MORE THAN 3 BILLION PEOPLE...
… don’t have access to the gospel or proximity to a follower of Jesus who can tell them about this good news. Another 2 billion people may have access to the gospel but have not experienced its life-transforming power. Very simply, our work is to share the good news of Christ’s transforming love with people who don’t know him.
EMM’s story begins with a boy who asked, “Why?” In 1869, 11-year-old John H. Mellinger was sitting in a church service when he heard Matthew 28:19-20:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The preacher spent the entire service focused on the “teaching them to obey” part of the passage but didn’t say anything about going and making disciples of all nations. John asked his father, “Why?” John’s father couldn’t answer him. For the next 25 years, John wrestled with the Great Commission until he and 11 friends gathered to pray together and started what would eventually become EMM. When EMM officially became organized in 1914, John would become EMM’s first president.
CORE VALUES
Our core values flow from our beliefs and shape how we carry out God’s mission.
Obedience “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
At the heart of EMM ministry is joyful, relational obedience to the voice of God. Our obedience is rooted in thankfulness to God, who pursues humanity with love and forgiveness.
Well-being “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
We seek the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of everyone in the EMM community — workers and those whom they serve around the world, staff, and stakeholders.
Multiplication “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied” (Acts 12:24, NASB).
When every disciple of Jesus goes and makes disciples across the street or around the world, the church experiences multiplication (rather than simple addition), and the kingdom of God expands throughout the earth.
Find more information on our core document, Christ’s Transforming Love.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Posture
Follow the Spirit
We discern the movement of God’s Spirit to launch us into mission. Along with our partners, we nurture our relationship with God, listen to the voice of God, discern direction and priorities for mission, and intercede for God’s purposes to be realized on earth.
Be Learners
We engage our world as learners. We encourage everyone to relate to all people with humility, respect, and mutuality, especially as we interact with people from varied cultural backgrounds, religions, and spiritual streams.
Treasure Unique Giftings
We honor the unique gifts of each disciple. We encourage every person to discover his/her God-given gifts and abilities as an expression of the transforming work of God.
Avoid Unhealthy Dependency
We disciple others who can multiply efforts beyond ourselves. We seek to develop local resources and leaders with a multiplication mindset so as to avoid unhealthy dependency.
Share Experience Freely
We share what we learn with our partners. We do this by providing stories, training, preparation, and coaching for missions among our partners as time and resources allow.
Process
Prioritize Least-reached peoples
We prioritize least-reached people groups. Our communication, recruitment and funding reflects what we have discerned to be God’s priorities for EMM in this season.
Exercise Creativity
We commit to creative ways of engaging in God’s mission. Given rapidly changing contexts throughout the world, we stay abreast of new strategies and missional activities and experiment with those that are consistent with the gospel message, our core values, and these guiding principles.
Embody God’s Love
We witness through incarnational love and a life of peace. As Jesus dwells in us, we invite others to experience the fullness of Christ and be transformed by His love. In this way, people of every cultural background can be transformed and participate in the transforming work of God.
Serve Holistically
We work to address physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. These needs are often intertwined, and we embrace the work of God that touches all aspects of human existence.
Form Community
We connect people into life-giving community. Healing, encouragement, accountability, and wisdom all flow from a community that is formed and shaped by Jesus.
Partnership
Energize Each Congregation
We encourage congregations to be active in making disciples locally as well as globally. Ministry is most effective when it aligns with the calling God has given and the gifts and resources God has provided.
Mobilize Sending Communities
We hope all churches will become sending communities. Obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) is a defining characteristic of a faithful Christian community in every time and place.
Empower Visionary Senders
We collaborate with clusters of partners to whom God has given the vision for a specific region. These groups provide space to develop and encourage prayer, funding, recruiting and strategic projects for a particular region or people group.
Foster Mutual Relationships
We invite and provide channels for church leaders to walk in interdependent relationships with local, regional, and global associations of the Body of Christ. These relationships provide encouragement through prayer, fellowship, and sharing of information and learnings.
Form Healthy Partnerships
We learn from and partner with Anabaptist and other like-minded organizations. We embrace clearly defined working relationships in our sending and serving, where beneficial.