This is an article from the March-April 2009 issue: U.S. Center for World Mission

Mission Services

Service... with a Smile!?

Mission Services

"We need it today!" reverberates through the halls and always seems to end up with those of us in the Services Division. As we penetrate the new frontiers of our own skills and capabilities, we also attempt to penetrate vast outside publics with news of exciting happenings here. Our duties are many and varied. Floors must be swept and windows washed. Beyond all that, the Center's letters, flyers and pamphlets must be produced.

Recently we published a Spanish version of Dr. Winter's Penetrating the Last Frontiers chart. This chart is now being used by Operation Mobilization to help the Spanishspeaking world to discover the needs of the "hidden peoples". We are thankful for this opportunity to share in Christ's work with our fellow laborers, and stand ready to supply such materials to mission agencies and churches who need them. Elizabeth Marshall artfully prepare cameraready copy.

When materials have been produced, it is ours to see that they are mailed. Perhaps our most vital function is responding to the many friends who share our work financially. This involves both mailing list maintenance, and getting out the mail. John Otteson processes incoming checks and a corps of volunteers keeps our letters moving out. Along with our "thank you" to each new donor, goes the book Once More Around Jericho and a missions chart. Our bookstore, headed by Mary Frances Redding, is blossoming. It specializes in books on mission strategy, church growth, and theological education by extension. We are excited about the growth of this uniquely missionsoriented bookstore. It has recently moved to bigger quarters on campus. Our Church Growth Book Club is flourishing. Its members can secure all titles at a discount.

With all this we do many things just to keep the Center wheels running smoothly: Our receptionist greets visitorsalong with her many other duties. We purchase supplies, maintain machines and even help with building upkeep.

Thus Mission Services means outreach to our nation, our world, through literature and materials, while providing oil for a smoothly running Pasadena operation. Our vision is as broad as the work of God in the world, and as practical as sweeping floors.

Do You Want This Project to Succeed?

There is really no human possibility we can succeed in meeting the remaining $13.5 million of our founding budget in time, by the method we feel God has led us to use:

  1. Never asking money from church budgets
  2. Never asking anyone for more than one $15.95 gift.

You may wonder why we have felt God leading in this way. The primary reason is we have set out to help all evangelical mission agencies
and it is no help to divert money away from them. Rather, all we do is designed to cause funds to how to agencies which are heading toward new frontiers.

Can we then succeed? The Bible says "Seek first the Kingdom of God..." We have followed this onetime $15.95 plan faithfully and it is working.* Those who have caught the vision are sharing it.

Take my 86 year old father, for example. He has been lending 4 copies of my wife's book Once More Around Jericho (We find people are more likely to read a book you lend them.) Within a few weeks over 40 read the book returned it and 28 decided to give $15.95 or more.

Now is that too hard to do? Nowhere else in print is there so much about us... who we are, where we are going, the whole amazing story of how we have come this far.

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