Our identity in The Christian and Missionary Alliance is rooted in Jesus Christ. Our mission is to know Him, exalt Him as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King, and complete His Great Commission. We call ourselves a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family. What does that mean?CHRIST-CENTERED, ACTS 1:8 FAMILY
IDENTITY
- CHRIST-CENTERED — We start with Jesus. He is the source of our love, the cause of our worship, and the core of our message. Not only do we begin with Jesus, but we end with Jesus, too, and center ourselves around Him. Everything we are begins and ends with Him.
- ACTS 1:8 — Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We rely on the Holy Spirit to fill us as we seek to fulfill our calling to every segment of society and spread the good news.
- FAMILY — We believe are at our best when we do this together, serving in a local church and among a community of local churches. We are a diverse family—children of God, and brothers and sisters in Christ. We do life together.
Christ-centered
All over the world, the Alliance family is celebrating Jesus and cultivating environments that embrace more of Him. He is the one true hope for humanity in this life and for all eternity.
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”
– COLOSSIANS 2:9–10
We are Jesus people and strongly believe in All of Jesus for All the World and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19–20). In order to go to the ends of the earth and spread the good news, we need to have deep relationships with Christ. We believe that everything we do and all that we are flows out of that relationship—a Christ-centered relationship.
The Deeper Life
A. W. Tozer, former C&MA vice president, pastor, and editor of Alliance Weekly (now Alliance Life), wrote of the deeper life in the magazine in 1954 and said this: “The deeper life must be understood to mean a life in the Spirit far in advance of the average and nearer to the New Testament norm.”
Alliance people are passionate to know Jesus in His fullness. We are united in our desire for greater intimacy with Christ and seek after the deep, abiding presence of His Holy Spirit. We long to be more like Jesus and experience His healing, transformational work in our lives and share it with others.
This was the experience of our founder, Albert Benjamin Simpson, who formed The Christian and Missionary Alliance in 1897 to be a society devoted to the “deeper life” in Christ and world evangelization.
The Fourfold Gospel
Our desire to know and exalt Jesus has shaped our theology. Being one with Him, we are confident that He will reveal Himself as our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. Simpson called this theology the Fourfold Gospel—the Christological summary on which the spiritual DNA of The Christian and Missionary Alliance is built.
Our Savior
The cross reminds us of His sacrificial death and Resurrection as atonement for the sins of humankind (Acts 4:12).
Our Healer
The pitcher represents oil to anoint the sick for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing (James 5:15).
Our Sanctifier
The laver represents the daily cleansing from sin by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 1:30).
Our Coming King
The crown represents our blessed hope in Christ’s imminent return (Acts 1:11).
DID YOU KNOW?
Not only does The Alliance seek obedience to the Lord through exalting Jesus in our spoken and written theology, but we have also been known to sing it.
From the very beginning, it was noted that “Alliance people, more than most, quite literally sang their theology…throughout his ministry, Dr. Simpson would be credited with 172 songs for which he wrote the words, music, or both” (All for Jesus). Our Alliance family is filled with many gifted musicians, song writers, and producers—Alliance Worship has already produced one album, a few new singles, and is set to release more music in the near future.
VOLUME 1
Alliance Worship
Not only does The Alliance seek obedience to the Lord through exalting Jesus in our spoken and written theology, but we have also been known to sing it.
Alliance Worship Volume 1 was inspired and written by Alliance worship leaders from across the United States with the desire to revive our passion for singing our theology together. Volume 1 features seven songs—each with a strong echo of our vision—All of Jesus for All the World.
ACTS 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
– ACTS 1:8
As God works more deeply in our lives, His Word and work naturally extend beyond ourselves to others. Deeper intimacy with Jesus and His Holy Spirit’s indwelling empower us to partner in His passion, fulfilling the Great Commission.
One of the historical characteristics that distinguishes The Christian and Missionary Alliance from some other evangelical bodies is its compelling concern to reach the lost world and bring them into maturity in Christ.
