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Who We Are
NMI is the global missions advocate in every local church, nurturing a spirit of missions, and mobilizing into action, impacting people around the world.
We Are One People
ADVOCATING, NURTURING, MOBILIZING AND IMPACTING THE WORLD through the Five Areas of Impact.
We encourage people to pray for all missions efforts of the Church of the Nazarene. We engage children and youth in learning about and participating in the mission of God. We provide care and connection between missionaries and local churches of the Nazarene. We inform others of the world’s need and how the church is responding through the World Evangelism Fund. We lay the foundation through Alabaster offerings for places where people worship, heal and learn.
Our History
NAZARENE MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL HISTORY
In response to Christ’s Great Commission, missionary organizations were established by various groups and denominations. Nazarene Missions International (NMI) traces its origin primarily to the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America (APCA), when in April 1899, the Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) was founded.
The WMS was officially recognized as an auxiliary organization of the Church of the Nazarene in 1915 at the fourth General Assembly. It was recommended that there be an organization in each local church to increase knowledge and interest in missions by prayer, by obtaining special speakers, and by keeping in touch with the missionaries; and to cooperate with the (local) Church Board in raising their apportionments (for missions).
The first General WMS Convention was held in June 1928; and it was at that Convention, the General Council members were elected by the Convention (prior to that the Council was elected by members of the General Assembly).
The name of the ministry has changed over the course of its history: 1928—Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS), 1952—Nazarene Foreign Missionary Society (reflecting the introduction of men, youth, and children into the organization), 1964—Nazarene World Missionary Society, 1980—Nazarene World Mission Society (reflecting the international aspect of the organization), and 2001—Nazarene Missions International (NMI).
The purpose of NMI shall be to mobilize the Church of the Nazarene in missions through 1) praying, 2) giving, 3) educating, and 4) engaging children and youth.
Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) organized in Providence, Rhode Island
General Board of Foreign Missions appoints committee of three (Susan Fitkin, Ada Bresee, and Eva Benson) to prepare a constitution and bylaws
First WMS page in The Other Sheep
- The WMS Constitution officially adopted and placed in the Manual
- Woman’s General Missionary Committee changed to Woman’s General Missionary Council and the 16 members elected by the General Assembly
- Missionary Pamphlets/Leaflets (became books) initiated
- Requirements for Standard and Superior Societies established
- Prayer and Fasting League introduced
- First General WMS Convention held in June in Columbus, Ohio
- Global Council members elected by the Convention instead of General Assembly
- Name changed to Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS)
First issue of General Council Tidings
- Alabaster giving launched
- Ten Percent Giving introduced
- Men became active members
- Name changed to Nazarene Foreign Missionary Society (NFMS)
- Star Society introduced (replaced Standard Society)
- Fortieth Anniversary Project—Offering to open Nazarene work in Papua New Guinea (received in 1954)
- Dr. Louise Chapman retires (Project—Africa Literature Fund)
- Rhoda Olsen elected general president
- Name changed to Nazarene World Missionary Society (NWMS)
- Executive secretary became chief executive officer
- Fiftieth Anniversary Project—Papua New Guinea hospital
- NMI reading book tapes began
- Men in Missions (Work & Witness) program introduced by the General Council
- Distinguished Service Award introduced
- Box Work expanded to LINKS
- Mission Award introduced (replaced Star Society)
- Number of international representatives expanded on the General Council
- Prayer Mobilization Line introduced
