Our Story

A 74 year journey from an idea into a global ministry partner.

 

On May 22, 1948, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Missions Door was birthed for the purpose of preaching the Gospel and planting churches across the United States and the North American continent.

Much has changed in our world since then, but the need for forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ is greater than ever.

  • Getting Started

    Home Mission Society

    Established by mission-minded Christians who called themselves Conservative Baptists, the new Mission adopted the name of the Conservative Baptist Home Mission Society. Headquarters were established in the Chicago area.

  • Oct 7, 1948

    The first missionaries

    Robert and Winifred Johnson — were appointed on October 7, 1948, for ministry in Alaska. Early ministries were also launched among Jewish people, Native Americans, Chinese and Hispanics in the United States.

  • Through the decades

    Moving into the field

    Soon missionaries were sent to Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica and French Canada. U.S. ministries were developed to focus upon suburban and rural church planting, ministry among Mormons in Utah, urban ministry in major cities across the country, and campus ministry among students at secular colleges and universities. Later campus ministry expanded to internationals, effectively reaching students from around the world, many from nations where missionaries are restricted.

  • 1990-1999

    Growing the reach

    The name of the Mission was changed to Mission to the Americas in 1994. By this time ministry had been launched in Belize, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. In the 1990s the Mission began to facilitate partnership connections between U.S. churches and sister churches in Latin America and Cambodia. In 1996 ministry was initiated in El Salvador and Nicaragua and, soon after, in Haiti.

  • 2000

    Ethnic Diversity

    In addition to expansion, the missionary family began to grow significantly in ethnic diversity, with more than 30 percent non-Anglo missionaries by the year 2000. African Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans were added to the missionary family. Immigrants from Brazil, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Liberia, and the Philippines were appointed as missionaries to reach immigrant communities in the U.S. In our international ministries outside of the U.S., God raised up missionaries who were Belizeans, Dominicans, Haitians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, Mexicans and Quebecois. The Mission had become international, not just in its ministry focus but in the composition of its missionary family!

  • 2001

    Relocated for greater impact / New Name

    The Mission relocated in 2001 to the inner city neighborhood of Five Points in Denver, Colorado and changed its name in 2007 to become Missions Door. The new name was chosen to reflect ministry among immigrants in the U.S. that resulted in the development of ministry back to home countries in Asia and Africa — from there to here and back! Plus, ministries were developing beyond North America in Cambodia, China, Kenya, and Liberia.

2022 Global Reach

Now in our seventh decade of ministry, Missions Door remains committed to the task of assisting local churches and Christ followers in their efforts to evangelize, disciple, train leaders, and plant churches among the unreached of our world.

Much has changed in our world since 1948, but the need for forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ is greater than ever. Missions Door is connecting people with opportunities to make a difference in our world for Christ and His Kingdom. We invite you to come with us!

74 Years of Impact

We are honored to celebrate over 74 years of indigenous ministry. From American universities to the Amazon Jungle, our indigenous missionaries are impacting every part of the world. Our President, Rick Miller, has been honored to work with these incredible missionaries and those who support them.

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