A View From the Country with Brian Wechsler, Executive Director The Bottom Line Most of us have had the experience lately of watching our financial investments take a nosedive. Whether it s an IRA, a 401(k) or a pension plan all our ways of saving for the future seem to be struggling in the present. Of course, Jesus warned us about this! He told us, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal... (Mat. 6:19 NKJV). I ll let you decide whether it s moths, rust or thieves on Wall Street. I don t think Jesus is telling us to neglect saving and planning for retirement. I think He wants us to have the right understanding of earthly riches and, especially, the direction of our hearts. He goes on to say,... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Mat. 6:20-21 NKJV). He would have us make eternal investments! Doing so is a sure test of our heart condition. Treasures in heaven may involve many things, but it certainly includes souls won to faith in Christ. We know they will be there in heaven! However, in this issue you are going to learn about an investment both on earth and in heaven. When you give to Village Missions you are certainly laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Thousands upon thousands of people have come to Christ because a Village Missionary was sent to a community where people otherwise would not hear about Jesus. Here, you ll read about a church that continually strives to reach lost souls in its community. But you ll also learn about an earthly investment that has produced an incredible return. Through the giving of our partners, Village Missions invested in providing salary and health insurance so that our
missionaries could begin to minister in the community. The church grew quickly, so they were able to cover all the expenses of having a pastor. All they needed was that small investment to get back on their feet. Today, Blue Mound Federated Church has returned significantly more money to Village Missions than we invested. Their giving now helps us send missionaries to other churches in need of help. Those who give to Village Missions enable churches to become giving churches. In a sense, those who partner with us are like venture capitalists who invest in a small company to help it produce a profit. It is a fantastic way to multiply what you have given! The bottom line (pun intended) is that lives have been won to Christ because a Village Missionary was in the community. Standing with the country church, Brian Wechsler Executive Director, Village Missions
Looking for a Pastor Blue Mound Federated Church in eastern Kansas celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. While the congregation now averages around 70 each Sunday, times were not always so good. Just eight years ago, church attendance had dwindled to 12 regulars and the 20-year pastor had passed away, leaving them with no spiritual leader in the church or community. We were left without anyone, said current Vice Chairman Dillard Ungeheuer. We kind of held things together, but there was no growth at all. It was getting so discouraging that you wanted to find a (new) fellowship. They didn t just want to fill a pulpit. They wanted to fill hearts with the hope of Jesus Christ. While the hope of the few members was to keep the doors open on Sunday morning, their hearts held a much bigger hope. They didn t just want the church to survive. They wanted to thrive again. They didn t just want to fill a pulpit. They wanted to fill hearts with the hope of Jesus Christ. After learning about Village Missions from a college professor filling the pulpit, in 2008 the church reached out to Village Missions. After meetings with a District Representative and much prayer from both the church and Village Missions, both agreed that the church was a good fit for the ministry. Filling the Pulpit While prayerfully considering who we might assign as the full-time missionary, Village Missions placed Associate Pastor Chuck Hanson and his wife Marge into an interim role to help the church begin rebuilding and to keep a strong spiritual presence in the community. This way, the church was able to continue receiving leadership while awaiting a more permanent Village Missionary. Finally, in April of 2009, the congregation in Blue Mound received their first full-time Village Missionaries, Karl and Dale Rewa. As is the case with all Village Missions fields, the church supplied its new missionaries with a parsonage, but Village Missions supplemented the cost of health insurance and salary for the Rewas. This ensured that the church could pay its own bills, such as utility and upkeep. While the goal of many churches is to become self-supporting, Village Missions continues to supplement these costs as long as the church is in need of it.
In just a few short months, attendance grew at Blue Mound Federated Church, and the congregation was able to step up as a fully self-supporting church. True to the heart of the congregation, the giving didn t stop there. Rather, the church began to give back to its community and other Village Missions churches in a major way. Giving Back Shortly after reaching a self-supporting state, Pastor Rewa suggested a fundraiser for Village Missions, and the congregation jumped on the idea. Individuals in the church offered to lease their land to hunters, and hunters came all the way from Michigan and Louisiana for the opportunity. With six to ten hunters attending the event each year, the church is able to raise thousands of dollars from leasing fees, which they, in turn, give back to Village Missions. Among the group of church volunteers is Dillard and his wife Charleta, who host and feed the hunters each year. Village Missionary Karl Rewa helped people invest in Village Missions through their banquet fundraiser. Current Village Missionary Ben Bielenberg carried it on when he arrived at Blue Mound. Developing out of the hunting fundraiser was Blue Mound s Village Missions banquet, a hunters supper where local individuals and small church congregations can come and listen to a current or former Village Missionary speak about the ministry. These banquets raise even more funds that the church gives back to the work of Village Missions. Although the Rewas moved to another field in Jennings, Michigan, in 2014, current Village Missionaries Benjamin and Kristen Bielenberg have continued the work. It s fun to see the church growing and changing, said Ben. The church loves to support Village Missions, because they ve seen how VM helped them out early on. They ve seen the great ministry VM can have, and they want to be able to give back. Although folks like Dillard are thrilled to be celebrating 100 years, the congregation understands that church is about much more than filling pews and a pulpit. My philosophy is to never get caught up in a numbers game it s to get caught up in reaching a lost world. Usually that world is right outside our church doors, said Dillard.
