Twenty-five years ago, there were only four or five known Christian believers in the country of Mongolia. Today, one can find more than 400 churches with an estimated 50,000 members.
For much of this period, Mennonites—facilitated by Mennonite Mission Network and the Ohio Mongolia Mission Partnership—have provided a presence in the country through long-term workers and short-term mission teams.
As the church in Mongolia has grown and matured, reciprocal relationships have developed between believers across the miles. “We may discover,” writes Ohio pastor, Matt Hamsher, “that we need the gifts of the Mongolian church to revive the North American church as much or more than the Mongolian church has benefited from foreign resources” (p. 24).
This story is an excellent resource for individuals, small groups, and congregations who are interested in learning more about what God is doing through newly emerging faith communities around the world. If this is a new exercise for you as a reader, Mongolia is a great place to start the journey.
—James R. Krabill
Mennonite Mission Network