Focus

Michael Clancy is an EMM urban missionary serving in Lebanon City, Pa. Last summer, there was a couple who had been sleeping near the railroad tracks behind Michael’s church parking lot. One of the church members noticed the couple and invited them to a Sunday worship service, enticing them with air conditioning and coffee.

EMM worker Jen Hoover serves in disciple-making in Costa Rica with her family. Just the other day, she enjoyed her first quiet morning in a long time. She enjoyed a second cup of coffee and had a peaceful conversation with her son on the back porch. It was the first day of a new school year — a year with much-hoped-for in-person learning. On this day, Jen said that the “to-do list” had to wait.

On January 3, we flipped the switch to begin generating enough solar energy to meet half of the electrical demands of our Hub 450 property. We are delighted to be able to initiate this renewable energy resource as part of our renovations on this historic building!

EMM worker Carol Wert, who serves in Wales, U.K., was teaching an English lesson one day on different types of transport and asking her students which type was their favorite. Along with the usual mentions of bus, car, train or plane, there was horse and camel, including some fun animal sounds and gestures because the students didn’t know the words in English.

EMM president Marvin Lorenzana refers to this “in” relationship as “the great investment.” Simply put, because we love God we also love our neighbor. We love our neighbor enough to invite him or her to follow Jesus with us (discipleship).

EMM worker Eric gets excited when he hears the word “mentoring.” He desires human relationships that simultaneously empower and encourage both individuals. Mentoring has formation/transformation as its goal, and that is worth being excited about. However, Eric’s experiences with mentoring have often left him feeling less than satisfied with what he finds conceptually to be such a positive and powe...

When I think about this disciple-making mission that we’re called to — especially in this Christmas season — I am reminded that our goal is to become more like Christ and to invite others on that journey with us.

Nathan B. Hege of Lititz, Pennsylvania, went to be with the Lord on December 8. You might recall that he founded this very radio program in 1969. To honor Nathan, here are a few words he wrote in October 1992 for his last column in Missionary Messenger .

For more than 100 years, EMM has shared the good news of Jesus around the world. Thousands of global workers have gone to dozens of people groups. Decades later, the seeds that EMM workers have sown are multiplying into hundreds of thousands of people following Jesus in places like Tanzania, Ethiopia, Honduras, and many other places around the world.

You’ve probably heard us talk before about Hub 450, the newly renovated building at 450 North Prince Street in Lancaster City. I’d like to share with you a little bit about Deb Muenstermann who is an EMM worker that oversees the community-centered ministries on the first floor of Hub 450.

Stacy and Vojta Prknovi, and their daughter, Vikki, serve with EMM in the Czech Republic as regional representatives. For many years they had been living in the capital city of Prague. For a few months, they had been praying about and sensing that it might be time for them to move to another city.

Andrew and Kara serve with EMM in northeast Thailand. Andrew will never forget a life-changing event that happened in 1993 while they were planting their first church. A Thai pastor and Andrew set up a Sunday afternoon preaching point in their carport. Gospel tracks distributed in the housing developments surrounding their home brought in believers. Things went fine until the day they announced th...

Darrel and Miriam* are EMM workers serving in Germany with their two daughters. After a one-year break because of the coronavirus, their church, Soli Deo, once again held their annual international tour of food and music called Esskultour. At the event, there were seventeen national foods served. Irom Iranian gormeh-zabsi to Brazilian coconut chicken rice to American funnel cake.

Michael Clancy is an EMM worker doing urban mission work in Lebanon City, Pennsylvania. Michael had been in a discipleship relationship with a man named Mark before. But Mark walked away from their discipleship time. In April, Michael saw a social media post saying that Mark was looking for a place to live.

EMM workers Jeremy and Jen* first met Pii Prik about a year ago. They were visiting a nearby village that struggles with poverty and sickness. Their language teacher coordinated these visits. Jeremy and Jen delivered food to the individuals and families with the greatest needs.

Thousands of green sea turtles lay their eggs on the coast of Costa Rica every August, and EMM workers Wendell and Melanie Nofziger hoped to see at least one! When Melanie's parents visited the famly for two weeks in August, everyone took three days and headed to a boat-accessible-only national park on the Caribbean coast.

When we pay attention to the Spirit’s leading, we often find ourselves doing unexpected things, things that were not originally in our plans or our minds. This is a common occurrence here at EMM — among our staff as we dream of new ways to participate in God’s kingdom work, and in the lives of our workers as they respond to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those around them.

What do you do when everything stops? EMM’s Christian-Muslim Relations Team was familiar with a steady flow of invitations to teach, equip, and train.

In January 2018, EMM worker Vojta Prkna attended a four-day retreat in the Czech Republic — where he is from and lives — called the Battle for the Heart. It was a kick-off retreat to a longer program that he would go through with a small team of four people. The program consisted of two retreats, individual preparation, and team meetings.

Binsa* is a recently appointed EMM worker serving the Buddhist and Hindu community in Lancaster, Pa. She is a Bhutanese refugee from Nepal, who is now creatively sharing the gospel.

John and Debbie Coats’ situation suddenly changed at the end of March. The Coatses serve with EMM in Cambodia. They had been in the city for several weeks because the roads to their province had been closed. Since their children’s work was closed by the authorities due to the coronavirus pandemic, John and Debbie were using the time to prepare to help in the village if the disease got out of hand.

I’m certain you’ve heard us talk about Dr. David W. Shenk over the years on this program. Perhaps you even know David personally. I’m excited to announce that on September 21, Herald Press will be releasing David’s newest book called, “A gentle boldness: Sharing the peace of Jesus in a multi-faith world.”

While recuperating from surgery, Andrew* decided to watch his favorite missionary film, “Hudson Taylor.” In one scene, a recent Chinese convert addressed Hudson with deep sincerity. He said: “For many years I have sought the truth, as did my fathers before me. But only here, in the words you have spoken, has peace come to my heart. Is the gospel doing well in your country?”

Shovel in hand, Michael Hostetter heaped soil onto a pile in front of him. Rainwaters had been gushing into the foundation of his house. Michael knew that he had to just start digging to solve the problem. Meanwhile, the world had come to a standstill, through ebbs and flows of closures and reopening in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

On August 26th, Barry is embarking on a cross-country motorcycle trip to listen to the stories of EMM short-term alumni. Barry’s goal is to raise awareness for EMM’s new short-term mission program called Advance, underscoring EMM’s long-term commitment to raising up young people to live out the gospel.