Introduction of umcmission.org
About Global Ministries
Purpose, Vision, and Goals
The General Board of Global Ministries is the global mission agency of The United Methodist Church, its annual conferences, missionary conferences, and local congregations.
Purpose: Connecting the Church in mission
Vision: The General Board of Global Ministries equips and transforms people and places for God’s mission around the world.
Four Mission Goals:
1. Make disciples of Jesus Christ;
2. Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities;
3. Alleviate human suffering;
4. Seek justice, freedom, and peace.
Connecting the Church in Mission
An Overview of the Work of the General Board of Global Ministries
A major responsibility of Global Ministries is to connect the various parts of the Church as United Methodists engage in global mission.As a biblically rooted and historically informed organization, Global Ministries facilitates engagement in God’s mission.
As part of Global Ministries, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering around the globe.
Get an overview of the work of Global Ministries and its different programs with this downloadable booklet.
Selected Resources
• Read the sermons of John Wesley, along with a selection of hymns by Charles Wesley and a collection of historical documents.
• New World Outlook – The United Methodist Church’s mission magazine, available in print and electronic versions, publishes mission features and stories on in-depth topics.
• Media Gallery. Browse videos which illustrate significant programs of Global Ministries.
Theology of Mission
The Mission Theology statement guides Global Ministries’ participation in the Missio Dei. The statement frames Global Ministries’ role within the denominational mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The transforming power belongs to God, and Global Ministries is in mission to witness to what God has done and is doing, and to learn from what God is doing in every land where disciples gather in the name of Jesus Christ. Read the Theology of Mission.
We asked our guests at Global Ministries to define mission. Read Mission Minute to find out what they said.
Learn more about Global Ministries
Learn about career opportunities, the United Methodist Church, and the latest news. Download or view the brochure, Connect to Global Mission, for an overview of the activities and programs of Global Ministries.
To learn in person, come meet us by scheduling a Mission Seminar at our headquarters in New York, or organize a Mission Celebration and we will come to meet you!
Policies
Child Protection Policy
An African Invocation that was used during the Truth and Reconciliation Process in South Africa is a wonderful reminder for all communities worldwide:
Let us take care of the Children, for they have a long way to go.
Let us take care of the Elders, for they have come a long way.
Let us take care of Those in Between, for they are doing the work.
What We Believe and Why We Do This Work:
On Children’s Rights and Child Safety
We believe in the God-given worth and dignity of all children. Children, like adults, are created in the image of God. (Genesis 1: 27) Therefore, we do this work of advocacy for children’s rights, dignity and safety because it is the right thing to do.
We believe in the sacredness and vulnerability of children. A basic belief is that children are human beings, not playthings. As human beings who are young, they have the right to life, freedom and expression. We believe in them as persons in their own right, not objects for control or domination. Because children are vulnerable, we need to provide safe and sustainable environment of care and protection. To paraphrase a noted Wesleyan saying, “Do all the good you can to as many children as you can…Do no harm.
We believe children can teach us about right relationships, and about life in the reign of God. When the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God?”, Jesus called a child, lovingly placed the child in the midst of disciples and said, “ Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3) Because children are living metaphors of humility, teach-ability, and openness to the future, we are graced when they are in our midst. “Live as children of light.” (Ephesians 5: 8b)
Advocacy for and working with the marginalized is a dimension of doing mission wherever we are. Millions of children around the world suffer everyday due to wars, hunger, poverty, child labor and domestic abuse. Our advocacy and care for children necessarily demands doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with God, neighbors, and children. (ref. Micah 6:8) Our work to ensure children’s rights and safety is a clear expression of our solidarity with the most vulnerable and at the same time most wonderful members of God’s family. We believe this is part of what John Wesley called “social holiness.”