GOLD2024

SPIRITUAL ORPHANS NETWORK (formerly EEMN)

Connecting Spiritual Orphans to the Global Family of Christ

aka SON NETWORK   |   Albuquerque, NM   |  http://www.SONetwork.org/

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Mission

At SON Network we serve people in a part of the world that is often overlooked as a mission field. We excel at reaching spiritual orphans in the unique context of former communist nations. Relationships are at the core of all SON ministries and every mission. We invest in one on one, long term relationships that often lead to lives truly Transformed in Christ. Our missions allow for team members to begin engaging people in the Gospel almost as soon as the plane lands in country! SON Network connects North American believers with people and ministries in former communist and Soviet bloc nations in Central & East Europe, Russia, the Baltics, the Balkans, and in Ethiopia. SON is currently serving in Albania, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Ethiopia.

Ruling year info

1992

Executive Director

Pastor David R. Breidenbach

Main address

#298 / 5901-J Wyoming Blvd NE

Albuquerque, NM 87109 USA

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Formerly known as

EAST EUROPEAN MISSIONS NETWORK

EIN

41-1731302

NTEE code info

Christian (X20)

Youth Development Programs (O50)

Christian (X20)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is not required to file an annual return with the IRS because it is a religious organization.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

At SON Network we serve people in a part of the world that is often overlooked as a mission field. We excel at reaching spiritual orphans in the unique context of former communist nations. SON works in former communist countries where Christianity was outlawed and punishable by imprisonment, exile or death. In many cases, the persecution lasted for several generations. Once the ideologies of communism took hold they undermined both, family values and the belief in any power other than the government. Over time, Christianity was all but eradicated, leaving no older generation (no grandmas, grandpas, mothers, or fathers) to share their Faith with subsequent generations. SON connects Christians from North America with people in former communist countries who do not know they have a Father in Heaven who wants to adopt them to Himself or a Family in Christ who will foster them as they seek to become Children of God.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

English Language Bible Camps

SON English Bible Camps are similar in nature to a North American style Vacation Bible School (VBS). Every year, we are blessed with between 450 to 700 children, and their families, who hear (many for the first time) that there is a God who loves them and invites them to love Him in return. These are five day camps (Monday through Friday) with students arriving around 9:00 am for an opening worship session and introduction of the theme of the day. The remainder of the day is segmented with fun and interactive English sessions, and rotations of sports, crafts and music. The day ends around 2:30 with a closing session. On Friday, students will present a short skit to show friends and families what they have learned during the week, or will participate in a camp picnic to celebrate a week of new relationship with their North American teachers and Jesus Christ.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Indigenous peoples

Adult Education piece seeks to enhance the doctrinal and theological training received, by our partnering pastors, in dealing with the very real life aspects of topics such as how to effectively equip a congregation to do missions and outreach, spiritual care and making disciples. As a result, we are developing SON Regional Learning Centers in Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, Albania, Ukraine, Austria. It is important to clarify that this does not mean the funding and building of edifices, rather it means using already existing seminaries and cultural centers as gathering places for local and internationally regional pastors and lay leaders to meet, learn and fellowship with and through one another.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Indigenous peoples

SON Life and Adventure Retreats are similar to North American youth retreats. The 2020 theme is Who Am I? - My Identity as a Child of God. These are typically 5 to 6 day residential camps beginning on Saturday afternoon and ending on Thursday evening. Students meet each morning for an opening session that presents the topic for the day followed by one to two intensive small group sessions where teens are presented with ways to discuss things that concern young people (self esteem, relationships, addiction, etc.) from a Biblical perspective. Activities to break up the day are provided for students (water games, hiking, high ropes, crafts). Leaders are encouraged to participate! Evening sessions are reserved for intentional worship, testimonies, and opportunities for prayer and an invitation to know Jesus Christ more fully.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

North American Lutheran Church Mission Partner 2016

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

SON Network equips Christian believers, here and overseas, to be more mature kingdom-builders by helping bring the Gospel to those still living in the aftermath of over three-generations of imposed Soviet scientific atheism. The people of these once thriving Christian nations, have forgotten their Christian identity and thirst to know they are called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified children of God, in Christ Jesus!The spiritual darkness and challenges of the nations we serve are uniquely different from more common, third-word missions destinations, and so can often offer a more impactful spiritual transformation in the local peoples and in missionaries, alike. Because of our vast network of overseas and North American ministry partnerships, we are uniquely qualified to be the “one-stop shop” for all things missions in former communist and Soviet bloc nations.

