Articles for tag: International Conference on Missions

February 27, 2019

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Community Outreach

Develop These 4 Habits to Increase Your Outreach

By Emily DrayneÂ Iâ™m a missionary . . . and you are too. Missionaries look to make a difference in a community. Itâ™s simply not true that a missionary must relocate to a new country. There are more âhomeâ-based ministry efforts than ever before working in local communities, in inner cities, in childrenâ™s homes, on Native American reservations, and elsewhere. Where can you and the people you lead get involved? This year Iâ™ve personally committed to being a âmissionaryâ where God has placed me. Iâ™ve written out some foundational steps Iâ™m pursuing along this journey that I want to share

February 2, 2019

Christian Standard

It All Boils Down to Faith

By Emily Drayne Organizations and missionaries face an uphill battle with regard to donations. When we see a photo of a half-clothed child, a disaster-torn house, or a village that lacks clean water, our natural reaction is to want to help. Sadly, there are many needs, and not every single one can be captured in a photograph. Missionaries and their families need everyday support . . . so their children can get glasses . . . because the cost of living in their chosen part of the world is high . . . because they are starting a new ministry

January 9, 2019

Christian Standard

Rapha House’s Freed Graces Magazine Cover (Plus News Briefs)

Compiled by Chris Moon and Jim Nieman Stephanie Freed, an Ozark Christian College alum who cofounded Rapha House, was named a “2019 Pathfinder” by J Mag, a lifestyles magazine published by the Joplin Globe. According to the Globe: “The award honors individuals, couples or groups who have accomplished something unique and who have made it possible for others to follow in their footsteps.” The entry for Freed reads: “Stephanie Freed . . . co-founded Rapha House International in 2003, after her father challenged her to research human trafficking. Today, there are safe havens in Cambodia, Thailand and in Haiti, where

January 3, 2019

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Instill the Importance of Missions

By Emily Drayne What happens when our missionaries come off the field? Someone enters the mission field to replace them, right? At least we hope that’s what happens. We’re seeing many veteran missionaries who are ready to retire, but they are having a harder-than-expected time finding someone to take over their work. Are fewer people interested in entering the ministry as full-time missionaries? We need to pass on the importance of missions to our churches, families, and students. Here are four approaches that can help. Highlight Your Missionaries Churches often fail to highlight their missionaries to the entire congregation

November 21, 2018

Michael C. Mack

Conferences & Gatherings Organizations & Events

The ICOM 2018 Recap

By Michael C. Mack The International Conference On Missions was held last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the theme, “Unhindered.” Kevin Dooley served as president this year. Christian Standard Media was a sponsor and exhibitor. We plan to report in more detail about the conference later in our print/digital issue, but here is a quick recap: — ICOM is still tabulating total attendance, but 3,500 people pre-registered and several thousand registered onsite. — About 2,300 people attended the first three sessions, which is an increase of about 400 to 500 over last year’s sessions. — There were 314 exhibitors

November 12, 2018

Christian Standard

Conferences & Gatherings Organizations & Events

Seven Insider Facts About ICOM

By Emily Drayne The strategic focus of the International Conference On Missions is no secret—it’s apparent in the name—but there’s much more that goes on beneath the surface. Do you know these seven insider facts about ICOM? See if you’re an ICOM expert! 1. The idea for a missions conference came from an unexpected place. The idea for the missions conference was born in Los Angeles. J. Russell Morse and John T. Chase had the idea for a “missions emphasis day” before the North American Christian Convention, and the first such meeting occurred in 1948 in Springfield, Illinois. Attendance grew

November 8, 2018

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement History

1964: When the NMC Traveled to NYC

– October 31, 1964 – The International Conference on Missions is taking place in Cincinnati next week, November 15-18. It’s the sixth time the gathering has come to the Queen City, and the first time it’s been there under its “new” name, ICOM. Cincinnati last served as host in 2007; the conference was known as the National Missionary Convention until 2011. As is the case with the North American Christian Convention—now known as Spire—the best-attended gatherings among our fellowship of churches traditionally take place in the heartland. And so, that’s where most of the ICOM/NMC gatherings have taken place during its

November 7, 2018

Christian Standard

Community Bank Donates Building to Church (Plus News Briefs)

A Christian church in Illinois recently was given a former bank building as a place to expand its food pantry. The Longview Bank and Trust donated its former branch building in Chrisman, Ill., to Chrisman Christian Church. The building is adjacent to the church facility. Larry Henson, chairman of the church, told the Independent News that the church planned “to convert the old bank into a new food bank.” According to its website, Chrisman Christian Church has a “Gather Round the Table” ministry that includes the food pantry and a backpack program that provides food to children each weekend during the

October 29, 2018

Kent E. Fillinger

Mission & Evangelism

Kent E. Fillinger

Survey Sheds Light on Our Missionaries

By Kent Fillinger To coincide with this issue’s focus on global missions, I partnered with the International Conference on Missions to conduct a survey to learn more about our Restoration Movement missionaries. The survey was sent out via ICOM’s email distribution network in August and a total of 118 people completed it. While the sample size is small, the focus of the survey is significant. To my knowledge, this is the first time anyone has gathered this type of information about our missionaries. I hope we can build on this foundation as more and more missionaries participate in the future.

