multiplication
November 5, 2018
If you were asked, “What are the irreducible minimums of the church?” what would you say? An assembly of some number? What number? A pattern of assembling? What’s the pattern and what mission and values would it reflect? Beyond discerning that biblically, and agreeing what church should be for a particular context, how would you multiply it?
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From anywhere to anyone
August 16, 2018
At first glance, the idea of all of us “going” sounds like a perfect recipe for chaos! But, somehow, this is what the Holy Spirit does when he gets a hold of us. Our hearts enlarge. Our vision expands. We go beyond our culturally comfortable borders.
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Called to go: Norma’s story
August 14, 2018
Norma Teles is a Brazilian VMMissions worker in Lezhë, Albania, working with Roma children at the school she has founded, the Joshua Center. By Norma Teles Norma Teles at the Joshua Center. Courtesy of Janet Blosser I grew up in a Christian family with nine siblings in Salvadore, Brazil. I was expected to […]
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Preserved for a purpose
August 13, 2018
Francisco and Juanita came to the U.S. as asylum seekers from Honduras. Now God is using them as church planters in Madrid, Spain.
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A tailor-made niche
May 21, 2018
With J.T’s type of design work, he gets to continue in this “cultural mandate” of developing this language and while doing it, share with his Muslim colleagues this beautiful heritage of how Christianity uniquely uplifts languages.
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Work as witness
April 30, 2018
Too often we as Christians have adopted our culture’s divide between the spiritual and the secular. We designate what we do at church or in our personal devotional life as “spiritual,” and the rest of life as “secular.” Except for paid ministry, we rarely think of work as spiritual. The Bible, however, makes no such distinction between spiritual and secular.
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A shared heartbeat for mission
November 3, 2017
If the church is made up of disciples, then everything we are part of should replicate: disciples who can make disciples, small groups who can make new small groups, churches that can plant churches. I have missional dreams that from Eastside would come churches in many locations. That replication process must begin with individual disciples.
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Local mission on the map
November 2, 2017
I am excited about all that is happening within VMMissions USA Ministries: my daily interactions with workers and prospective workers, the requests for tranSend interns from local pastors, the interaction with district leaders regarding their missional hopes, the ground work of discipling that happens in my coaching contexts and in the many new huddles.
moreThe best is yet to come
October 31, 2017
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.
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Call to Prayer: Teaching children to pray
August 30, 2017
As believers, we are tasked with the job of bringing the little children to Jesus. One of the ways we do this is by encouraging and teaching children to pray. We can spend all the time in the world teaching children about God, but if we don’t teach them how to relate to God, we’re not doing any better than the disciples who tried to shoo the children away.
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A knock on the door, seeking and finding
August 19, 2017
“I believe that Jesus is God, and I want to be a Jesus follower.” I couldn’t believe my ears as Yousif prayed a beautiful prayer of repentance, expressing a humble need of Christ. How could this be happening? A Muslim young man, coming to faith so quickly?
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Sharing the good news in Switzerland
August 16, 2017
I wasn’t sure if my writing and work on spirituality in the United States would connect with the people of Europe, but the loneliness, brokenness and hunger for a deeper relationship with God is as evident here as at home. Sharing the good news here in Europe is helping people develop a closer relationship to God and helping them to return to what God created them to be, rather than what the outer world forced on them.
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Lifestyle evangelism
August 12, 2017
“People don’t go to church on Sundays to support their pastors in their ministry. The pastor goes to church on Sunday to support the people in their ministry. And their ministry, the ministry that really counts as mission, is outside the walls of the church, in the world, being salt and light in the marketplace.” […]
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Sowing seeds of good news
August 9, 2017
Holy moments right here and now: mission workers and staff share fresh stories of gospel seeds being sown in the course of their everyday lives. “God, may you bring the fruit!”
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Goal exceeded!
August 7, 2017
Thank you for helping us extend the great chain of disciples who make disciples who make disciples. We slightly exceeded our fiscal-year-end goal of $110,000!
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In Word and with Power
August 7, 2017
In a slum community in a large Asian city, Anita and Yosiah have gained their community’s trust through deeds of love. Now they ask, “How do we proclaim the gospel holistically?”