In order that the message of the Gospel falls onto the ears of people with whom a level of trust has been built, most Christian missions organizations seek first to build relationships through social and project ministries. SON is unique in that these relationships are built prior to sending missionaries (whether short or long term) to serve the areas to which we have been called.

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the remnants of the Christian church began to try to adapt from rigid governmental control to their newfound freedom. Church leaders faced the overwhelming challenge of trying to rebuild the spiritual and moral foundation of Truth in an environment of limited resources and a culture influenced by over three generations of scientific atheism.

The stark reality for most of our ministry partners is that they are given decent seminary training, but then are dropped into rural communities and told to build the Church without any true concept of what that means or how to accomplish it. To add to that challenge is one of the sobering remnants of communist society dictating that all one needs to do to be a good comrade is to follow the rules, and the government will take care of everything else. So thorough and pervasive was the indoctrination, it is completely foreign for this people group (even Eastern European Christians), to grasp the understanding that they have a stake and a responsibility in building the Kingdom through their time, talent and treasure. It is our joy and calling in the Gospel to help educate the people of these former communist and Soviet bloc nations regarding their responsibility and their privilege in building Christ’s Church here on earth.

SON Network is Connecting Spiritual Orphans to the Global Family of Christ. We do this by building relationships through Christian missions that Engage, Reclaim and Transform lives in Christ.

● ENGAGE: Engaged Through the Word of God.

● RECLAIM: Reclaimed Identity as a Child of God.

● TRANSFORM: Adopted by God and Forever Transformed in Christ.

SON Network equips Christian believers, here and overseas, to be more mature kingdom-builders by helping bring the Gospel to those still living in the aftermath of over three-generations of imposed Soviet scientific atheism. The people of these once thriving Christian nations, have forgotten their Christian identity and thirst to know they are called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified children of God, in Christ Jesus!

As a sending agency, Spiritual Orphans Network (formerly East European Missions Network) has placed career missionaries in Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Albania, and Turkey. We also strive to equip our international ministry partners to serve as missionaries within their own cultures. Each summer, short-term missions teams are sent to serve alongside these full time missionaries and ministry partners.

We offer opportunities for North American volunteers to participate as members of short-term mission (STM) teams that serve to connect with people in former communist and Soviet bloc nations in Central & East Europe, Russia, the Baltics, the Balkans, and in Ethiopia. SON mission teams host cross-cultural English Bible Camps and schools for children, Life & Adventure Retreats for teens, and Bible Studies for adults. Overseas teaching opportunities also exist for pastors and ministry leaders in a variety of settings and terms of service, through SON Regional Learning Center Conferences. Long-term and career missionaries are also called, equipped, and sent to serve in specific kingdom-building capacities that help empower, equip, and grow the visions for ministry of our indigenous co-workers, overseas. This is how relationships are strengthened, disciples are made, and the Body of Christ is equipped for Kingdom Building.

At SON Network we serve people in a part of the world that is often overlooked as a mission field. We excel at reaching spiritual orphans in the unique context of former communist nations.

Because of the 400+ year physical presence of the Lutheran Church in Central & Eastern Europe, Russia, the Baltics, and the Balkans, and as we are a Lutheran founded para-church organization, SON Network is uniquely poised to make connections with the remnant of indigenous co-workers in ministry from the historical Lutheran Church. We embrace the strength in an ecumenical witness of our life in Jesus Christ and so we gladly collaborate with Christians from other theologically conservative traditions. The goal is Engaging, Reclaiming, and Transforming Lives in Christ!

For Churches
You will never read or hear SON Network boasting about the number of people we “saved” during one of our missions. This is the work of the Holy Spirit by God’s grace, alone. Sometimes it can happen in an instant, but for most people, this profound transformation takes time and the patience of genuine relationship. We are in it for the “long haul” and so we spend a great deal of time investing in the relationships that have been so carefully nurtured, over time. This is where churches can become partners in ministry and where the partnership works both ways!
SON Network is helping solve the challenge for church leaders who desire a catalyst for discipleship and local mission opportunities.

