I realize this email goes to people who are interested in world missions, and thus have a connection to this ministry. However, I was recently describing where our office is located in Knoxville, and that caused someone to ask the above question.
I actually have three different “elevator speeches” ready to give, depending upon with whom I am talking. Since this individual knew nothing about “independent Christian Churches” or “direct support missions,” I had no need to explain we have been around for 70 years educating, encouraging, exciting, and enlisting people into the cause of world missions. What I shared with him is our Frederick Buechner calling, “The place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
I answered, “We help tell God stories.” That may well be the most eloquent description of Mission Services. Since 1946, we have helped the stories God has written around the world to be told. Whether we used a mimeograph machine or a Heidelberg printing press, whether we distributed slides and scripts or streamed video via the Internet, we have helped tell the stories God has written. Our deep gladness is telling the stories.
The world’s deep hunger is for true stories of hope, grace, peace, healing, and restoring broken lives. From the sparsely populated plains to the swarming pavement of the cities, the hunger is the same. The soul of the wealthy who can purchase anything yearns for the same thing as the starving and deprived who live in the Mathare Valey! Mission Services and the missions networkexist as a conduit for God’s stories to reach the hungry.
Even if you are not familiar with some of the ministries whose stories are shared in the space above – please take a moment to read and watch. They are God’s stories. God is putting this world back together through His Son, and that is what these stories are about. I cannot tell you how thrilled it makes us to be able to help tell them.
