In her youth, seeds were planted that prepared her heart for mission. She heard stories from visiting missionaries at church. She read biographies and other books authored by missionaries. And she went on youth group mission trips in high school and college. But in 2002, Communitas missionary Hillary C. had in mind a very different…
In his Great Commission Jesus tells us, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20a). We often think…
Brad Smith, working in the Netherlands, describes how God works in mysterious ways, beyond what we could ever hope for or ask, for His Kingdom and for His purposes: One day, I invited Jochen*, one of the men I was mentoring, to go prayer walking with me. It was a new experience for him. While…
Sometimes God leads us through multiple invitations to say “Yes,” each followed by small steps forward that lead us where He wants us to go. Melinda Means didn’t end up on mission in Berlin, Germany the “typical” way. There was no dramatic “call” to join a mission. Just quiet whispers and open doors. God nudged…
In the midst of a pandemic, it’s easy to see the hardships, the struggles, the trials. But if we look with eyes to see and ears to hear, we might just see God at work. He is always working. In southern France, for example, a long-established café culture exists. Almost everywhere, you can find small,…
We are starting a series highlighting various reasons why our missionaries decided to join us in partnering with God in creating communities of faith. Maybe God is nudging you or someone you know? Read on! Todd and Y Bonesteele were 37 years old with four young kids between the ages of 2 and 8. Living…
UNITED KINGDOM –– Hassan*, a Kurdish young man from western Iran, walked into the Upper Room church. From the very beginning, he began asking question upon question about the differences between what was taught there and what was taught in his strict Islamic upbringing. The Communitas church he walked into is highly focused on refugees…
Before planting a church in Ithaca, NY, Elizabeth and I had begun two university ministries; one at the University at Albany and a second at Cornell University. During that period, we were bi-vocational and also raised ministry support. Eventually, the church we planted grew, I received a salary and was relieved that I would never…
Like any other year, our first year in the Czech Republic (Czechia) was an endless testimony to God’s light breaking through whenever dark clouds gathered. As we boarded our flight from Denver, Colorado on July 4, 2019, we could never have imagined the crazy year that lay ahead. We began serving in Czechia in 2009, leading…
I have sometimes thought that we are more of a hindrance than a help to God’s work. In moments of personal prayer I have surprised myself by asking God not to allow me to spoil what He alone does so well. This is funny to me, now that we are getting out of lockdown and…
