Mueller, Joy
From MissioWiki
Mueller, Joy; husband: Paul
Joy and her husband Paul and their family (Brandon – 1980, Rachel – 1985 born in Liberia, Michael – 1987 born in Liberia) first worked among the Kisi people in Liberia from 1983-1990, an animistic society, which was just beginning to hear about Jesus Christ through the efforts of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Being traditional religionists, the Kisi sacrificed to the ancestors and spirits to insure prosperity, many children, and good crops. When the Muellers arrived in January 1984, they began planting churches and training local leadership. 17 village churches were begun and over 325 were baptized. The work then spilled over into Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Cote d’Ivoire during the Liberian and Sierra Leonean civil wars and over 400 churches were planted in those countries due to the work of trained Liberian leaders who fled the war. The Muellers returned to Africa in 1990 and after 15 years in the states to serve as directors of the LCMS work. Joy served as Project Management Director – LCMS World Mission and LCMS World Relief-Human Care. She traveled Africa widely working with National churches and missionaries to develop appropriate projects which were sustainable, reproducible, strategic, independent, and visionary for the church in that place. Paul served as Regional Director – Africa, LCMS World Mission. He served as a member of the International Mission Team, providing spiritual care and nurturing the African regional team and its individual members. He assisted in identifying and appointing Area Facilitators in Africa and supervised their activities to assist in achieving the objectives of God’s mission. He helped to maintain positive and dynamic relationships with international Lutheran Church partners in Africa as well as mission society and church leaders. He also served, when requested, as a representative of the LCMS President in church relations matters. Both Joy and Paul travelled to 24 different African countries working to partner with emerging as well as strong, dynamic Lutheran church bodies in those countries.
Joy has worked as a Middle School Instructional Specialist for 120 middle school teachers and has participated in teaching emotionally handicapped children, high-potential students, learning disabled children, and worked as Integration Equity Coordinator in collaboration with 9 other metro school districts. Her work involved creating awareness and openness to the ethnic diversity in the districts and offering opportunities for teachers, staff, and students to understand the ethnic plurality and the needs, concerns, and lifestyles each bring. Rev. Dr. Paul Mueller also served as the Director of the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach (OHSCO), and faculty member in the Department of Theology responsible for Mission and Outreach at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN.
Joy is a 1977 graduate of Concordia University in St. Paul, MN., receiving her undergraduate degree in elementary education and physical education. She also received her Master of Arts in Education in Practical Classroom Practices from CSP in 1998. In addition, she has achieved her Licensure for Administrative Leadership.
Rev. Dr. Paul Mueller is a 1977 graduate of Concordia University, St. Paul, MN., where he received his elementary education degree, his MDiv in 1983 from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, his Masters of Theology in Missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary and School of World Mission in 1991 and a Ph.D. in Missiology from Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana in 1996.