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Loving our neighbors in jail
June 15, 2017
Jason Wagner, appointed to serve as chaplain at the Rockingham Regional Jail. Courtesy photo By Jason Wagner I have seen firsthand the deep hunger for connection to God and loving fellowship that inmates have in the Rockingham Regional Jail. Since being appointed as a VMMissions worker to serve as jail chaplain, I have been […]
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Call to Prayer: Praying Together
June 15, 2017
By Sarah Showalter “The difference between success and failure is a great team.” —Dave Kerpen “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” —Michael Jordan “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller “Teamwork is the secret that makes common people achieve uncommon results.” —Ifeanyi Onuoha “Sticks […]
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Becoming one: God’s purpose for community
June 12, 2017
Crystal Lehman (second from right) works with an international team of teachers who actively support each other to love and effectively educate the students at Buenos Aires International Christian Academy in Argentina. Photo courtesy of Crystal Lehman By Crystal Lehman Missions has always played an important role in my life. I am, however, still […]
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Better together
May 31, 2017
Bethany and Steve desire to enhance their evangelism and discipleship ministry among Isaan migrant workers in Bangkok, Thailand, by again bringing a team together. Steve and Bethany’s Isaan friends help with evangelism efforts to share the Good News with other Isaan people over pizza at the Horst’s home in Bangkok. Photo by Steve Horst […]
moreThe wisdom of teams
May 31, 2017
Have you ever tried playing baseball by yourself? Or singing four-part harmony alone? There are some things you simply can’t do without the help of others. And we believe mission is one of them. One of the guiding principles for our work at VMMissions is that team is our preferred mode of engaging in mission. […]
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God’s worldwide team
May 30, 2017
Steve and Laura work with the leadership team of one of only five evangelical churches in the country of Montenegro, with a focus on discipling believers, and a vision for growth. Vladimir Cizmanski and Steve Campbell meet to plan various activities at the church. Photo by Janet Blosser By Steve Campbell When Laura […]
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Loving our refugee neighbors
March 15, 2017
By Ben Emswiler It was yet another very cold night in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as we searched for a parking space outside of James Madison University’s Convocation Center where JMU was hosting Eastern Mennonite University in a cross-town men’s basketball game. I apologized to my Congolese friends in the car with me for having to park […]
moreCoworkers for the kingdom
March 8, 2017
Our culture idolizes heroes. Hollywood tells story after story with the message, we need heroes to solve the world’s problems. Right now my little boys are fixated on Superman, Spider-Man and Batman—a curious thing, since they’ve never seen them on the big screen. But somehow they’ve caught our culture’s love of heroes. Who doesn’t wish […]
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Nazareth Village: a living witness to Christ made possible by partnership
March 6, 2017
By Elsa Miller Located in the city of Nazareth, Israel, Nazareth Village is a working historical village that gives visitors to the Holy Land a chance to experience what life would have been like for Jesus growing up in his hometown. One aspect that brings the village to life is the team of historical actors […]
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Local church, global body
March 3, 2017
Rafael and Solange Tartari serve as pastoral leaders of the Guri I Themelit (Cornerstone) congregation in Lezhë, Albania. Through a partnership that spans three continents, they engage in evangelism, discipleship and mentoring. By Solange Tartari In Ephesians 2:11-22, the Apostle Paul gives us a vision of the church that is not just the local community. […]
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Partners in planting
February 21, 2017
Mennonite Hispanic Initiative is a joint effort to birth, nurture and sustain new mission impulses among Spanish-speaking people in Virginia and beyond. By Lizzette Hernandez and Marvin Lorenzana God’s model for eternal existence is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit living in loving relationship with each other. God has modeled this perfect relationship of […]
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What is church?
December 2, 2016
(From left) Granit, Bledor, Bek, Valdet and author Vince at the fitness center. Vince is holding his training schedule. Photo courtesy of author Living in an under-reached nation, with no church in their community, Vince and LaVonne Ramella and their children seek to embody the gospel in their daily lives as a picture of church […]
moreSetting sail with Jesus
December 1, 2016
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. Why make that claim? […]
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Mission and the church in a post-Christian context
November 21, 2016
The front entrance to the Protestant church the Stutzmans relate to, with a crane in the background. Photo courtesy of author In Mannheim, Germany, Dave and Rebekka and their three children serve in a context where churches have experienced decline, but opportunities for mission abound. By Dave Stutzman One of the things that interested me […]
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A tidal wave is coming!