About 700 U.S. Alliance international workers (IWs) have answered Jesus’ call to take His love and gospel to the neediest and most least-reached places on earth! Our IWs are passionate, Jesus-loving people who long to share the gospel and be part of fulfilling the Great Commission.
JERUSALEM, JUDEA, SAMARIA, AND THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
Because we are an Acts 1:8 family, we believe that the Lord has called us to extend His love beyond ourselves. The Alliance has been long known for our rich history of proclaiming the good news to all who would hear—immigrants and refugees, neighbors, friends, family, and brothers and sisters across the oceans.
In The Alliance, we believe that the Holy Spirit has called us to be “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This doesn’t just apply to these specific regions; we believe that we have our own Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria to minister to.
Jerusalem
Our Jerusalem is our local Alliance church and our neighborhoods. When the Lord calls us to be witnesses to Jerusalem, He is not only instructing us to be witnesses in our local church, He is also calling us to minister to those in our own neighborhoods, to the people we interact with in the grocery store, the local library, at work, and everywhere we go during the week. The U.S. Alliance has over 2,000 churches—if you are searching for an Alliance church in your area or in the area of a friend or family member, click below.
Find a Church
judea
Our Judea can be considered our region or districts, each as distinct as the people that comprise it. The overall goal of districts is to develop healthy people (fully devoted followers of Christ), who come together to build healthy churches (unified as the Body of Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit). This means that we are to minister to and be witnesses to those within our own regions and districts. Find out more about Alliance districts and associations using the district list or interactive map.
samaria
Our Samaria is the country we reside in. The Alliance is one big, diverse, extended church family with about a half a million members in the United States alone. Of course, The Alliance extends beyond America, but for the U.S. Alliance, Samaria is the United States—we are to be ministers of the gospel across and within our country. The U.S. especially is incredibly diverse—there are people moving to different states and cities from countries across the globe. The number of religions represented in the United States is growing immensely. We don’t have to travel far to meet people who have never heard the name of Jesus.
Ends of the Earth
The ends of the earth consists of the entirety of our world. Today, more than 4,000 people groups—comprised of nearly 3.4 billion people—lack access to the good news. Some remain physically isolated; others live under threat of political opposition or religious persecution. Many have been driven from their homelands because of war, instability, or natural disaster and are struggling just to survive. All these suffering people live with virtually no knowledge of Jesus’ love for them and little hope for their future. This is why it is vital that we continue to send new workers—and sustain those already sent—among unreached peoples in some of the world’s remaining hard places. We are called to go, to be, and to do—all for and in the name of Jesus.
Welcome the Stranger
Since the mid-1970s, the C&MA in the United States and Canada has become increasingly multicultural, beginning with the influx of Southeast Asian refugees following the Vietnam War.
Over the years, U.S. Alliance churches have embraced, discipled, and equipped many immigrants from around the world who have since returned to their home cultures with a burden for the lost. Our heart for the nations has resulted in the U.S. Alliance becoming one of the most diverse evangelical church families in America.
God’s Family
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
– 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20
“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
– ROMANS 12:15
Our U.S. Alliance Family
We’re family. The Alliance is one big, diverse, extended church family—with some half a million members in the United States alone.
Like every family, we share a gene pool—in our case, it’s spiritual DNA. We love Jesus and believe it’s a basic human right that everyone—from your neighbor next door to the marginalized people group across the world—deserves a chance to be introduced to Jesus and fall in love with Him too.
So that more and more people can truly know that Jesus cares for us all—body, soul, and spirit—the Alliance family plants churches and builds and administers schools, clinics, hospitals, community centers, retirement centers, and radio stations. We also partner with other churches, governments, and nongovernment organizations to extend care and practical support in the name of Jesus to families who’ve been devastated by disease, poverty, political turmoil, and natural disasters.