Reaching the Community Reaching the local community for Christ is exactly what Village Missions is all about, and both the Rewas and Bielenbergs have taken up that call. In many communities, like Blue Mound, there are few or no other churches in the area. Often, when there is another church, The Village Missions program has worked well. It s given small communities like ours a full-time pastor, said Dillard, noting that Ben is considered the community pastor and is the one called on by believers and unchurched alike. they don t have a pastor who lives in their community. That s why Village Missions exists. We place pastors in rural areas, like Blue Mound, to become a part of the community to preach the Word and love the people. Investing in Eternity From hunting trips to banquets to evangelism, the church in Blue Mound understands the investment they are making in the Kingdom of God. They aren t content to hear the Word on Sunday morning. Rather, they want to take that Word and share it through conversation and actions in their community. We realize that it s not just about us. It s about helping other churches in small communities as well, said Ben. When Village Missions first sent a pastor to Blue Mound, KS, Village Missions made an intentional investment in a struggling church. Just eight years later, that small church has grown and invested back into Village Missions twentyfold. The congregation has grown from 12 people to 70, they have made a massive impact on their community,
and their generous giving has helped keep country churches like their own open and thriving across the country. Eternal Investment Thanks to the generous giving of individuals like you, Village Missions is able to keep country churches open by supplying a Village Missionary and supplementing whatever salary and health benefits the church cannot offer. What would have happened if the church had died? It s an eternal investment, said Ben. We were down to 12 members. What would have happened if the church had died? We have 70 people attending now, so that would mean no church for 70 people. Who would be preaching if we weren t here? When you choose to help a struggling country church, you are making an eternal investment. Those funds keep country churches open and give them the opportunity to reach their communities. Sometimes investment doesn t end there. Like Blue Mound, sometimes your initial investment multiplies dramatically, not only impacting a single community, but many across the United States with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2015 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19 Purpose Statement: Village Missions exists to glorify Jesus Christ by developing spiritually vital churches in rural North America. Combined U.S. & Canada statistics: (as reported monthly by Village Missionaries) Salvation decisions in 2015: Adult: 204 Children: 303 Baptisms: Adult: 175 Children: 174 152,612 calls by missionaries over the year, 152,487 hours spent in visiting. Median Sunday morning attendance (per church): U.S.: 45 Canada 32 United States (as of June, 2015): 190 fields served by Village Missions with 74 or 39% in need of help from Village Missions for the missionary s salary/health insurance. 174 couples serving as Village Missionaries, 5 interns, 11 Associate Missionaries; 6 District Representative Couples; 4 Administrators (Executive Director, Assistant Director, Director of Stewardship and C.F.O.); 3 full-time office staff and 3 part-time staff. Canada (as of June, 2015): 24 fields served by Village Missions with 9 or 38% in need of help from Village Missions for the missionary s salary/ healthy insurance. 22 couples serving as Village Missionaries 1 intern, 1 Associate Missionary; 1 District Representative Couple, and 1 Executive Director.
New Fields Annual Report Moline, KS August 2014 Established in 1879, Moline, Kansas, is home to ranches, grain farms, oil fields, and a rock quarry. The town hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year and is home to the oldest swing bridge in Kansas, which has been in use since 1904. First Baptist Church dates back to 1881, and today is the only church in the area reaching its community. Village Missionaries Seth and Julie Finch arrived in Moline in April of 2015. There is great need for sound Bible-teaching churches. The church desires to grow and reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray that the Finches would thrive in their community as they seek to share the Gospel. Leoti, KS January 2015 Leoti was founded in 1885 and sits among vast fields in western Kansas. Most residents work in feedlots or as farmers and ranchers. Carwood Community Church dates back to 1888 and was named after the original buildings constructed from box car lumber. Village Missionaries Justin and Sarah Ingram came to Leoti in June of 2015 after serving as interns. The people are open to discussion, and they are searching for something, said Justin, adding that there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the community, including the county rodeo and free fair. Please pray for Justin and Sarah as they spread the Gospel and get settled in their first Village Missions field.
2015 General Fund Income & Expenses for the year ended June, 2015 (U.S.) Village Missions Board of Directors From left: Gil Doebler, Keith Walker, Glenn Daman, Mike Kane, Pete Corak, Ken Moore, Roy Bell, Glen Hanson, Bill Nicholson, Executive Director Brian Wechsler, Sheldon Blattner. Not pictured: Glenn Faxon.
Annual Report
Make An Eternal Investment Imagine the impact you can have when you invest in a county church! Would you consider how the Lord would have you respond to this story? Would you come alongside us and support country churches financially? Most importantly, would you be in prayer that the Lord would take the investments of partners around the globe and bring about a great return, winning souls to Christ across North America? P.O. Box 197 Dallas, OR 97338-0197 Keeping Country Churches Alive