September 1, 2016
Story by Megan* James and Megan* live in a guesthouse for Muslim pilgrims, immediately adjacent to a shrine which is packed from morning until night with devotees and seekers from all over the region. They see a ‘tidal wave’ movement to faith in Jesus coming in their country and region, built upon God’s promises to […]
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Finding life inside
August 19, 2016
Story by Opal* In the North African context where Raleigh and Opal* and their two children serve among Muslims seeking to overcome their debt to God, they are finding open doors. We live near a gated community, of sorts. The first time we walked past its medieval-type turrets, sun-baked stucco walls, and arched […]
moreLong roads to leadership
May 6, 2016
By Nancy Marshall All photos courtesy of Nancy Marshall Nancy Marshall has discipled several potential leaders for pastoral ministry and church planting at Jesus’ Deaf Church in Belize, with major setbacks along the way. The first verse I tacked on my wall here in my house in Belize is Ephesians 3:20 from The Message: […]
moreSeeds of multiplication
May 4, 2016
By Carol Tobin All photos by Mark & Sarah Schoenhals Where the Mark and Sarah Schoenhals family serve in the Isaan region of Thailand, seeds of a multiplying church planted over 20 years ago are beginning to sprout. Throughout the long, dry months when the only rain that can be expected in Northeast Thailand […]
moreKingdom multiplication
April 29, 2016
In the world of Christian mission, the term multiplication is often associated with the numerical growth of the church. The basics of biology teach us that healthy organisms multiply. If the church is healthy, we should see an increase both in the number of believers and the number of believing communities. That’s a constant refrain […]
moreAll of life under the reign of Christ
January 8, 2016
If you want to get a sense for how the gospel touches all areas of life in just over 100 verses, read the book of James. Most likely penned by the brother of Jesus himself, James gives practical advice on what it means to live out God’s kingdom before a watching world. Here’s a sampling […]
moreMission begins with God
October 3, 2015
I grew up in a church that had altar calls. Not all the time, and not in manipulative ways, but from time to time, the leaders at Mountville Mennonite Church would invite us to respond to God by coming to the front of the sanctuary. The invitation would vary. Sometimes it would be for prayer, […]
moreA snapshot of Kids Club with Seth and Theresa Crissman
July 21, 2015
Katie waited on her porch, waiting to get picked up for Kids Club, like every Monday evening. Kids Club is her favorite part of the week. She was among the first to come when Kids Club started in May. Leaders from Early Church and Immanuel Mennonite Church met with Seth and Theresa Crissman to listen, […]
moreNew Creation opening shop to combat sex trafficking
July 20, 2015
The New Creation team at a “pop-up” shop selling items at the ONE Justice Conference in Richmond this past May. Courtesy photo I grew up with the idea that to be a missionary meant going overseas to a poverty-stricken land where no one had ever heard of Jesus. I watched missionaries leave my church to […]
moreLiving the incarnation
July 17, 2015
In the heart of the South Asian Muslim world, James and Ann (not their real names) work with a small business and with the local church in discipleship, neighborhood outreach, and developing leadership and resources. Girls from the South Asian country where James and Ann serve display traditional dress. Photo by authors Ann enjoys spending […]
moreBeing a bridge
July 17, 2015
Richard and Elsie Bowman served with Partners in Mission at Lezhe Academic Center and as a bridge to the local Mennonite church, living the Gospel incarnationally in the city of Lezhë, Albania. Elsie Bowman (left) and Xhilda visit after a church service. Photos by Richard Bowman As I consider some of the scenes from our […]
moreExtending God’s embrace
July 2, 2015
Sometimes the Apostle Paul sounds absolutely crazy. For example, take these words from 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NRSV): “Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the […]
moreTwinkle’s journey: The education of a Kalinga missionary in the Philippines
April 4, 2015
Twinkle (right) in Kalinga with her mission mentor Rev. Daniel Pantoja (center), during a time of fellowship with her newly-organized mission community. Photo: Bryan Jay Nahag Paler . When she was five years old, Twinkle Algag Bautista gazed at the sun’s rays and wondered “Where is this? Where is my homeland? Where is Kalinga?” In […]
moreLearning to Walk After Jesus
April 2, 2015
In the slum outskirts of a large Southeast Asian city, Yosiah and Anita live and serve among the poorest of Asia’s people. In a place of few economic hopes, they manifest the love of Jesus and work to bring hope to their community through transformational discipleship. A view along the street where Yosiah and […]
moreCome to the table
March 31, 2015
In the southern Italian context where Chris and Melody Riddle and their three sons served for eight years, sharing food and friendship around a table is where evangelism and discipleship can have the most openings. . . Micah, Adam & Isaiah enjoy a New Year’s meal with friends at the home of Elena’s sister. Photo: […]
moreKnow them by their fruit
March 14, 2015
Last spring, I bought a new (to our family) vehicle. The 15-year-old minivan we were using at the time kept having maintenance issues. The starter faltered. The transmission was unresponsive at times. But I was prompted to action when the fuel line sprung a leak right over the exhaust manifold. The mechanic told me it […]
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