HOW WE’RE ORGANIZED
Local Churches
The Alliance engages at the local church level first. Every local Alliance congregation is one of about 2,000 fellowships worshiping in 38 languages and dialects across the country.
Districts & Associations
Alliance churches in the United States and its trust territories, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, are organized into certain geographically based and ethnically based districts, the parameters of which are subject to change by action of the Board of Directors.
Local Alliance churches are organized into 25 geographic/ethnically designed districts (21 geographic districts and four multicultural districts) and 10 associations/ethnic ministries (African, African-American, Arabic-speaking, Chinese, Filipino, Haitian, Montagnard, Native American, Spanish Western, and Jewish). Church Ministries also gives oversight to the Alliance federal chaplains—endorsement of military chaplains and institutional chaplains serving federal agencies.
Each district is under the supervision of a district superintendent who reports to Church Ministries at the National Office.
National Office
Located in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, the National Office of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) is home to the majority of our administrative offices.
The National Office comprises five areas of ministry that help oversee the daily operations of the C&MA—Executive, Church Ministries, Alliance Missions, Development, and Operations/Finances. The C&MA National Office’s affairs are managed by the Board of Directors.
Alliance Place
In 2019, The Alliance began a transition from a traditional ministry headquarters model in Colorado Springs business park to lead an innovative model relocation in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
“We don’t want to be in a comfortable, hidden enclave but rather be an integral part of a diverse community. We want our neighbors to know us and to see Christ in us.”
— Jonathan Schaeffer, Senior Pastor, Grace Church (The Alliance)
PROJECT REIMAGINE
Project ReImagine is the vehicle for fueling Alliance Place—a 14-acre, mixed use development, the first of its kind in Reynoldsburg’s history.
Alliance Place is more than a building; it is a model for changing the posture of church engagement in society—both at the local level and around the world.
project reimagine
Executive
Executive includes the Office of the President, Higher Education, Corporate Vice President, and Corporate Secretary/Legal Services/HR Services.
The corporate secretary is elected by the General Council and is an ex officio member of the Board of Directors and is responsible to record and secure the corporate records, proceedings, and historic documents of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, generate official communications, and coordinate legal services for all areas of ministry.
Legal Services and HR Services operate out of the C&MA National Office and consistently provide insight and administration on all things legal for the corporate U.S. C&MA and the hiring and stability of the U.S. National Office staff.
U.S. Church Ministries
U.S. Church Ministries (CM) oversees 25 geographic/ethnically designed districts and 10 associations/ethnic ministries. They oversee national-level ministries including Alliance Youth, Alliance Kids, Alliance chaplains, and the Alliance Center for Leadership Development (ACLD). Their purpose is to equip leaders and local churches for maximum Acts 1:8 impact. Their areas of focus are advancing community-transforming churches, multiplying gospel-advancing churches, and developing disciple-making leaders.
Alliance Missions
Alliance Missions (AM) oversees international workers (IWs) serving under four specialized structures and ministering in locations spread across five global regions.
Specialized Structures:
CAMA
Envision
aXcess
marketplace ministries
Development
Development (DEV) works to mobilize constituents for Great Commission involvement through praying, giving, and serving. DEV is responsible for communicating The Christian and Missionary Alliance story, raising funds for the movement, promoting the vision, preserving the rich Alliance heritage, and mobilizing the Alliance family toward Great Commission completion. Development works in partnership with the other areas of ministry to coordinate communications, funding, marketing and events, and leadership development.
Operations/Finance
Operations Finance (OF) provides operational support and manages the finances of the C&MA.
Board of Directors
The governance of the C&MA is vested in our Board of Directors. The Board is subject to the legislation and policies enacted by the General Council, which is the highest representative body of the members of the C&MA. The number of directors, their classifications, if any, their term of office, and the manner of their election or appointment is determined according to the Bylaws of the C&MA from time to time in force.
