Our Mission
Disciples Home Missions equips and empowers Disciples to change the world, by engaging in coordinated missions on behalf of the whole church, acting and speaking to promote greater justice and mercy, and providing innovative programs and resources to congregations, regions, clergy, and laity.

“At DHM the mission never stops!”

DHM carries out its ministry through these primary areas of focus:

• Leader Development
• Congregational Transformation
• Faith Formation
• Christian Vocations
• Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism
• Justice and Advocacy

We invite you to look deeper into the programs listed below. In addition, DHM’s staff provides many other services to congregations, regions and the general church. This includes print and electronic resources, consultations, workshops, events, and constituency networks.

Disciples – both clergy and laity–are encouraged to contact DHM staff by phone or peruse the website for a complete list of services and contact information.

Programs and support resources fall under these categories:

• LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Programs for youth and young adults, African American ministries, support for clergy and laity in the church, scholarships;
• FAITH FORMATION: Congregational Christian education, spiritual growth, congregational transformation and planning, and programs aimed at strengthening congregational life;
• MISSIONS: Refugee and immigration ministries, mission projects, disaster recovery, Disciples Volunteering;
• JUSTICE: Racial and environmental justice, Rapid Response, legislative issues;
• NETWORKS: Families and children, youth, young adults, women, and men.

Sponsored Organizations

DHM’s Sponsored Organizations are ministries supported to live out the church’s call to justice, compassion, and transformation. These organizations focus on leadership development, community engagement, advocacy, faith formation, and service to neighbors in need—working together to strengthen congregations and serve God’s mission in the world.

Organizations Relating to DHM

These are independent ministries connected to Disciples Home Missions through shared values and collaborative work. They partner with DHM in faith-rooted service, justice initiatives, and community transformation.

General Ministries

All General Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) work and sometimes partner with Disciples Home Missions at various points to provide program and support for ministry.

Before the Disciples’ restructure in the late 1960s to early 1970s, those with mission concerns had organized themselves into particular societies, including the Foreign Christian Missionary Society, the American Christian Missionary Society, and the Christian Woman’s Board of Mission. Over the years, these bodies had evolved beyond voluntary associations of people to become organizations with paid staff.

In 1920, these three bodies, FCMS, ACMS, and CWBM, became the United Christian Missionary Society. So, our history comes from early connections of people who gathered themselves together, pooled their resources, found ways to raise money in order to create mission-both in North American and around the world.

At the time of the Disciples restructure, the United Christian Missionary Society was divided into Disciples Home Missions for work at home and the Division of Overseas Ministries for work abroad.

Adapted from The President’s Report to Disciples Home Missions Board of Directors, November 20, 1999