October 25, 2018

Gary L. Johnson

Mission & Evangelism

Living as Missionaries

By Gary L. Johnson “Clean your room.” Do you remember saying that to your child or being told that by a parent? It’s straightforward. Clear. Easily understood. A parent simply expects the child to clean his or her room. Nothing more. As a dad, I remember telling my sons to “clean your room” over and over again. Yet, instead of actually cleaning their rooms, what if my sons gathered their friends together and discussed what “cleaning your room” means, or they spoke of various cleaning methods, or even memorized the phrase, “Clean your room.” As a dad, all I wanted

October 22, 2018

Christian Standard

Prayer Worship & Prayer

Prayer, Power, Purpose

J. Russell & Gertrude Morse and Four Generations of Ministry to Southeast Asia and Beyond By Russell Johnson Starting from humble beginnings, the Morse family has made an eternal impact in lands few others had ever tried to reach. The Morses’ journey has taken them through some of the highest mountain passes in the world, where they discovered dozens of tribes who had never heard the name of Jesus. The early years were often devastating and discouraging. Several of the Morses’ friends were buried on unnamed mountainsides halfway around the world from their families. In time, some of these missionaries

September 19, 2018

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Missions and Outreach in a Rural Setting

By Emily Drayne Growing up in a small town, it was easy to look beyond the borders of my community and dream of big cities and far-off places. I never considered my town to be a mission field. Missionaries who came to talk and put up displays at our church were always from a foreign country; I never thought of reaching out to people of my hometown to talk about Christ. But, in reality, there are many outreach opportunities specifically beneficial for rural churches. Here are some ideas for how rural churches can engage in outreach. Look Around You

August 27, 2018

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

How to Help Students Prepare for a Missions Trip

By Emily Drayne Many people mistakenly think an internship or short-term trip with a missions organization will require that they stand on a soapbox and talk to passersby about Jesus. That is not true. Vocational degrees such as business, agriculture, engineering, and cosmetology are among the fastest-growing ways to get into some of the more closed-off places on earth to spread the Word of God. In 2011, during my senior year of college, advisers started to ask me what I planned to do once I left campus. I quickly realized I had no plans. Fast-forward two months, I was talking

July 11, 2018

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Project Mañana: Working Together Today for an Eternal Tomorrow

By Emily Drayne I’ve seen it happen time and again in my ministry with the International Conference on Missions. Whether committing to go on a short-term trip or enter full-time service, when people simply open themselves up to God’s plan, he guides them every step of the way. Brian and Nebraska’s Story After his first short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic in 2007, Brian Berman felt an urge to get involved. He fell in love with the culture and people, but he also saw a physical and spiritual need there. After leaving corporate America, he and his wife,

July 4, 2018

Restoration Movement History

A Brief History of Restoration Movement Media and Christian Standard Media

Compiled by Shawn McMullen Christian Standard and The Lookout have a rich history within the Restoration Movement. Christian Standard was first published in 1866; The Lookout was first published as the Young People’s Standard in 1888 and changed to its current name in 1894. Under the umbrella of Standard Publishing, the magazines served Christian churches and churches of Christ across the United States and around the world for a century and a half. Ownership and leadership have changed through the years, but the purpose of the publications has remained the same—to strengthen churches and their leaders through biblical teaching and the promotion of the Restoration

June 14, 2018

Christian Standard

Restoration Movement History

Why I Love the Restoration Movement

By Rick Chromey “I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am, I did not make it, no it is making me.” Rich Mullins, “Creed” I grew up in a small independent Christian church in remote central Montana. I cut my teeth in a wooden pew, sandwiched between my grandmother and brother, listening to sermons, learning hymns, and loving the saints. I washed Communion cups as a preschooler, passed offering plates as a child, and led song services and served Communion to shut-ins as a teen. I loved my church family. They made me who I

June 13, 2018

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Generations in Missions: Don’t Count Me Out!

By Emily Drayne An older missionary might say, “They’ll never understand how we did it.” A younger missionary might complain, “They’re so old school.” It’s a generational issue that’s probably been around forever. Leaders err, however, when they count out those from other generations simply because of age, style of doing the job, or lack of “experience.” In missions and in ministry, it seems, there are two ways to do the job. There’s the way it’s been done for years, and then there’s the way new leaders with new ideas are doing it. So how can we carry out our

April 28, 2018

Christian Standard

Church & Ministry Church Growth

Finding Hope in the Numbers

By Emily Drayne In the six-plus years I’ve served with the International Conference on Missions (ICOM), I’ve learned that determining the total number of active missionaries is like trying to hold water in your hands. Both are difficult, slippery, and elusive, but I’ve found it’s possible to count missionaries if you do your research and find credible sources. The biggest challenges we face as we count missionaries include these: some serve in sensitive areas and closed countries (and the sponsoring groups are less apt to publicize information about them); some are transitioning to a new location; some are leaving the

April 7, 2018

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Incorporating Missions into Your Church Activities

By Emily Drayne From time to time, every church needs to refresh programs and activities, including missions ministry. No matter the church size, budget, or the number of missionaries supported, missions can easily be prioritized and incorporated into your church activities. A Minute for Missions An easy way to incorporate missions into your Sunday service is to do a “minutes for missions” each week. This can be as simple as showing a few photos of a missionary you support and talking about them for two or three minutes. Show a map of where they serve and talk about the

November 28, 2017

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

Sew to Sow

By Emily Drayne Sandra Ward has an amazing heart. She saw children wearing next to nothing, found a simple tie dress, and thought, Hey, I can make that myself! With that, she founded Sew to Sow. Based out of Kernersville, North Carolina, and affiliated with First Christian, Kernersville, this ministry provides handmade outfits for children sizes 16 and under. The first batch of outfits was sent to Brazil in 2013, and the dressmaking has continued since then. I had the privilege of spending an afternoon with this group and I was impressed by the quality of the outfits, their love