Stonecroft Ends Financial Support for Village Missions
Every morning our staff at our Village Missions’ office has devotions and prayer. Today, February 27, we read in Oswald Chamber’s devotion: “The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do.” Village Missions has entered a time of believing Jesus for something that stretches our faith.
Stonecroft Ministries notified us recently that financial support for Village Missions will end effective March 31, 2009h 31, 2009
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!. This will result in a loss of income to Village Missions of $40,000 per month. The giving from Stonecroft Canada to Village Missions Canada remains unchanged at this point.
Our mission has enjoyed a “family” relationship with Stonecroft since our founding in 1948. Helen Duff Baugh, founder of Stonecroft Ministries and Rev. Walter Duff Jr., founder of Village Missions, brother and sister, both had a deep burden for country churches and reaching country people with the Gospel. For many years Village Missions was the project of Stonecroft Ministries, providing extensive prayer and financial support to Village Missions and to Village Missionaries. Village Missions could never have affected so many communities and lives for Jesus Christ without the support of Stonecroft. You can read more about the history of Village Missions at this link.
Stonecroft has decided to focus its efforts and resources on “encouraging and equipping women to impact their communities with the Gospel so that women and their families not only know Christ, but share Him with others.” We will be praying that the Lord will bless those efforts and provide the needed resources for them to fulfill that vision.
Village Missions, as the Lord provides, will continue its calling to keep country churches alive. The need is great. North America, and especially rural North America, is an increasingly needy mission field. Churches in rural areas are closing throughout our land. Broken lives bear grim testimony to the despair of trying to live life without Jesus Christ.
The opportunities are great. I have seen the hope of Jesus Christ brought to community after community through the ministry of Village Missions. We send a dedicated couple to a church that asks for our help. We provide salary and other forms of support so that our Village Missionary can devote his full energy to “Preaching the Word and loving the people.” People come to Christ, their lives are changed, and even the community is transformed. The people of Helix, OR learned this when Village Missions sent a dedicated couple to live in their town.
Years ago Hudson Taylor said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” I truly believe that God will supply the needs for the important ministry of Village Missions.
February 27th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Dear Brian,
It was so good to talk with you today and to also keep fresh in our minds that the Lord is in control of all of our life and He knows what the future hold for Village Missions and Stonecroft Ministries.
We are sad to see the change as we hold on to so many wonderful memories of what Mrs. Baugh, Miss Clark, and the Duffs put into this wonderful ministry.
I guess we are of the old guard.
Thank you, we will be praying for you on Monday as the board meets.
May God richly bless you and may He lead us in the way He has chosen for us to go.
In His love,
Bea & Jack Retzer
February 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Thanks for sharing this page with the links – it is well done.
We will be praying for the needs of Village Missions and sharing it with the church and our prayer supporters.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Brian,
Thank you for giving us the info and brief history of Stonecroft and what has transpired in th financial circumstances and refocusing efforts of Stonecroft. This will hopefully impact our World for Christ as I know that this is a decision that required much prayer and wisdom. Yes this will probably be hard on our financail abilities but this is where we will see God in a marvelous way make provision for His will to be done. Our self-reliant, self-centered society does not understand what we mean when we say we live by faith, as this caries over into His church as well. Well it will be an incredible testimony as He has us in a place where we have to trust more than make our own way, where we see God open doors rather than forcing open doors on our own, where we show our dependence on our great omnipotent Savior rather than on other sources. I to know this is hard, from first hand experience, but we will have to show that we practice what we preach and turn to our only true hope for all that we have. God will bless according to perfect will and He will never let us down.
Thanks and keep your eyes on The Prize!
Mike MacWhinnie
February 27th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Thank you, Brian, for keeping your eyes on the Lord who provides, and for your humble and genuine affection for Stonecroft. Your growing faith and love are contagious!
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:00 am
Good Morning Brian!
It is with a mixture of sorrow and joy that I learn of Stonecrofts’ financial decision-sorrow at the end of a financial partnership in ministry through whom the Lord has done so much, yet joy because I believe that God is on the verge of doing a new work both in Stonecroft and in Village Missions.
May the Lord strengthen you and us as we wait upon Him, believing that “the testing of (our) faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:3,4)
March 7th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Dear Brian and VM Pastors,
As Stonecroft discontinues financial support , please, know that many of us who volunteer with Stonecroft Ministries will still want to support the wonderful work that VM does. My check is in the mail to you directly. God knows when He wants to make changes and what His plan is. Our response is to walk by faith.
Still affiliated by heart.
Linda Roush, Stonecroft Regional Administrator, Colorado
May 11th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Dear Brian,
It is with a heavy heart that I learned of the withdrawal of funds by Stonecroft from VM. I do believe that one decision will be a pivotal one for them and that they will feel the impact almost immediately. One reason that I have loved Stonecroft for so long was the work they did for VM. I have no doubt that that the Lord is not at a loss for the way He will redirect His supply to you. After all it was His hand all along.
Laboring together in the vineyard.
Gaye Martin