Christian Missionary Fellowship

Summary

Christian Missionary Fellowship ("CMF") is a mission agency whose purpose is to assist the local church in world evangelism. CMF recruits, equips, and sends missionaries primarily to receptive unreached peoples. The aim of its work is evangelism and the development of churches and Christians that are competent to continue the stewardship of the gospel among their own people and throughout the world. CMF provides missions information, education, printed materials, training, and motivation. As CMF continues to work with maturing churches overseas, more and more of the missionary's time will be spent in leadership development and specialized ministries. National church leaders now shoulder much of the responsibility in ongoing evangelism and church planting. At the same time, CMF continues to look for areas of the world where primary evangelism is a pressing need. CMF was founded in 1946 and now operates in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, England, Ukraine, Kenya, Ethiopia, Benin, Ivory Cost, Tanzania, United States, and in countries in Northeast Africa and Southeast Asia.

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).

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Organization Details [ Back to top ]

Purpose [ Back to top ]

Christian Missionary Fellowship ("CMF") is a mission agency whose purpose is to assist the local church in world evangelism. CMF recruits, equips, and sends missionaries primarily to receptive unreached peoples. The aim of its work is evangelism and the development of churches and Christians that are competent to continue the stewardship of the gospel among their own people and throughout the world.

CMF provides missions information, education, printed materials, training, and motivation. As CMF continues to work with maturing churches overseas, more and more of the missionary's time will be spent in leadership development and specialized ministries. National church leaders now shoulder much of the responsibility in ongoing evangelism and church planting. At the same time, CMF continues to look for areas of the world where primary evangelism is a pressing need.

CMF was founded in 1946 and now operates in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, England, Ukraine, Kenya, Ethiopia, Benin, Ivory Cost, Tanzania, United States, and in countries in Northeast Africa and Southeast Asia.

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 ]

CMF uses the following to communicate its mission statement:

To mobilizes Christians to draw people from all nations into relationship with Christ and His Chrurch.

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

Need Program Accomoplishments info

Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

CMF uses the following to communicate its theological statement:

The basic theological position of Christian Missionary Fellowship as stated in its Bylaws is:
"Toward realizing its incorporated purposes, CMF shall accept the Christian program as presented in the New Testament Scriptures, referring all matters of doctrine to these writings for final decisions."

History [ Back to top ]

Jess Johnson went to India in 1946 as a missionary and, while there, continued to think about alternate ways to approach the missionary relationship. Upon his return to the States in 1949, he shared his ideas and sought the advice of a number of Christian leaders around the country.

People such as Dean Walker, Jess Johnson, and Leonard Wymore envisioned a missionary-sending arrangement whereby the message would be thoroughly biblical, and at the same time, organized to allow for cooperation, accountability, and efficiency. Out of the recommendation and support of these leaders, CMF was incorporated in Kansas in 1949.

Within its first year of existence, CMF missionaries were on the field. Kent and Ruth Bates of Kansas arrived in India to begin ministry at Jhansi. They were soon followed by Chester and Martha Parker, and later Dr. Wayne and LeAnn Wertz.

Bill and Lois Walker began ministry in Tokyo, Japan in the fall of 1955, and Eugene and Pat Smith pioneered work in Brazil in 1957.

The decade of the 1960s proved to be pivotal in the growth of CMF. CMF ministry in Brazil was geared to church planting and leadership training. The earliest ministries were among economically depressed people. In 1983, a congregational meeting of all the barrio churches begun by CMF met and unanimously approved a constitution that allowed the church to be registered with the government. This began the transition from CMF leadership to Brazilian leadership.

CMF’s ministry in Brazil next began to focus on an emerging middle class and leadership training among the barrio churches.

In 1963, Mont and Elaine Smith opened the new field of Ethiopia. They were the first of almost two dozen missionary families to serve in that country. Ministry was begun in Wollega Province among the Oromo and Kazza (Gumuz) people. By the time CMF missionaries left Ethiopia due to the Marxist takeover in 1977, some 4,000 Ethiopian people had become Christians through their efforts. In 1992, Ray and Effie Giles led the team to reenter Ethiopia and resume ministry there.

The 1970s and 1980s saw new fields opened in Kenya (1977), Indonesia (1978), Mexico (1980), Tanzania (1984), Chile (1988), and England (1989). In the 1990s, CMF entered Singapore (1990), Benin (1991), Thailand (1994), Ukraine (1994), and Ivory Coast (1998), in addition to other fields in Africa and Asia.

In the 1990s, CMF began its first intercultural ministry in the United States in response to the large numbers of cross-cultural groups within the USA.

A bivocational division was established out of the concern to begin effective ministry among peoples in countries where missionary visas are not granted. Missionaries who could offer job skills and experience began to enter creative-access countries as business people committed to evangelism.

At this writing, CMF ministers in 14 countries among 18 different people groups. The missionary force numbers over 100 while another 45 people are preparing themselves for field service. A summer international internship program, REACH, has provided over 150 young people with directed experience on CMF fields.

CMF partners with many mission efforts and churches around the world. A variety of ministries, from staff medical clinics to translation, from church planting to teaching missionary children, from working with street children to researching new fields, are tools to help CMF missionaries toward the accomplishment of world evangelization.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

Long-term Service - A ministry longer than two years that focuses on evangelism, church planting, and leadership training among unreached peoples. Plan to learn a language and live relationally among the people to whom you are reaching out. For the latest challenging updates and needs, contact David Giles, in CMF's Recruitment Division.

Short-term Service - A 3-month to 2-year ministry that focuses on using a specific task needed on the field team. Lifestyle evangelism will be part of an effective ministry. For the latest challenging updates and needs, contact David Giles, in CMF's Recruitment Division.

Bivocational Service - Bivocational is a word to express two vocations for one purpose. An overwhelming number of the world's unreached people live in countries that do not permit visas for traditional missionaries. But the vast global marketplace needs people to use vocational skills and experience. People with these abilities are the new, nontraditional missionaries -- sent by the Church, accountable to a team, trained and prepared, using lifestyle evangelism. If you are interested in using your experience and training to be a bivocational worker while you communicate the love of God, talk to us. For the latest challenging updates and needs, contact Greg Johnson, in CMF's Bivocational Division.

Reach International Internships - What is REACH? Reach is an 8-week summer internship program, placing interns alongside experienced missionaries on CMF fields. Designed to provide hands-on missions experience for those who have completed the sophomore year of college or equivalent.

Research Analysis

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

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