Since World Vision began in 1950, partnering with the local and global church has been at the core of our work around the world.
1950 | North American churches respond to Bob Pierce’s appeal for Korea.
1951 | As a U.N. correspondant, Bob Pierce reports from Korea for the American Christian press.
1953 | Pastors’ conference start, first in Korea.
1955 | Pastors’ conferences start in Taiwan, Philippines, and Vietnam.
1956 | Pastors’ conferences start in Indonesia.
1957 | Evangelism events in Philippines and Korea.
1958 | Pastors’ conferences start in India, Singapore, Ghana, and Myanmar.
1959 | Pastors’ conferences start in Malaysia and Thailand; evangelism event in Japan.
1960 | Pastors’ conferences start in Barbados and Colombia.
1961 | Evangelism event in Japan; pastors’ conferences start in Argentina
1962 | Pastors’ conferences start in Guatemala.
1963 | Pastors’ conferences start in Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay.
1964 | Pastors’ conferences start in Pakistan.
1965 | Pastors’ conferences start in Peru and Bolivia.
1967 | MARC Communications Center begins publishing world missions data.
1968 | Pastors’ conferences start in Kenya, Mexico, and Panama.
1969 | Pastors’ conferences start in Sri Lanka and Portugal.
1970 | Pastors’ conferences start in Tanzania.
1971 | Pastors’ conferences start in New Guinea and Bangladesh.
1972 | Pastors’ conferences start in Uganda and Vanuatu.
1973 | Love Loaf fundraising launches for U.S. churches; pastors’ conferences start in Ecuador.
1974 | Evangelism events in Cambodia and the Philippines; Lusanne Congress in Switzerland; pastors’ conferences start in Australia, Sudan, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras.
1975 | 100th pastors’ conference in Korea.
1976 | Pastors’ conferences start in Ethiopia.
1977 | Pastors’ conferences start in Fiji, New Zealand, and former Yugoslavia.
1978 | Pastors’ conferences start in Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Hong Kong.
1979 | Pastors’ conferences start in Poland and Haiti.
1980 | Annual Robert W. Pierce Award created to honor missionaries.
1981 | Day of Prayer annually sets aside Oct. 1 for prayer in all World Vision offices; pastors’ conferences start in Egypt.
1983 | Pastors’ conferences start in Hungary.
1984 | Pastors’ conferences start in Zimbabwe.
1985 | Retreat for urban pastors in Chicago; refugee Vietnamese pastors gather in California.
1989 | Lusanne II in the Philippines; response to San Francisco earthquake through U.S. churches; and pastors’ conferences start in El Salvador.
1990 | Pastors’ conferences start in the Dominican Republic, Moldova, Nigeria, and Zambia.
1991 | Pastors’ conferences start in Romania.
1992 | 30 Hour Famine engages church youth to fight hunger; response to Los Angeles riots through local churches; and pastors’ conferences start in Bulgaria.
1993 | Pastors’ conferences start in Ukraine.
1994 | Pastors’ conferences start in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
1995 | All-denomination pastors’ conferences continue through the decade in West African countries.
1996 | Reconciliation workshops begin for pastors in Rwanda after the genocide.
1997 | Pastors’ conferences start in Chad and Czech Republic.
2000 | Hope Initiative engages U.S. churches to address the AIDS pandemic.
2001 | Response to 9/11 attacks through New York City churches.
2004 | Hope Tours encourage U.S. pastors to mobilize on AIDS.
2005 | Faith in Action Study Bible published with Zondervan.
2006 | Menlo Park Presbyterian Church begins assembling hygiene kits for AIDS caregivers.
2007 | Faith in Action campaign kit equips U.S. churches, experiential AIDS exhibit travels throughout U.S., and Youth Bible Curriculum provided to former Eastern Bloc countries.
2009 | Rich Stearns’ book The Hole in Our Gospel is a call to action for the U.S. church.
2010 | Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelism in Cape Town, South Africa; Church Partnership for Child Well-Being project launches.
2011 | “Journey to Jamaa” film deepens congregations’ understanding of AIDS.
2015 | Experiential exhibit enables U.S. churches to follow Jesus into the margins.