- Revision of Children’s Mission Education curriculum
- Dr. Nina G. Gunter elected general director
- Nazarene Compassionate Ministries added to NWMS Calendar of Emphases
- First issue of HeartLine
- “Kids’ World” page introduced in World Mission magazine
- Youth and children groups are given mission names (AMBASSADORS—Children, ACTION—Youth)
- Medical Plan became international
- NMI 75th Anniversary celebrated (Project—Hong Kong and Beyond— $885,484)
- First District Presidents’ Gathering
- Global Glimpses introduced
- 100th Birthday Project Offering for World Evangelism Broadcast—in honor of Dr. Louise Chapman’s 100th birthday
- Alabaster Love Building Program put into place
- MedCare Paks Project instituted in cooperation with NCM
- NMI 2000 Committee met to identify and discuss direction for NMI in the 21st century
- 80th Anniversary Project—NMI International Student Scholarship Fund—initiated in honor of the celebration in 1995—$350,000
- Regional program coordinators put in place on each world mission region
- Nazarene World Week of Prayer first observed
- Mission education point in Mission Award program expanded to include learning processes in addition to reading books and curriculum
- Casa Robles 50th Anniversary celebrated (October 12)
- Organized prayer for the JESUS Film Harvest Partners ministry initiated
- 100th Birthday Project Offering for World Evangelism Broadcast—in honor of Dr. Louise Chapman’s 100th birthday
- Crisis Care Kits program replaces MedCare Paks
- “Mission Award” changed to “Mission Priority One”
- District NMI Presidents’ Work & Witness trip to Brazil
- Memorial Roll for Children introduced
- “Books for Pastors—Tools for Ministry,” NMI 90th anniversary project for 2004-05, initiated—amount given: $2.6 million
- Membership secretary deleted as an NMI council position, as it is everyone’s role to include people as members in NMI
- GenNEXT liaison added as member of NMI Office staff
- NMI leaders encouraged to mentor young people to plan for future mission leaders
- Living Mission—the revised adult mission education curriculum—is introduced
- Living Mission Facebook page initiated
- Mission Immersion introduced for high-school juniors and seniors; trip to Guatemala
- NMI Mission Books offered in eBook formats
- Youth component of Living Mission introduced
- Global NMI Handbook released
- Prayer Vision Journey for district NMI presidents to Sri Lanka and India
- Mission Immersion to Kenya
- Alabaster giving reaches US $100 million since the offering’s inception
- Prayer Mobilization Line expanded to include Spanish translation
- Wesleyan-Holiness Digital Library, product of “Books for Pastors” project, goes live
- Global NMI Convention takes place globally via live streaming video in 11 sites
- Dr. Philip Weatherill elected global president—the first male president
- Fast Facts released in multiple languages
- Lola Brickey elected global NMI director
- NMI 100th Anniversary celebrated
- General Board adopts Nazarene Missions Project
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Organization officially recognized on the general level (natal date of organization—October 8, 1915)
- First meeting of the appointed Woman’s General Missionary Committee—Executive Committee elected
- Memorial Roll introduced
- Relief and Retirement Fund established
- Rev. Mrs. Susan N. Fitkin became general president
- First missionary picture set published
- Mrs. Ada Bresee appointed the first Box Work (LINKS) secretary
- The WMS Constitution officially adopted and placed in the Manual
- Woman’s General Missionary Committee changed to Woman’s General Missionary Council and the 16 members elected by the General Assembly
- Missionary Pamphlets/Leaflets (became books) initiated
First adult study book published
Twenty-fifth anniversary year
- Rev. Mrs. Susan Fitkin retires (Project—Fitkin Bible Training School)
- Dr. Louise R. Chapman elected general president
- Dr. Mary L. Scott became executive secretary
- Prayer Chart introduced
- First offering for Spanish Broadcast (World Mission Broadcast)
- Saturday Night SKYWATCH—Prayer
- Children’s lessons appear in Junior Topics
- Fiftieth Anniversary Project—Papua New Guinea hospital
- NMI reading book tapes began
- Bea Oliver elected general president