Participants often return after serving on a SON mission team with a greater openness to intentionally pursuing spiritual growth and a vision for local mission opportunities. Short-term missions are also an effective way to rally an entire congregation to participate in global missions by sending short-term missionaries, supplying material support, and praying for those going and for those receiving the Word through mission.

For Businesses
We believe that our mission is founded in the Great Commission as commanded by Jesus Christ (Matthew 28: 19-20). Our vision and task is Connecting Spiritual Orphans to the Global Family of Christ. We do this by Engaging, Reclaiming, and Transforming lives in Christ!
Because of our unique mission field, Spiritual Orphans Network stands out among North American Christian individuals, congregations, businesses, and leaders - from young millennials to aging baby boomers. This is where your business can become a powerful voice in
Connecting Spiritual Orphans to the Global Family of Christ. By partnering with SON Network, you can engage your client base in unique and creative ways to help equip and support this generation to reach the first generation of believers in former communist nations.

As a sending agency, SON has placed career missionaries in Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Albania, Turkey, and Dubai. We also strive to equip the indigenous Church and lay leadership to serve as missionaries within their own culture. Each summer, short-term mission teams serve with these long-term missionaries and ministry partners. Additionally, SON staff and representatives teach and preach at conferences and conventions throughout the year, all over the European continent and throughout North America.

In September 1992, Pastor Don Richman founded East European Missions Network (now named Spiritual Orphans Network) to help rebuild the Lutheran Church in Russia and former Soviet countries. The idea was to educate American Christians to minister alongside the remnant of the Lutheran Church to develop Christian materials, host seminars for pastors and help build Bible schools and seminaries. Through this concept of mutual fellowship and sharing of resources, the idea of the Network began to take root.

From 2004-2014, Pastor Bill Moberly served as Director of EEMN and built upon Pastor Richman’s vision. Although EEMN had been hosting English Bible Camps as early as 1996, Pastor Moberly applied the idea more deliberately and was able to bring true partnership between North American congregations and East and Central Europe. Many of the students of these English Bible Camps are now Believers and Christian leaders in their communities.

Pastor David Breidenbach joined the staff as Executive Director in March of 2015. Pr. David and his wife Angela and daughters, Rachel & Emily began serving with SON (then EEMN) in 2006, leading teams to Ukraine, Slovakia and Russia. As their love for the ministry grew, so did the connection to the people they were serving. When Pastor David had the opportunity to join the staff as Executive Director, it was an easy decision.

Under his leadership, ministry partnerships began to develop outside of former Soviet Bloc nations, and it quickly became evident that we were no longer serving just in East Europe. Accordingly, it also became obvious that East European Missions Network did not describe the full extent of the ministry. As a result, Pastor David realized the need to rebrand to better tell the story of WHO we serve, not where we serve. Thus, in April 2020, Spiritual Orphans Network (SON) was born.

Today, SON continues to develop and nurture international partnerships that produce a strong network of people, ministries, and resources between European, African, Mongolian, and North American believers, and beyond. This is how relationships are strengthened, disciples are made, and the Body of Christ is equipped for Kingdom building.

Financials

SPIRITUAL ORPHANS NETWORK (formerly EEMN)
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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SPIRITUAL ORPHANS NETWORK (formerly EEMN)

Board of directors
as of 10/12/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Pr. Mark Wilhelm

LCMC/NALC Pastor

Term: 2017 - 2024

Pr. Mark Wilhelm

SON Board President - Senior Pastor - Spirit of Joy L.C. - Indianapolis, IN

Pr. Phil Lee

SON Board VP - LCMC Pastor – Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat - Wickenburg, AZ

Mr. Philip Schmidt

Professional Educator - Thomas Downey H.S.- Modesto, CA

Mr. Victor Standke

SON Board Secretary - Law Enforcement - Semi-Retired - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Pr. Deborah Lunde

LCMC Interim Call Pastor - Minneapolis, MN

Dr. Rob Pool

VP Student Affairs - Ashland University, OH

Pr. Don Pieper

Senior Pastor - LC of the Redeemer - Chimacum, WA

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 10/25/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Gender identity
Male

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/18/2024

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.