There are several historical documents that help to trace the beginnings and developments in the story of NMI. However, one document that helps to clarify NMI’s purpose(s) from the beginning states very simply that the “Purpose of NMI is to mobilize the church in missions through praying, discipling, giving, and educating.” For years, this purpose statement has guided the various activities and initiatives of NMI at every level of the organization. While some of the components of the statement are shared by other Local Church Ministries, Nazarene Discipleship International, for instance, NMI has always seen and played its part in each of these designated areas: prayer, discipleship, giving, and education. In 2020, NMI officially released its identity statement, which serves as a baseline for all that NMI is, and from which all that NMI does flows.
NMI is the global missions advocate in every local church, nurturing a spirit of missions and mobilizing into action, impacting people around the world.
This statement is carefully crafted to ensure every word has significance. It has been used in various NMI training events, global and district NMI conventions, and it guides the work in every local church around the world. Currently available in English, French, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish, the NMI identity statement is generating a deeper understanding of the comprehensive and intentional passion and purpose of Nazarene Missions International at every level of the organization.
Cheryl Crouch, our new global NMI director, recently challenged NMI leadership to make the identity statement real in their lives: “An advocate is someone who publicly supports or stands up for a cause – a champion. In NMI, we support, stand up for, and champion the cause of global missions. Our work should help Nazarenes see beyond their own lives, their own churches, their own communities, cities, and countries so that they recognize the value of each person and believe that every person everywhere should have the opportunity to know Christ.”
