
October 22, 2026
Setting Our Hearts
Doug Redford

Village Missions places and supports missionary pastors in rural North American churches through long-term pastoral ministry, leadership development, prayer, and donor support.
Village Missions is a Christian mission organization focused on helping country churches thrive by placing full-time missionary pastors in rural communities. The ministry exists to glorify Jesus Christ by developing spiritually vital country churches, especially in small towns and rural areas where congregations may otherwise struggle to secure pastoral leadership or remain open.
Founded in 1948, Village Missions serves rural North America, including the United States and Canada. Its work centers on local churches that invite Village Missions to provide pastoral leadership. The organization places spiritually qualified missionary-pastors in these congregations, where they preach, teach, provide pastoral care, and build relationships across the wider community.
The ministryโs model is built around long-term pastoral presence in small-town and country churches. Village Missionaries are not sent only to lead Sunday services; they are expected to become part of the life of the community through home visits, Bible studies, youth and adult activities, Vacation Bible Schools, discipleship, and other local ministry opportunities. Many also serve in civic and community roles such as coaching, teaching, volunteering, or helping with local needs.
Village Missions operates through a support structure that includes recruiting, equipping, sending, and caring for missionary pastors and interns. District Representatives visit and encourage missionaries, while staff conferences provide ongoing training and refreshment. The organization also supports future rural ministry leaders through internships, pastoral application pathways, and leadership-development efforts such as the Contenders Discipleship Initiative and Rural Ministry Leadership resources.
The ministry is based in Dallas, Oregon, with additional Canadian leadership connected to Village Missions Canada. Its church-locator resources identify Village Missions churches across numerous U.S. states and Canadian provinces, reflecting the organizationโs emphasis on preserving a gospel presence in rural communities throughout North America.
People can engage with Village Missions by praying, giving, becoming a prayer partner, subscribing to Country Matters Magazine, applying for an internship, applying to serve as a Village Missionary pastor, sponsoring Vacation Bible School, supporting specific missionaries or projects, or connecting through strategic rural ministry resources. Churches and ministry leaders can also learn through Village Missionsโ rural ministry websites, conferences, books, and leadership-development materials.
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