Hi there, the Lord has directed my family to start attending a "Christian Missionary Alliance" church. We've never even heard of this denomination before, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me which congregation group it would most closely resemble here on the forum. I have done some research on the denomination, but the things that the members say don't exactly align with my research, so I'm still trying to get a grip on what they believe, in general. Thanks so much!!
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"Christian Missionary Alliance"?
- Thread starter donnamabob
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The Christian Missionary Alliance has its roots wihin the Presbyterian Church. Because of traditional Calvinistic thought the Presbyterian Church was rather late to hop on the bandwagon of foreign missions. Those within the denomination who were stirred to support foreign missions formed an alliance of like-minded believers and called themselves the Christian and Missionary Alliance, with a desire to work with other foreign missionaries in other denominations. In time the CMA found itself alienated from the Presbyterian Church and became a freestanding denomination in its own right. Its theology, in general, is Arminian as a reaction against the Calvinism of Presbyterianism. Probably the finest individual that the CMA produced IMO was A.W. Tozer. I highly recommend his writings to any Christian.
In Omaha, Nebraska there is a very large CMA church which was established in the early twentieth century. It appears to have been the "flagship" church of the denomination. Its founding pastor was a very hardline legalist who preached fiery sermons against such ungodliness as women wearing makeup and men having beards. The legalism of the CMA seems to have abated considerably.
I hope this helps.
In Omaha, Nebraska there is a very large CMA church which was established in the early twentieth century. It appears to have been the "flagship" church of the denomination. Its founding pastor was a very hardline legalist who preached fiery sermons against such ungodliness as women wearing makeup and men having beards. The legalism of the CMA seems to have abated considerably.
I hope this helps.
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I became a Christian in 1980 and began attending a C&MA church soon after. As I grew in my faith, I later attended Toccoa Falls College, which is a C&MA school located in Georgia.
One might find it difficult to tie the church directly to any particular denomination, largely because they are primarily organized to support a worl missionary effort, which they have done for more than 100 years and have done it in a rather unique and effective approach. They support all their missionaries from the denomination, rather than have the missionaries struggle to support themselves. If there is another denomination that operates this way, I am unaware of it.
Toccoa Falls was an incredible strong college, but they did not teach an "Alliance" doctrine, per se, because thei r primary effort is in creating strong Christians who can defend the faith and serve our Lord effectively. I am still reaping benefits from attending there many years ago.
If you made me associate it with another church, I can guess that you would find some doctrinal similarities to the Nazarene church in the northern Alliance church, but the southern churches would probably lean more Calvinistic. Again, this is just a wild guess because I have the impression that each church takes on something of an identity of its own, with missions being the primary effort between them all. Perhaps, after all these years, it is still operating as something of a parachurch group. If I remember correctly, the founder, AB Simpson, started as a Presbyterian, but I remain rathe runaware as to how that would affect today's Alliance churches.
Hope this helps.
One might find it difficult to tie the church directly to any particular denomination, largely because they are primarily organized to support a worl missionary effort, which they have done for more than 100 years and have done it in a rather unique and effective approach. They support all their missionaries from the denomination, rather than have the missionaries struggle to support themselves. If there is another denomination that operates this way, I am unaware of it.
Toccoa Falls was an incredible strong college, but they did not teach an "Alliance" doctrine, per se, because thei r primary effort is in creating strong Christians who can defend the faith and serve our Lord effectively. I am still reaping benefits from attending there many years ago.
If you made me associate it with another church, I can guess that you would find some doctrinal similarities to the Nazarene church in the northern Alliance church, but the southern churches would probably lean more Calvinistic. Again, this is just a wild guess because I have the impression that each church takes on something of an identity of its own, with missions being the primary effort between them all. Perhaps, after all these years, it is still operating as something of a parachurch group. If I remember correctly, the founder, AB Simpson, started as a Presbyterian, but I remain rathe runaware as to how that would affect today's Alliance churches.
Hope this helps.
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