- First men elected to the General Council (Dr. Paul Gamertsfelder and Dr. Morris Weigelt)
- Dr. Mary Scott retires
- Mrs. Wanda Knox became executive secretary
- The Other Sheep changed to World Mission magazine
- Lela Jackson elected general president
- Dr. Phyllis H. Perkins became general director (title changed from executive secretary)
- General Council Tidings changed to Focus;
- Name changed to Nazarene World Mission Society
- Venezuela Project
- Revision of Youth Mission Education curriculum
- Mission Award program revised
- Men in Missions program becomes Work & Witness program
- First issue of International Mission Education Journal (Wanda Knox Memorial Project)
- Local and District Resource notebooks introduced
- LINKS became international
- First Million Hours of Prayer plan for General Assembly and Conventions
- “Hong Kong and Beyond,” NMI 75th Anniversary project, introduced; goal: $750,000
- Barbara Flemming elected general president
- Meet Your Missionaries book changed to “Missionary Prayer Box”
- First Youth Mission Commitment Day observed by NMI and NYI
- Award of Excellence began (World Evangelism Fund Overpayment Plan)
- Bibles for Russia project
- First issue of international cookbook
- Praying Through the Window, an interdenominational prayer effort for the 10/40 Window introduced, and NMI encourages participation
- Youth Mission Commitment Day 2 held
- NMI and Global Mission Department team to produce World Mission Video Magazine
- NMI website and Global Information Network set up on the Internet
- Prayer Mobilization Line expanded to E-mail and website
- NMI 80th Anniversary celebrated
- Casa Robles 50th Anniversary Project (to provide items for the missionary retirement center in 1996)—$150,000
- “Wings for the Gospel”—Denomination-wide NWMS/Children’s Ministries joint project for Nazarene Mission Aviation initiated—$502,000
- Beverlee Borbe elected general president
- The name “World Evangelism Fund” replaces “General Budget”
- NMI participates in International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church for the first time
- Children’s Alabaster Box introduced
- “World Evangelism Broadcast” replaces “World Mission Radio”
- Youth Mission Commitment Day 3 held
- Mission Connection replaces Focus
- Gifts from the Heart, a new avenue of Medical Plan giving, introduced
- Name changed to Nazarene Missions International
- Rev. Eunice Brubaker elected general president
- Mission call coordinator added as an NMI council position
- Emergency Medical Plan Offering received in May
- Witness on Wheels, cooperative offering project between NMI and Children’s Ministries—$400,000
- “World Evangelism Broadcast” becomes “World Mission Broadcast”
- NMI Fast Facts introduced, using statistics from the general NMI director’s report
- School Pal-Paks, a cooperative project with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, initiated
- “Medical Plan” name changed to “Missionary Health Care”
- Mission Priority One program revised to be more simple and international
- NMI Constitution reorganized
- NMI 90th Anniversary celebrated; ‘Books for Pastors’ project extended through 2006
- Dr. Daniel D. Ketchum elected global director (formerly “general director”)—the first male global NMI director
- Funding the Mission giving plan implemented
- Rev. Jennifer Brown elected global president—the first president elected from outside the USA/Canada Region
- Prayer Mobilization Line Facebook page initiated
- Nazarene Missions International Facebook page initiated
- NMI Mission Books offered in eBook formats
- Youth component of Living Mission introduced
- Global NMI Handbook released
- Prayer Vision Journey for district NMI presidents to Sri Lanka and India
- Mission Immersion to Kenya
- Alabaster giving reaches US $100 million since the offering’s inception
- Prayer Mobilization Line expanded to include Spanish translation
- “100 Years, One Mission, Eternal Opportunities,” NMI 100th Anniversary project, initiated—goal: global participation
- Mission Immersion age limits expanded—high-school juniors and seniors to Quito Ecuador, high-school freshman and sophomores to El Paso, Texas
- The new constitution was adopted
- 25th anniversary of the Global Week of Prayer.
Resources provided in 25 languages.
- Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) organized in Providence, Rhode Island
- Organization officially recognized on the general level (natal date of organization—October 8, 1915)
- General Board of Foreign Missions appoints committee of three (Susan Fitkin, Ada Bresee, and Eva Benson) to prepare a constitution and bylaws
- First meeting of the appointed Woman’s General Missionary Committee—Executive Committee elected
- Memorial Roll introduced
- Relief and Retirement Fund established
- Rev. Mrs. Susan N. Fitkin became general president
- First WMS page in The Other Sheep
- First missionary picture set published
- Mrs. Ada Bresee appointed the first Box Work (LINKS) secretary
- The WMS Constitution officially adopted and placed in the Manual
- Woman’s General Missionary Committee changed to Woman’s General Missionary Council and the 16 members elected by the General Assembly
- Missionary Pamphlets/Leaflets (became books) initiated
- Requirements for Standard and Superior Societies established
- Prayer and Fasting League introduced
- First adult study book published
- First General WMS Convention held in June in Columbus, Ohio
- Global Council members elected by the Convention instead of General Assembly
- Name changed to Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS)
- Twenty-fifth anniversary year
- First issue of General Council Tidings
- Rev. Mrs. Susan Fitkin retires (Project—Fitkin Bible Training School)
- Dr. Louise R. Chapman elected general president
- Alabaster giving launched
- Ten Percent Giving introduced
- Dr. Mary L. Scott became executive secretary
- Men became active members
- Name changed to Nazarene Foreign Missionary Society (NFMS)
- Star Society introduced (replaced Standard Society)
- Prayer Chart introduced
- First offering for Spanish Broadcast (World Mission Broadcast)
- Fortieth Anniversary Project—Offering to open Nazarene work in Papua New Guinea (received in 1954)
- Saturday Night SKYWATCH—Prayer
- Children’s lessons appear in Junior Topics
- Dr. Louise Chapman retires (Project—Africa Literature Fund)
- Rhoda Olsen elected general president
- Name changed to Nazarene World Missionary Society (NWMS)
- Executive secretary became chief executive officer
- Fiftieth Anniversary Project—Papua New Guinea hospital
- NMI reading book tapes began
- Bea Oliver elected general president
- First men elected to the General Council (Dr. Paul Gamertsfelder and Dr. Morris Weigelt)
- Men in Missions (Work & Witness) program introduced by the General Council
- Dr. Mary Scott retires
- Mrs. Wanda Knox became executive secretary
- The Other Sheep changed to World Mission magazine
- Distinguished Service Award introduced
- Box Work expanded to LINKS
- Mission Award introduced (replaced Star Society)
- Number of international representatives expanded on the General Council
- Distinguished Service Award introduced
- Box Work expanded to LINKS
- Mission Award introduced (replaced Star Society)
- Number of international representatives expanded on the General Council
- Lela Jackson elected general president
- Dr. Phyllis H. Perkins became general director (title changed from executive secretary)
- General Council Tidings changed to Focus;
- Name changed to Nazarene World Mission Society
- Prayer Mobilization Line introduced
- Venezuela Project
- Revision of Children’s Mission Education curriculum
- Revision of Youth Mission Education curriculum
- Mission Award program revised
- Men in Missions program becomes Work & Witness program
- Dr. Nina G. Gunter elected general director
- Nazarene Compassionate Ministries added to NWMS Calendar of Emphases
- First issue of HeartLine
- First issue of International Mission Education Journal (Wanda Knox Memorial Project)
- Local and District Resource notebooks introduced
- LINKS became international
- “Kids’ World” page introduced in World Mission magazine
- Youth and children groups are given mission names (AMBASSADORS—Children, ACTION—Youth)
- Medical Plan became international
- First Million Hours of Prayer plan for General Assembly and Conventions
- “Hong Kong and Beyond,” NMI 75th Anniversary project, introduced; goal: $750,000
- Barbara Flemming elected general president
- Meet Your Missionaries book changed to “Missionary Prayer Box”
- NMI 75th Anniversary celebrated (Project—Hong Kong and Beyond— $885,484)
- First District Presidents’ Gathering
- Global Glimpses introduced
- First Youth Mission Commitment Day observed by NMI and NYI
- Award of Excellence began (World Evangelism Fund Overpayment Plan)
- Bibles for Russia project
- 100th Birthday Project Offering for World Evangelism Broadcast—in honor of Dr. Louise Chapman’s 100th birthday
- First issue of international cookbook
- Praying Through the Window, an interdenominational prayer effort for the 10/40 Window introduced, and NMI encourages participation
