Stories of Mission
Explore mission themes in our quarterly magazine as workers tell stories of making disciples in the way of Christ.
Stay informed of all the latest VMMissions news.
Thank You for Investing in the Life-Changing Kindness of Jesus Christ
Christmas is about kindness, God’s kindness toward us in Jesus Christ. In a world where kindness is in short supply, this is good news. We are invited to throw off the shackles of sin and receive the new life only Jesus can bring. Thank you for helping us share this kindness of God through a gift to the Mission Fund and meeting our year-end goal of $160,000.
Read MoreWorker profile: Lydia Musselman
In addition to the many ways that they share life with each other at 264 OSH, Lydia also leads discipleship groups, weekly prayer on the campuses of EMU and JMU, and Bible studies with women from both universities, nurturing cross-cultural connection and watering their souls with the living water.
Read MoreCall to Prayer: Lord, Teach Us to Pray!
“In God’s kingdom we are born anew to multiply, and Luke’s gospel has been teaching us that multiplication is preceded by prayer,” Lizzette Hernandez writes. “So in response to the Spirit’s invitation, we have been meeting once a month for the last year to pray. As we’ve come together, God has done new things.”
Read MoreMoving Towards Multiplication
“Moving towards multiplication takes time, energy and patient trust in the One who makes the harvest,” Mike Metzler writes. “Yet multiplication is also simple. J.R. Briggs, a church planter who is ministering near my hometown in Lansdale, Pa., caught my attention with this statement: ‘All of us are missionaries disguised as good neighbors.’ His words resonate with me.”
Read MoreEngage. Establish. Equip. Empower.
As a discipler with Every Nation Campus and partner in mentoring a number of VMMissions tranSend interns, Carlin Kreider uses four principles:
- Every person is valuable to God.
- Every church, campus ministry, and small group can grow.
- Every minister should prepare others to minister.
- Every disciple should make disciples.
God’s Arithmetic
Life Enrichment Church (LEC), a network of house churches in a forgotten rural corner of Thailand, was planted with the vision of multiplication in the late 1990s. How might God reach this impoverished, minimally educated corner of the country? Those first pioneer missionaries mounted their motorcycles, braving heat and dust – or monsoons and mud – to spread seed broadly, looking for the few who would respond.
Read MoreA Call to Shkodër
“We must make disciples for the kingdom of God,” Rafael Tartari writes. “We are not setting goals for our own convenience, according to our own agenda. This is not something we choose to do. It is something for which God has chosen us!”
Read MorePatient Ferment
I celebrate the move in Christian missions toward indigenous leadership and simple approaches to discipleship that can easily multiply among new believers. It is a welcome change from models that foster unhealthy dependency on foreign workers. Yet I also have some caution, especially when the emphasis is on speed and numbers.
Read MoreVMMissions Launches ‘A Church of Many Cultures’ Campaign
Watch the full video highlighting the ‘A Church of Many Cultures’ campaign. Consider joining this vision!
Read MoreElio Milazzo: A Man Whose Voice Mattered
Within the Italian Mennonite world, there are few who would not recognize the powerful voice of Elio Milazzo, who for years was producer and voice of Parole di Vita, a radio broadcast sponsored by Italian Mennonites in partnership with Mennonites in North America, including VMMissions. The Italian Mennonite Church grieves his recent passing on August 29.
Read MoreMy Coins Count Raises Over $17,000
My Coins Count is an annual campaign that benefits programs designated by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and VMMissions. In 2021, contributors donated a preliminary total of $17,073.74, of which $8,536.87 will benefit the family discipleship ministries of VMMissions workers Hannah Shultz and Seth & Theresa Crissman.
Read MoreRiders Raise Over $25,000 at 25th Annual Bike Shenandoah
On Saturday, September 18, nearly 100 bicyclists gathered at the grounds of Eastern Mennonite School to participate in the 25th annual Bike Shenandoah Cycle for Service. The event raised over $25,000 to be shared evenly among its six partnering entities, including Virginia Mennonite Missions and the Stephen R. Leaman Memorial Endowment for Missions.
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