Malmo, Sweden – Not everyone would compare Sweden to the place where Noah spent 150 years building his ark. But for Phil and Juliene Munts, the parallels are quite clear. As they stand at the threshold of a project to relaunch the Church of the Nazarene in Sweden, they keep reminding themselves that God only calls them to obey, not to understand or foresee what He plans to do. And they must leave any results completely up to Him. As tentmakers, this Nazarene family from Idaho are taking the first steps toward launching a café ministry in the rural area where they now live....
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Editor's note: Missionaries Ruthie Webb writes about her husband Phil's recent trip to encourage and assist Nazarene ministry in Cambodia, on the Asia-Pacific Region. Cambodia, the heart of South East Asia, sits within the 10/40 window. Over 50 percent of the 14.5 million people are under the age of 20; only 1 percent are Christ-followers, and 12,023 villages have yet to hear the gospel in this beautiful country.Local Nazarene churches in Cambodia are vibrant, young, rural, local bodies of believers meeting under trees, homes and a few churches, bringing God’s kingdom to their community...
Kapal hadn’t come to fight, but he walked into the middle of one. Worried about his sister, the 23-year-old Domil villager crossed the boundary between his tribe and the next, where a battle had been flaring for weeks.He walked with purpose toward his brother-in-law's house, despite gunshots ringing nearby. The fight didn't involve him so he thought he'd probably be safe. I imagine he didn't even quicken his pace. I've seen dozens like him over the years, young men who treat tribal war as a matter of course. As he approached the house, suddenly a...
It was August 6, 2005 and I was on a 32-hour bus ride heading for the South American Nazarene Theological Seminary in Ecuador. Right after my arrival I went to the academic dean’s office. I remember he asked me, “Do you have a call from God?” “Yes,” I said. “What is your specific call?” he asked next. I found myself without an answer. I knew that God had called me to ministry, but “what kind of ministry?” His question triggered in my mind a desire to discover the specific way in which God wanted to use me. Now, seven years later, I have the conviction that God has called me to...
Just prior to His ascension, Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit coming upon His followers. Then, He said to them, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). For most of us, these words seem parallel to those of the Great Commission of Matthew 28. Others, however, contend that Acts 1:8 is a step-by-step road map.Thus, they say, Jesus meant for us to concentrate first on our hometown (our “Jerusalem,” they say). When evangelization there is complete, then we can go to our Judea and when we’re finished there, we can...
Harmon and Cindy Schmelzenbach serve as missionaries to the Melanesia and South Pacific fields, which currently include work in the countries of Samoa, American Samoa, The Kingdom of Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Harmon has served as the field strategy coordinator since January 2009. Previously he served as the coordinator for Nazarene Maritime Ministries (the FijiBoat Project) launched in Fiji in 2000 together with leadership development. He was also the assistant to the field strategy coordinator from 2006. They have two children: Quinton,...
For Nathalie Sweeting, when God says “jump,” she jumps. She doesn’t always know what God has in mind, but she knows to obey. That’s how two years ago she found herself standing in a vacant lot on one of the Caribbean islands that make up the Turks and Caicos, armed with a Bible and a megaphone, preaching to the cracked concrete and overgrown bushes. It’s Sweeting’s unfailing obedience to God’s sometimes inexplicable directions that made it possible for the Church of the Nazarene to officially enter Turks and Caicos earlier this year, making it the 158th world area in which the...
Editor's note: While Jesus calls the entire Body of Christ to carry the Gospel to all nations, at the same time the Spirit calls many individuals and families to a specific experience of exchanging their home culture for life in a new land. In this crossing of cultures, these people called missionaries are tasked with learning new languages and customs for the purpose of leading people to Christ and starting Christian fellowships. In each new generation, the Spirit continues to call believers into cross-cultural ministry. The Body of Christ must help foster the conditions in which...
Michael and Tamara Hudson, missionaries in the Romania District, are serving through youth mentoring, church planting and church development. Michael is the theological education coordinator, and also assists with finance, literature development and church planting. In November 2011, Tamara was appointed the district superintendent -- the first woman in Europe to hold this position in the denomination. Hailing from Canada, both are ordained elders in the Church of the Nazarene. They previously co-pastored the Nazarene church in Brampton, Ontario, Canada (2007 - 2009); before that, they...
On April 1, Dr. Louie Bustle retired after leading the Church of the Nazarene denomination's Global Mission efforts for 18 years. Prior to this role, he served as a missionary, field director and regional director, for a total of 42 years in service. During these years he traveled to more than 100 countries, casting vision, empowering leaders and developing strategy. Under his leadership, Global Mission areas grew from 1.1 million members in 1994 to 2.1 million members in 2011. Several mission leaders share their memories and tributes to how God used Dr. Bustle, and his wife, Ellen...
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