The Board of Directors has 28 members, each of whom are a member in good standing of an accredited church of The Christian and Missionary Alliance or is an attendee in good standing in a developing or affiliated church of the C&MA. The president, corporate vice president, and corporate secretary are also members ex officio. The Board of Directors are elected at General Council.
General Council
General Council is the “governing body” representative of the U.S. C&MA. Acknowledging Christ as Head of the Church and Scripture as the ultimate authority, General Council, representative of the entire membership, is the legislative body of The Christian and Missionary Alliance. When General Council convenes, attention is given to the following functions:
Advancing the mission and vision of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Evaluating the progress of the ministries of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Electing officers, transacting business, and enacting denominational policies.
Providing opportunities for worship, fellowship, spiritual renewal, inspiration to greater service, and the development of ministry skills.
Council takes place every two years, and the Alliance family gathers together to worship, pray, send and commission international workers, vote on changes to Alliance Statement of Faith and Polity, and elect a president, officers, and members of the Board of Directors.
Alliance Ministry Partners
Our Alliance family extends beyond our churches to include subsidiaries and affiliated enterprises, such as:
Alliance Higher Education
The Christian and Missionary Alliance higher education system seeks to provide for the ministerial education needs of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, preparing missionaries, pastors, and other vocational church workers and for its lay education needs with programs in the arts, sciences, humanities, and other professional training. The Alliance has four colleges/universities and two seminaries.
Toccoa Falls, GA
St. Bonifacius, MN
Redding, CA
Redding, CA
Alliance Retirement & Senior Living Communities
The Alliance has three retirement communities located throughout the United States: Shell Point Retirement Community, Florida; Town and Country; and Chapel Pointe (affiliated). These communities remain fully committed to the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health of their residents.
Fort Myers, FL
Carlisle, PA
Santa Ana, CA
Orchard Alliance
As a supporting organization of The Alliance, Orchard serves all its subsidiaries, affiliated ministries, and churches. They provide lending, investment, and retirement products, capital project advisement, gift and estate design services, and training in stewardship and generosity from a biblical perspective. They also serve more than 50 like-minded ministry partners including rescue missions, Christian higher education institutions, mission sending organizations, and youth-focused ministries.
Orchard Alliance
Alliance Camping
Ever since A. B. Simpson envisioned a worldwide movement of God during a summer camp in Maine in the late 1800s, God has been changing lives through Alliance Camping. Today, over 50 camps in 17 countries partner with Alliance churches worldwide, serving as effective extensions of their ministries. We estimate that over 200,000 people attended Alliance camping programs last year.
Alliance Camping
Our Global Alliance Family
Our family tree extends beyond the United States to more than 80 countries where 25,392 churches are home to more than 6.3 million Jesus followers—all sharing our “C&MA DNA” and our vision, All of Jesus for All the World.
For more than 135 years, Alliance people have answered the call to take the good news of Jesus’ love to the nations. Today, there are Alliance national churches (partner networks or networks of churches) and workers ministering all over the world.
Our church is part of a worldwide family, bound together by our love for Jesus Christ and our passion to make His love known to all people—from our neighborhoods to the nations
As part of this global Alliance family, we’re simply better and more effective functioning like the New Testament Church.
Alliance World Fellowship
AWF unites churches and ministries related to the C&MA by facilitating cooperation amongst its members (churches and organizations) as they work for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Alliance World Fellowship
Worldwide, six million Alliance believers in more than 25,000 churches exalt and proclaim Jesus in 180 languages and dialects.
Each year, tens of thousands of people find true hope and joy—for this life and the next—through the loving outreach of the Alliance family, worldwide!
Dig Deeper
Featured resources, facts, quotes, videos, stories, and more.
Module 2: Alliance 101 Guide and Reflection Questions
This resource is designed for you—either as an individual or a group—to dig deeper, to lean into what God is saying, and to challenge you in your walk with Christ.
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