- Alabaster Love Building Program put into place
- MedCare Paks Project instituted in cooperation with NCM
- NMI 2000 Committee met to identify and discuss direction for NMI in the 21st century
- 80th Anniversary Project—NMI International Student Scholarship Fund—initiated in honor of the celebration in 1995—$350,000
- Youth Mission Commitment Day 2 held
- NMI and Global Mission Department team to produce World Mission Video Magazine
- NMI website and Global Information Network set up on the Internet
- Prayer Mobilization Line expanded to E-mail and website
- NMI 80th Anniversary celebrated
- Casa Robles 50th Anniversary Project (to provide items for the missionary retirement center in 1996)—$150,000
- Regional program coordinators put in place on each world mission region
- Nazarene World Week of Prayer first observed
- Mission education point in Mission Award program expanded to include learning processes in addition to reading books and curriculum
- Casa Robles 50th Anniversary celebrated (October 12)
- “Wings for the Gospel”—Denomination-wide NWMS/Children’s Ministries joint project for Nazarene Mission Aviation initiated—$502,000
- Beverlee Borbe elected general president
- The name “World Evangelism Fund” replaces “General Budget”
- NMI participates in International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church for the first time
- Children’s Alabaster Box introduced
- “World Evangelism Broadcast” replaces “World Mission Radio”
- Organized prayer for the JESUS Film Harvest Partners ministry initiated
- Youth Mission Commitment Day 3 held
- Mission Connection replaces Focus
- 100th Birthday Project Offering for World Evangelism Broadcast—in honor of Dr. Louise Chapman’s 100th birthday
- Crisis Care Kits program replaces MedCare Paks
- Gifts from the Heart, a new avenue of Medical Plan giving, introduced
- Name changed to Nazarene Missions International
- Rev. Eunice Brubaker elected general president
- “Mission Award” changed to “Mission Priority One”
- Mission call coordinator added as an NMI council position
- Emergency Medical Plan Offering received in May
- Witness on Wheels, cooperative offering project between NMI and Children’s Ministries—$400,000
- “World Evangelism Broadcast” becomes “World Mission Broadcast”
- NMI Fast Facts introduced, using statistics from the general NMI director’s report
- District NMI Presidents’ Work & Witness trip to Brazil
- Memorial Roll for Children introduced
- “Books for Pastors—Tools for Ministry,” NMI 90th anniversary project for 2004-05, initiated—amount given: $2.6 million
- Membership secretary deleted as an NMI council position, as it is everyone’s role to include people as members in NMI
- School Pal-Paks, a cooperative project with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, initiated
- “Medical Plan” name changed to “Missionary Health Care”
- Mission Priority One program revised to be more simple and international
- NMI Constitution reorganized
- NMI 90th Anniversary celebrated; ‘Books for Pastors’ project extended through 2006
- Dr. Daniel D. Ketchum elected global director (formerly “general director”)—the first male global NMI director
- GenNEXT liaison added as member of NMI Office staff
- NMI leaders encouraged to mentor young people to plan for future mission leaders
- Prayer Vision Tour for district NMI presidents to Ethiopia and Kenya
- Funding the Mission giving plan implemented
- Rev. Jennifer Brown elected global president—the first president elected from outside the USA/Canada Region
- Living Mission—the revised adult mission education curriculum—is introduced
- Living Mission Facebook page initiated
- Mission Immersion introduced for high-school juniors and seniors; trip to Guatemala
- Prayer Mobilization Line Facebook page initiated
- Nazarene Missions International Facebook page initiated
- Wesleyan-Holiness Digital Library, product of “Books for Pastors” project, goes live
- Global NMI Convention takes place globally via live streaming video in 11 sites
- Dr. Philip Weatherill elected global president—the first male president
- Fast Facts released in multiple languages
- “100 Years, One Mission, Eternal Opportunities,” NMI 100th Anniversary project, initiated—goal: global participation
- Mission Immersion age limits expanded—high-school juniors and seniors to Quito Ecuador, high-school freshman and sophomores to El Paso, Texas
- Lola Brickey elected global NMI director
- NMI 100th Anniversary celebrated
- The new constitution was adopted
- General Board adopts Nazarene Missions Project
- 25th anniversary of the Global Week of Prayer. Resources provided in 25 languages.
1899
1915
1916
1919
1920
1921
1923
1924
1927
1928
1940
1946
1948
1949
1950
1952
1953
1955
1958
1964
1965
1972
1974
1975
1976
1976
1980
1981
1982
1983
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2008
2009
2010
2011
2013
2014
2015
2017
2019
2021