C&MA Background

What is the Christian and Missionary Alliance?

 

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an alliance of evangelical believers, joined together in local churches, committed to fulfilling the Great Commission given by our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19 and 20 instruct us, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”.

We are Christian because we believe and follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We are missionary because we are committed to reaching lost people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

The cross, pitcher, laver and crown are the four symbols that join to illustrate the central theme in The Christian and Missionary Alliance, that is: Jesus Christ is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. It is the mission of the C&MA to know and exhalt Jesus Christ, and to complete His great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Since our beginning in 1887 the Alliance has grown to 2,100 churches in the United States and Canada. We have ministries in 54 countries around the world.

What do Alliance people believe?

The Alliance emphasizes the need for genuine spiritual conversion to Christ, a Spirit-filled life and effective service.

The doctrinal statement of The Christian and Missionary Alliance was adopted in 1965. It has been reaffirmed in succeeding years and stands as an understandable statement of evangelical belief . We teach the centrality of Christ expressed as “Jesus Christ–our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King.”

 

What Makes the Christian and Missionary Alliance Different?

 

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is a missionary denomination committed to worldwide evangelism and discipleship. This is reflected in our commitment to plant churches around the world, to concentrate on evangelism and to train and send into service only those who are sound in faith, filled with the Spirit of God and have a passion for reaching those without Christ.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is committed to good stewardship. In the use of missionary money, we practice economy consistent with efficiency.

The Alliance message is that the Person of Jesus Christ is adequate to meet the needs of the whole man. He is exalted as:

The living Word of God

The supreme Revelation of divine love

The sacrificial Lamb of God who alone provides salvation for mankind

The sufficient One for every need of body and soul; the only hope for a world of lost people

The Coming King

Our emphasis on the Person of Jesus Christ grows out of an unswerving loyalty to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. Our emphasis on holy living and the Holy Spirit’s power for service grows out of the clear teaching in the New Testament epistles and the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself.

 

History of the Christian and Missionary Alliance

 

This “Alliance” of believers traces its roots to the ministry and vision of Dr. Albert B. Simpson. A Presbyterian clergyman, motivated by the spiritual needs for the metropolitan multitudes in North America as well as by those of the unevangelized peoples in other lands, Dr. Simpson launched a vibrant ministry of evangelism and Bible teaching.

He was joined by people from a variety of denominational backgrounds who also desired to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. They were compelled by a sense of urgency to take this message to all nations because of Jesus’ statement in Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

This new “mission society” soon became a major evangelical movement. Today it is a rapidly growing denomination committed to world evangelism.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance has a history rich in ministry. The cornerstone of our National Office building in Colorado Springs is a visual reminder of our roots. It was first laid at the Gospel Tabernacle in New York City in 1889. Worldwide we are linked to other believers who share a passion to reach those without Christ through The Alliance World Fellowship.