Click the "Give to Missions Fund" link above to give directly online. If giving via mail or in the drop boxes in the worship center, write "Missions" in the check memo line. Please do not put cash in the mail.

Founded in 1989 as New Mission Systems International, this was one family’s dream to assist Russian pastors in planting churches and discipling new believers. Building on this foundation, New International continues to join with God in fostering churches and believers globally. Over the past thirty years, their missionaries have lived out the message all around the world, touching hundreds and thousands of individual lives.
Jesse Frame has been serving since 2008. He lives in Washington, MO with his wife, Cynthia, and their 4 children.
Jesse helps lead the ministry of YouthHOPE as the director of programming, overseeing training, consulting, and higher education work around the world.
Click here to learn more about New International.

Dave and Velva both grew up in Christian homes. Their parents served faithfully, and their churches supported missions. They met at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri where they received their training and later were married. Dave and Velva have four children and five grandchildren whom they love dearly.
Dave served as a pastor to churches from 1983 until December 2020 including 26 years at his last ministry right here at First Christian Church. Velva has served in many ways over the years with a passion for prayer, mentoring women, and worship ministry.
The Armstrongs have a heart for missionaries and recognize that often they do not have anyone they can look to as their own pastor while serving in the field. Missionaries can grow tired and discouraged dealing with stresses and challenges far from the support of their own faith family, birth family and friends. Wycliffe Bible Translators founder, Cameron Townsend, saw the need for pastoral care on the mission field and created the Pastors Beyond organization to help missionaries.
“We are excited to share in this ministry of encouragement to missionaries as a couple and to pastor missionaries on their own turf. We are ready to preach, teach, pray, listen, love, listen, encourage, babysit, listen, or serve in other ways needed. For almost four decades we served and shared God’s Word with people here in the U.S. Now, God has put it in our hearts and opened doors to offer pastoral care to brothers and sisters who serve far from home on the front lines,” Dave shared.
Click here to learn more about PastorsBeyond.

Frontiers was established in 1982 by Greg Livingstone, who was recruiting for a mission agency that could no longer handle any more recruits. Greg realized God was calling him for a new challenge: to go where the need was the greatest and help reach all Muslim peoples, sharing the message of Jesus Christ. He envisioned a new movement committed to bringing Good News to the least reached corners of the world.  
The Frontiers mission is to inspire transformational movements to Christ within least reached Muslim groups by sending teams to catalyze change, because even the most uncharted frontiers need Jesus. This organization recruits, trains, sends and serves workers in their fruitful ministry. Workers are now sent from 30 countries across 6 continents.
We have multiple members of our church serving in this organization across the globe. One of our couples serves in North Africa working in a country that is 99% Muslim. They have been working in Africa since March of 2021. Their goal is to live authentically and transparently as Christians by modeling and sharing the good news about Jesus. They believe the best way to do this is by living in close proximity and through relationships with others. Please be praying for their influences in their community to grow and that the Lord would provide them with opportunities to share with their Muslim neighbors stories about Jesus. Also be lifting up their family as they navigate transitions and as they pursue becoming legal residents.
Another member of our church is serving in a Muslim majority closed country. She serves as an educator in a local university. She has a campus ministry to students to share His Hope, Peace, and Living Water with all who are thirsty. The campus house is called Oasis so that it can be a literal and spiritual oasis in the midst of a culture that is trapped in fear and hopelessness.
Click here to learn more about Frontiers USA.

Ghana Christian Mission is a Christian organization with emphasis on reaching Unreached People’s Groups. They provide Medical Outreach which provides medical and spiritual care for the sick, Christian Education which makes schooling and a bright future available to Ghana’s children, and Community Development which supports initiatives that strengthen and improve urban and rural areas. They also train ministers, send them out, and help in providing church plants. The founder of GCM, Enoch, reached out to our church many years ago by sharing this ministry with us. At the time, we were a small church and did not have the resources to help support this mission monetarily but supported it through prayer. When the proper time came to support monetarily, we did and we continue to support this mission.
Click here to learn more about Ghana Christian Mission.

