Africa Inland Mission International, Inc.

Summary

Africa Inland Mission International, Inc., U.S. Sending Council (AIM or "U.S. Council") strives to plant and cultivate maturing churches through the evangelization of unreached people and the effective preparation of church leaders. AIM is one of five "Sending Councils", individually organized and operating within their respective countries, including South Africa, the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia. The ministries of the Sending Councils are accomplished through AIM Branches, which operate within the various African countries. To promote effective planning, cooperation and unity of purpose, the five Sending Councils and the AIM Branches have organized Africa Inland Mission International (the "International Council"), with offices in Bristol, England. Through delegates appointed by the Sending Councils, Branches and service units, the International Council establishes overall policy and exercises administrative authority for the ministry. Under this direction, each Sending Council exercises authority for its operation within its country of domicile. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Contact Information: [ Back to top ]

Organization Details [ Back to top ]

Purpose [ Back to top ]

Africa Inland Mission International, Inc., U.S. Sending Council (AIM or "U.S. Council") strives to plant and cultivate maturing churches through the evangelization of unreached people and the effective preparation of church leaders.

AIM is one of five "Sending Councils", individually organized and operating within their respective countries, including South Africa, the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia. The ministries of the Sending Councils are accomplished through AIM Branches, which operate within the various African countries. To promote effective planning, cooperation and unity of purpose, the five Sending Councils and the AIM Branches have organized Africa Inland Mission International (the "International Council"), with offices in Bristol, England. Through delegates appointed by the Sending Councils, Branches and service units, the International Council establishes overall policy and exercises administrative authority for the ministry. Under this direction, each Sending Council exercises authority for its operation within its country of domicile.

This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Mission Statement [ Back to top ]

Africa Inland Mission International, Inc.'s Mission Statement is:

To Declare the Glory of God to the Peoples of Africa. Compelled by our passion for the glory of God and His holiness, we commit ourselves to bring the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ through every ministry of Africa Inland Mission International.

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

AIM is an international foreign mission organization serving 15 countries in Africa and in some U.S. urban centers with over 500 full-term missionaries and over fifty short-term missionaries.

Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

Africa Inland Mission International, Inc.'s Mission Statement is:

(taken from the Constitution of the Africa Inland Mission) The members of this Mission declare their belief in:

The unity and trinity of God, eternally existing in three co-equal Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God the Creator and Preserver of all things, who created man, male and female, in His own image, and gave them dominion over the earthly creation.
The deity and humanity of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being very God, also became man, being begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, dead and buried, was raised bodily from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father; whose two natures continue eternally and inseparably joined together in one Person.
The deity and personality of God the Holy Spirit, and the necessity of His work to make the death of Christ effective to the individual sinner, leading him to repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and in His ministry, dwelling permanently within and working through the believer for godly life and service.
The divine, verbal inspiration and infallibility and ignorance of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as originally given, and their absolute and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall, rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
The sacrificial death of our Representative and Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, by the shedding of whose blood atonement was made for the sins of the whole world and whereby alone men are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin.
The necessity of the new birth as the work of God the Holy Spirit, to be obtained only by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior; that men are saved by grace through faith, not by works.
The security of the believer, based entirely on the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby, as a born-again child of God, he has assurance of salvation and has the right to all the privileges of the sons of God.
The responsibility of the believer to maintain good works, and to obey the revealed will of God in life and service, through which eternal rewards shall be received.
The True Church, whose Head is the Lord Jesus Christ, and whose members are all regenerate persons united to Christ and to one another by the Holy Spirit.
The observance of the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper as appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
The supreme mission of the Church as being to glorify God and to preach the gospel to every creature.
The personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of the body.
The eternal blessedness of the saved, and the eternal punishment of the lost.

History [ Back to top ]

1895
Arthur Pierson, Charles Hurlburt, Peter Cameron Scott and others founded the Africa Inland Mission (AIM), Pennsylvania Bible Institute, and the Central American Industrial Mission.

1895
The first eight AIM missionaries (pictured above), led by Peter Cameron Scott arrive in Mombasa, British East Africa.

