Christian and Missionary Alliance
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an alliance of evangelical believers who have joined together in local churches and are dedicated to the fulfillment of the Great Commission that was given by Jesus Christ. They encourage believers that are different in backgrounds and theological traditions to unite in alliance.
The mission of the Christian and Missionary Alliance is to know Jesus Christ, to proclaim Him Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and the coming King. They strive to complete the Great Commission of Jesus and glorify God by building Christ’s Church worldwide. They desire to develop healthy local churches, as well as increase the number of churches in the United States and around the world. They endeavor to establish a strong support base and train called workers.
History
The Christian and Missionary Alliance was founded by Dr. Albert B. Simpson in 1887. Dr. Simpson encouraged the lay forces and the resources of the churches to take the complete Bible to the whole world. It was the belief of Dr. Albert B. Simpson that a life that is completely yielded to Christ was one that was in service to Christ. Dr. Simpson also believed if a person was controlled by the Holy Spirit, they have no choice but to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others.
Dr. Albert Benjamin Simpson was born December 15, 1843, at Bayview Prince Edward Island, Canada. He died October 29, 1919, in Nyack, New York. He was raised in a strict Calvinistic, Scottish, Presbyterian, and Puritan background.
In December 1873, Albert Simpson was called to preach at The Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky and The Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church, also in Kentucky. This was the beginning of Albert Simpson evangelistic endeavors.
After five years in Louisville, Albert Simpson was called as the pastor at the Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church in New York. There were continuous problems with the massive amount of immigrants with different ideas, languages, traditions and beliefs that gathered in the city. Albert Simpson’s focus on their plight, led many Italian immigrants to Christ.
Albert Simpson found another calling and left the Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church in New York and started what he called the Fourfold Gospel; Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctified, Healer and Coming King. The Fourfold Gospel has been used by the Assemblies of God and the Four Square Churches.
His second focus was for the lost and perishing world. Albert Simpson sent his first missionary evangelistic group to the Congo Africa. His Christ centered message reached the local churches and the Christian and Missionary Alliance was started. Albert Simpson was not searching for a beginning of a denomination, just an instrument for world evangelization.
Albert B. Simpson became involved with the growing Pentecostal movement, which was an offshoot of the Holiness movement. He had an enormous influence on Pentecostalism, the Assemblies of God and the Foursquare Gospel Churches. The Azusa Street Revival brought about the existence of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
The death of Albert B. Simpson in 1919 caused The Christian and Missionary Alliance to dissociate with the Pentecostalism and reject the speaking in tongues as being necessary to prove possession of the Holy Spirit.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance concentrated on the deep-rooted Christian life. There were local branches of The Christian and Missionary Alliance established by 1930 gathering as churches however, they did not view themselves as churches. It is not an established church; it is a calling together of Christians who have a vision to evangelize the world as they remain in their own local churches.
It is the priority of The Christian and Missionary Alliance to have the teachings of Christ as its center. The Christian and Missionary Alliance was a denomination by the middle of 1974, when they adopted a denominational function and instituted a formal statement of faith.
Belief
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believes there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons; the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit. The believe Jesus Christ is true God and true man. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus died upon the cross as a substitute Sacrifice; all who believe in Him are justified because Jesus shed His blood. They believe Jesus is now at the right hand of God and is our great High Priest who will come again to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, and teach the believers. They believe the Old and New Testaments are originally given, verbally inspired by God and are inerrant and that the Testaments are complete revelation of His Will for the salvation of men.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believe man was created in the image and likeness of God, but fell through disobedience and as a result, experiences both a physical and a spiritual death. They believe all men are born with a sinful nature and that separates them from the life of God. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ can be saved through the atoning of work of Him.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ for all men. Those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit; they receive the gift of eternal life and become the children of God. Accordingly, it is the will of God that each believer be filled with the Holy Spirit and be wholly sanctified. They believe the healing of the sick, through prayers and anointing with oil as taught in the Scriptures, is made in the redemptive work of Jesus.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believe the Church consists of all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Head and the Body of the Church and that Jesus commissioned the Church to go into the entire world as a witness, to preach the gospel to all the nations.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance believe the local church is a body of believers joined together for worship of God, edified through the Word of God. They observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They believe there is a bodily Resurrection of the just and the unjust. They also believe the second Coming of Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and pre-millennial.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Christian and Missionary Alliance: .” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2622,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Christian and Missionary Alliance:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2622,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Christian and Missionary Alliance:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2622, (accessed).
