The vision of Evangelical Friends Mission (EFM) is evangelical friends of North America fully mobilized to send missionaries who plant groups of churches around the world that are faithful, sustainable, multiplying, and mobilized to send missionaries themselves. But when and why did EFM come to exist? In January 1963, twenty Friends from NWYM, FSW, RMYM, EFC-MAYM, EFC-ER, IYM, and IAYM came together in Colorado Springs to have a conference on missions. The yearly meetings had all been sending their own missionaries and establishing their own mission fields, yet they came together to discuss both the problems and opportunities arising in regard to their mission work. From this meeting came the idea to establish a “coordinating council” that would work on issues that would help strengthen all of their missionary-sending programs. The council was approved, and the Friends formed a “commission on missions” made up of members from NWYM, RMYM, EFC-MAYM, and EFC-ER.
In September of that same year (1963), the Commission on Missions had its first meeting. In 1967 it opened its first mission field which was in Mexico City. In 1978 the commission was given the name Evangelical Friends Mission. It also received its first director, Robert Hess from EFC-ER. Another field was opened in 1981, this one in the Philippines. From that point on this joint missions effort grew and grew. So far, EFM has had almost 40 career missionary units (more than two years) serve on multiple fields. Through God’s grace, eight yearly meetings have been planted, which represent about 250 organized churches and 17,000 attendees.
If you would like to donate directly to an EFM field or ministry partner, visit here. |