1896
By the first Annual General Meeting, missionaries had been placed among the Wakamba in Nzawi, Sakai, Kilungu, and Kangundu in Kenya. Peter Cameron Scott died of black water fever on December 8.

1896 - 1901
The British build railway linking Mombasa with Lake Victoria.

1898
The last of the first sixteen AIM missionaries leaves Africa. Of the original sixteen three had died, five had left due to illness and four had resigned.

1901
Charles Hurlburt and family arrives in Kangundu, East Africa.

1903
Hurlburt moves AIM center to Kijabe, Kenya. John Stauffacher arrives to work among the Maasai.

1906
Josephine Hope commences a school (now Rift Valley Academy) for missionaries' children in Kijabe.

1909
First AIM missionaries arrive in Nassa, German East Africa (now Tanzania).

1912
Led by John Stauffacher, first missionaries settle in Kasengu, Belgian Congo, (current day Democratic Republic of Congo).

1914 - 1918
The Great War.

1918
First missionaries to Mvara, Uganda, among four unreached tribes.

1920
League of Nations mandates German East Africa to Britain - a population of 5 million in 137 tribes.

1924
Paul Buyse crosses the Ubangi River into French Equatorial Africa (FEA) (current day Central African Republic) and suggests Zemio as the first AIM center in FEA.

1939 - 1945
Second World War.

1942
First Ugandan ordinations - Revs. John Dronyi and Silvanus Wani.

1949
Church Missionary Society (CMS) invites AIM to take over Opari and Torit in Sudan. Paul Buyse leads the first team into southern Sudan.

1952 - 1955
State of Emergency declared in Kenya.

1956
Civil War breaks out in Sudan, forcing the missionaries to leave. The government takes over the mission schools.

1960
Independence in Congo (current day Democratic Republic of Congo) results in partial and temporary evacuation of AIM, leaving an autonomous church in Congo of 32,000 members and 8,103 licensed and unordained pastors.

1962
Sudan Government enacts Missionary Society Act which restricts activities of missionaries. Expulsions commence. AIM Kenya opens Scott Theological College.

1963
Africa Inland Church (AIC) Tanzania becomes responsible for the assignment of all missionaries in Tanzania.

1964
Simba rebellion in Zaire (current day Democratic Republic of Congo) results in AIM evacuation.

1971
AIM Kenya becomes a department of AIC. American Council of AIM appoints first missionaries the Hoplers to Newark, USA.

1972
AIM's International Council meets for the first time. Temporary cessation of war in Sudan permits AIC pastors to reestablish work to East of Nile. AIM and other missions set up ACROSS to work West of Nile.

1973
AIM abandons legal identity in Zaire (current day Democratic Republic of Congo) and functions under the African Church, CECA, as one organization.

1975
AIM-AIR commences. First missionaries are sent to the Comoro Islands.

1977
A team establishes ceramics training in Seychelles. Ugandan bishops elect Wani as Archbishop to replace Luwum, murdered by President Amin.

1978
Following their expulsion from the Comoro Islands, a missionary couple begins AIM's work in Reunion.

1979
Four missionaries enter Madagascar, working with the Bible Society.

1981
AIM and AEF establish a joint team of missionaries in Namibia, which numbers 36 by 1993.

1984
AIC Kenya holds a big prayer meeting to launch their new missionary college in Eldoret.

1985
Dick Anderson and Don Potocki enter and survey war-torn Mozambique.

1986
First AIM missionaries arrive in Lesotho. CECA has 87,469 communicant members, 459 pastors of which 226 are ordained, 2,561 evangelists and 96 expatriate missionaries.

1986
Chad Evangelical Church welcomes an AIM team.

1992
While Sudan expels remaining missionaries, churches in other countries urge AIM to send more.

1995
AIC Kenya and AIM worldwide celebrate 100 years of ministry.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

AIM is a faith mission, dependent upon God as He moves the hearts of interested individuals, local churches and other organizations to meet financial needs.

Missionaries raise support for their ministries from interested churches and individuals. Funds provided for the support of each missionary are set apart for that purpose and disbursed in compliance with the support schedule and policies. Aim's ministries and projects are supported by those whom God raises up with a concern for that ministry activity or project.

Research Analysis

Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

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