VMMissions Short-term Programs Now Accredited
VMMissions staff that worked on the accredition process: Lynn Suter, Taryn Wilkins, and Martin Rhodes.
VMMissions is excited to announce that it has passed the accreditation process with Standards of Excellence in Short-term Missions (SOE) and is now a fully accredited member of SOE.
A priority for VMMissions over the last several years has been enhancing our short-term program. Discipleship training is a focus, as are mutually beneficial, invitational partnerships with international and domestic partners. Team leaders and participants, as well as host partners, are equipped and commit to 7 SOE standards:
- God-centeredness
- Empowering partnerships
- Mutual design
- Comprehensive administration
- Qualified leadership
- Appropriate training
- Thorough follow-through
This past year, we launched E3 Collective, a new team-based short-term program. Five teams traveled to locations addressing the current refugee crisis: Jordan, Greece and Kenya. Another collective went to Jamaica. We are in the process of planning trips for late spring and summer of 2019.
VMMissions staff with members of the SOE accreditation team.
“There was much prayer, planning and hard work that went into this process, and I am grateful and humbled for the support that staff gave us during this process. I am especially grateful to Lynn and Taryn for having the clarity of vision and courage to work so creatively within the seven standards to build out our E3 Collective program and to see it come to fruition in the lives and testimonies of our workers, overseas partners and local churches,” said Martin Rhodes, Discipleship Ministries Coach.
“The good and difficult work of this past year has made me exceedingly grateful to work with a staff who cares so passionately about the work of the Kingdom in all aspects of life.”
Kathy Mort, the lead facilitator of this SOE accreditation review, noted that it was obvious that we have a dedicated staff who are servants to one another and to God in making our short-term mission program successful and excellent.