Multiply Missions
Dear Friends of Rosedale International,
We’ve come a long way.
Recently, I’ve been reading some of the history of Rosedale International. I was fascinated to discover just how far we’ve come. When what is now the Rosedale Network of Churches (RNOC) was founded in 1910, many voices within our churches were content to say that the Great Commission was a command for only Jesus’s disciples. In fact, in 1915, in response to a request that leaders address the “neglected” command in Matthew 28:19-20, one of our leaders argued that “the apostles accomplished this command” and “preached the gospel in all the world, where there were people at that time.”
Thankfully, this posture within our conference would change. Only a few years later, one of our churches made the missional decision to use English instead of Pennsylvania Dutch in their gatherings so that the “English” orphans they were caring for could understand the sermons and the gospel. By the 1940s, the conference had established mission action both stateside and overseas, and a “missions sermon” was shared at each annual gathering of the churches.
Rosedale Network of Churches continues to have a strong vision for taking Jesus to the world and seeing the world come to him for living water. We didn’t miss out on the amazing experience of watching people around the world choose to follow Jesus, choose baptism, and choose to be Church with other believers.
What started in our “Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria” has developed into a global effort—workers making disciples of Jesus among secularists, nominal Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and animists—”to the ends of the earth.” Today, some of the places where we worked fifty years ago have strong, vibrant churches who are sending missionaries themselves. Some of the challenging places we entered thirty years ago are now seeing disciples multiplying disciples, and churches planting churches.
What a privilege to be part of this adventure! As I write to you today, I’m counting down the weeks until I will step away from my role as president of RI and from relationships that have filled me with so much joy and purpose over the past twenty-five years. I have full confidence that RI will continue to faithfully invite the nations to bow in worship to Jesus, so I leave with deep satisfaction.
One last time, I invite you to joyfully give to the work of RI through the Multiply Missions Offering. May this second century of missions continue to see lives transformed and nations changed by the power of King Jesus!
Joe
President
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PO Box 360854
Columbus OH 43236
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Rosedale International is a Section 501(c)(3) organization. Gifts to Rosedale International are deductible as charitable contributions for federal and state income tax purposes. With the accountability provided by the Rosedale Network of Churches and our board of directors, we seek to honor God with these gifts and use them with efficiency and wisdom.