More than two decades after the birth of your Mission Society, field ministries are in full swing. This report describes some of your life's fruit.
In a recent e-newsletter, one of our cross-cultural workers (ccw) wrote, “I attended a four-day conference for Mission Society leaders from around the world. The training, fellowship and reports of what God is doing was very encouraging. I felt humbled and thankful to be a part of such a group.” He was writing in reference to the October 3–6 gathering of Mission Society field team leaders, regional coordinators, and guest instructors held in Versailles, France. This biennial event enables connectivity between the various Mission Society ministries from around the world.
In addition to prayer sessions and times of instruction, there were updates from each region. Here are a few examples of the work being done around the world by your missionaries:
• In Europe a ministry to artists continues to flourish; ministries of personal discipleship continue to bear fruit, and cell-group leadership is increasingly being developed among nationals.
• In Africa one ministry hospital that combines physical healing with spiritual direction treated more than 13,000 patients in the past year. Community Health Evangelism, which spreads the Gospel as it offers teaching on preventative healthcare, continues to expand and flourish into new villages; ministry to children is enabling nationals to reach thousands of kids for Jesus. Plans are in place for the development of a ministry center by which national leaders will be trained to reach more African people groups for Christ. And in one nation, churches in the capital city are “adopting” (for the purpose of equipping for ministry) rural churches among a formerly unreached people group.
• In Asia ministry to orphans and other “children at risk” enables Christ to be shared in a post-Soviet culture; fledgling churches are finding their way under national leadership; a seminary launched by Mission Society personnel has published a book in Russian on inductive Bible study; and in a developed nation in Asia, thousands are coming to Christ (including many Buddhists) through a ministry to businesspeople.
• In Latin America a mobile medical clinic ministers to more than 5,000 people each year; ministries of music and dance are drawing youth; wells are being drilled; nationals are being trained for ministry, and a children’s ministry has resulted in more than 24,000 Gospel presentations and 14 churches planted.
Frank Decker, Mission Society vice president for field operations, is a former missionary to Ghana and an elder in the Virginia Annual Conference.