Ozark Christian College is located in Joplin, Missouri. It is a private evangelical Christian college training men and women for Christian service. It was established in 1942 in Arkansas and moved to Joplin, MO in 1946, formerly known as Ozark Bible College.
The college emphasizes vocational preparation for preaching, missionary work, worship, youth and children’s ministries.
A few of our own are graduates from Ozark. Just to name a few--Aaron Pier, Dave Armstrong, Chris Strickland, Jack Jessup, Abby Armstrong, and Kelsey and Daniel.
We have been partnering with OCC for many years as they make an important impact for the kingdom.
Click here to learn more about Ozark Christian College.

Show-Me Christian Youth Home is compelled by Christ to rescue and restore young lives. Since 1967, Show-Me has provided safe, stable, loving homes and families to young people struggling because of circumstances in their current home environment. From the guidance of professionals, each child finds an individualized environment with layers of support designed to help them overcome their current struggles and find success. Our Path to Purpose and Leadership U programs prepare these young people to have the confidence, wisdom, encouragement, and resources they will need as they cross the bridge to adulthood.
Show-Me’s methods of restoration offer more than simply a house in which kids live temporarily as they grow up. For over 50 years, children continue to find a safe, stable, loving home and family with layers of support geared toward their current and future success.
Show-Me’s methods of restoration offer more than simply a house in which kids live temporarily as they grow up. For over 50 years, children continue to find a safe, stable, loving home and family with layers of support geared toward their current and future success.
Home & Family

• Traditional Family setting with 6-8 siblings led by a set of trained house parents
• Family structure teaches respect for authority and provides healthy role models
• Children contribute to the needs of the family, find a security in belonging and develop empathy and responsibility

Counseling

• Professional counselors support each child’ emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs
• Provides a safe place to process through overwhelming feelings and events
• Works with houseparents to help families address new coping methods

A Community of Support

• Not just any “village to raise a child” but an engaged, Christ-centered neighborhood
• Constant and consistent atmosphere of love and encouragement
• Volunteers and church communities enhance an environment of support

Click here to learn more about Show-Me Christian Youth Home.

Ninos De Mexico was established in 1967 by the Union and Washington First Christian Churches. It has given almost 500 children in the Greater Mexico City area a new hope and future. There are 8 children’s homes, a medical outreach program, and church plants. These children have been abused, abandoned or orphaned and no responsible relatives can be found and have nowhere else to go. Ways you can be involved—child sponsorship, short term mission trips (from our church, Dave Smith sets up), internships and ministry opportunities.
Click here to learn more about Ninos De Mexico.

High Hill Christian Camp was stablished in 1954 on an 80-acre tract of land donated by the Harold Nebel Family of High Hill, MO. It was originally established by 15 churches in Eastern Missouri due to overcrowding at other camps. The first summer there were 105 campers and 20 volunteer faculty living in tents. Now it has a large dining/meeting lodge, a retreat center, 3 log cabins, a dorm, various outdoor meeting areas, a pool, lake, multi-purpose building, and other recreational activity areas.  
High Hill currently serves about 30 member churches. In the summer it serves approximately 1,600 campers with an additional 400 volunteer faculty. Additionally, the camp has become a facility that can be used year-round for retreats and rentals.
Each summer, many youth from our church attend a week of camp at High Hill as well as several adults who volunteer in various roles. High Hill Camp's mission is to provide facilities and programming where youth, adults, and families encounter Jesus.
Click here to learn more about High Hill Christian Camp.

Abby Armstrong is preparing to return from the mission field for an extended time. She has dedicated the last decade to serving children whose parents are also on the mission field.  She has taught in mission schools in Papua New Guinea and Portugal. By teaching these young kids, their parents can concentrate on the mission in front of them. While in Papua New Guinea many of the missionaries there were working on Bible translation, so men and woman would be able to read God’s word in their own language.
We want to continue to support and encourage Abby as she returns “home” for a time to refresh and refocus. As Abby returns from the mission field, she needs a few things.  If you would like, click on this link which will take you to a “wish list” for some items she will need when she returns.
Click here to learn more about TeachBeyond.