What Happened to Voluntary Service?

In the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to send troops to Vietnam, and as an unintended consequence, fledgling Mennonite churches in Central America were greatly affected.

Let me explain. From 1964-1973, the Selective Service System drafted 1.7 million men for service in the United States military in the Vietnam War. This presented quite a challenge for Rosedale Network of Churches (previously Conservative Mennonite Conference) as it held to the historic Anabaptist-Mennonite peace position.

Thankfully, the United States government allowed alternative service for young men who belonged to historic peace churches. Because of this, young RNOC men who were conscientious objectors to war signed up for Voluntary Service (VS) through Rosedale International (previously Rosedale Mennonite Missions) or other approved humanitarian mission and service agencies. Costa Rica and Nicaragua became primary destinations for RNOC volunteers collaborating with long-term RI workers in the region.

Young RNOC women also volunteered to serve, and a vigorous short-term missions movement took off! From 1962-1984, approximately 200 young men and women served in Central America, usually giving one to three years of their lives to dig wells, build roads and latrines, run clinics, suture machete cuts, teach Sunday school, pastor young churches, perform weddings and funerals, and much more. 

Central America was not the only place where RNOC youths volunteered during the 70s and 80s. In addition, RNOC had VS units in Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas, Ohio, Alabama, and Germany. In 1980, for example, 110 people served in these locations as missionaries or as part of the VS movement. Needless to say, there was serious interest in VS during this era.

These incredible service numbers give me pause and prompt me to ask—what happened to the Voluntary Service movement? Thankfully, Rosedale International has seen numerous young people serving in the REACH program, but where is the volume of yesteryear?

As dean of students at Rosedale Bible College, I have a front-row seat to our network’s youth, and I can assure you that our churches are raising young people who love Jesus and are passionate about the work of the Kingdom. Yet very few are going into Voluntary Service.

I could give a myriad of reasons about how one can be missional and Kingdom-minded in the business world, but I still think the church loses something when our young people aren’t setting aside months, or even years, for a specific season of sacrificial service. 

How did we get to this point, and what is the solution? I believe there are three aspects that are vital if we are to see a resurgence of young people dedicating time to intentional service: church, family, and allegiance.

Church
At an April 17-19, 2026, reunion for Central American VSers, one man, now in his 80s, marveled at the incredible gift the church gave him and hundreds of other young people: the opportunity to serve overseas without having to raise any money. The church covered its costs. By doing so, the church sent the message, “If you’re willing to go…go! We’ll cover the costs.”

The reality is that mission programs then and now will always cost money. How many young people would be more interested in serving in short or long-term missions if they knew their churches were committed to paying the majority or totality of their expenses? To do this, the local church would need to make funding the mission and service work of its members a higher priority.

Family
Unfortunately, an obstacle I see for our young people is convincing their parents that a decision not based on future earnings is a good decision. A temptation for parents is to fear for their children’s safety; to fear they will fall behind their peers’ careers. There are fears of the distance from home and the inevitable difficulties and dangers.

These might be valid fears, but can we afford to deprive our children, the Kingdom, and the world of the blessings of service for the King because of our fears?

As I listened to Central American VSers at this recent reunion, I heard time and time again, “My life was completely changed by my time of service.” How sad it would have been if 60 years ago their parents had forbidden them to go because it would have been too far away and not practical for their future careers.

Allegiance
To quote Bob Dylan, “Ya gotta serve somebody!”RNOC’s Central American VS program was directly impacted by the youth of the conference, stating they would not serve in the military but were willing to serve the kingdom of God in a developing country.

There is no draft today, but how many in the church have been drafted into the American way of life? Get a job, invest, make money, and have a comfortable life. There is no need to intentionally set aside a time of life to serve, without pay.

The original Voluntary Service program of RNOC wasn’t actually voluntary. It was a response to the military draft. What would it mean today to intentionally choose service as an alternative way of understanding life? If our allegiance is to comfort and financial stability, why would our young people choose an alternative allegiance to the Kingdom?

Interestingly, every person I heard speak at the recent Central American VS reunion mentioned how their time deeply impacted their lives for the better. Not even one mentioned it negatively affecting their financial plans and net worth. If our churches can help our youth, and their parents see this truth, I can’t help but think we will see more young people choosing mission and service, both short and long-term.