C&MA Vision Prayer
C&MA Statement of Faith

The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada

A.B. Simpson founded two organizations in 1887: The Christian Alliance and The Missionary Alliance. One was a network of Christians joining together for the support of missions and the other was the missionary sending agency. Ten years later the two organizations merged as The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Today the C&MA has grown to be a world-wide missionary movement of 2.5 million people in 17,000 churches in 61 countries.

The C&MA in Canada continues to be a meeting place for people from many denominational backgrounds and has a strong desire to share the love of Christ with others who do not know Him.

We celebrate Jesus Christ as our Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. That is, we believe that Christ is the source of salvation, holiness and healing, and we look forward to the return of Christ, our blessed hope.

Grand Centre Alliance Church
Mission Statement

Our mission: To enable people to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ, growing in our love for God, each other and the world.

Breakdown of our mission statement

Our Mission:

  • "a sending out or being sent out to perform a special service, the special duty for which one is sent, a special task to which one devotes one's life; calling" (websters)
  • not simply a statement that defines or identifies but, a purpose we gather around, sign on to together - motivating cause for the group to exist.

To Enable people:

  • about providing the atmosphere and resources for people to encounter - to do! When we enable we do not do for them, we show, educate, release - fully expect them to engage in the doing once enabled. (ongoing process)
  • This is a huge posture statement - we do not have staff, programs, resources to accomplish for you but to train and equip you - radically different posture.
  • Note that enablement is deliberate and measurable - you would know if training is working or not - you would have results to measure, change that could not be missed!

To become:

  • invitation to something - move from what is currently to something different
  • Evangelism - inviting people to encounter God through Jesus work on the cross.
  • Building bridges and relationships that allow for people to be engaged in life and conversation about Jesus work on the cross
  • Invitation to selfless service to Jesus ( 'there can be no savior without settling the issue of Lord' Tozer)

Faithful followers of Jesus:

  • Faithful - "loyal, conscientious, accurate; reliable." (websters)
  • To accurately reflect Jesus - must have heart driven lives that are led by the Holy Spirit's empowering. Not a religious devotion to institution or way of doing things - a devotion to God's daily leading and empowering in all situations!
  • "Love the Lord your God with All your Heart, soul & strength" - foundation
  • authentic walk and love for others - unity in diversity of people
  • Phil 2 - let this attitude be in you that was in Christ Jesus - humility, sacrifice, other centered living!
  • Jesus teaching and life was unmistakably outward centered, other focused, mission driven.

Growing:

  • ever changing - maturing and progressing - bearing fruit in season
  • word never suggests a having arrived - growth to a point - but a constant change from one state to another.
  • Growth is both noticeable and measurable - evident from inside and outside

In Their Love for:

  • two implications here - individual and group included in the word "their"
  • "Love" - huge to unpack the biblical passages on what love looks like:
    • selfless, other centered, sacrificial, motivating, costly, the motivating factor in everything.
    • Greater love has no one than this..., They will know you are my disciples by your Love..., Greatest of these is Love..., Love your neighbor as..., for God so Loved...

God:

  • Love for God evidenced in Holiness in life of person - growing desire for God's way over mine!
  • Love the Lord your God..., Your rules are like precious gold...,

Each Other:

  • how the body works and relates to one another is critical. Evidence of growth will be a deepening love between each other, mutual respect, sacrifice, putting others first, honoring giftedness, encouragement etc.
  • cannot put these three things out of order - cannot claim a love for God and unsaved and not have a growing love for others in the body. Church - body - designed by God and empowered by Holy Spirit to do - critical this be a progression seen inside the body and by the world

The World:

  • there must be an outworking of our faith that is evident to those around us
  • "For God so loved the world..." our hearts must reflect God's - thus the hunker down and wait it out mentality is sin
  • By actively loving and caring for our world - especially those who do not know of God's love through Jesus - we show Jesus transforming work
  • "Go into all the world..."


Vision Prayer of the C&MA in Canada

Oh God, with all our hearts we long to be:
a movement of churches,
transformed by Christ,
transforming our nation and world.
By Your grace and for Your glory:

  • Renew and empower us through a fresh encounter with Yourself
  • Release us to be strategic in service, kingdom-connected in practice, passionate in pursuit of Your mission and mercy
  • Use us to fulfill Your purpose for Canada and the world.

Top

Christian and Missionary Alliance
Statement of Faith

(revised at Assembly 2000)

Statement #1

There is one God,1 who is infinitely perfect,2 existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.3

Statement #2

Jesus Christ is true God and true man.4 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.5 He died upon the cross, the Just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures.6 He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. 7 He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace. 8

Statement #3

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person, sent to indwell, 9 guide, teach, and empower the believer, and to convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.10

Statement #4

The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of people. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.11

Top

Statement #5

Humankind, originally created in the image and likeness of God12, fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All people are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.13 The destiny of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment, but that of the believer is everlasting joy and bliss.14

Statement #6

Salvation has been provided only through Jesus Christ. Those who repent and believe in Him are united with Christ through the Holy Spirit and are thereby regenerated (born again), justified, sanctified and granted the gift of eternal life as adopted children of God.15

Statement #7

It is the will of God that in union with Christ each believer should be sanctified thoroughly16 thereby being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to God, receiving power for holy living and sacrificial and effective service toward the completion of Christ's commission.17

This is accomplished through being filled with the Holy Spirit which is both a distinct event and progressive experience in the life of the believer.18

Statement #8

Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body. Prayer for the sick and anointing with oil as taught in the Scriptures are privileges for the Church in this present age.19

Top

Statement #9

The universal Church, of which Christ is the Head, consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by Christ to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the Gospel to all nations.20

The local church, the visible expression of the universal Church, is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together to worship God, to observe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, to pray, to be edified through the Word of God, to fellowship, and to testify in word and deed to the good news of salvation both locally and globally. The local church enters into relationships with other like-minded churches for accountability, encouragement, and mission.21

Statement #10

There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life;22 for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.23

Statement #11

The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal and visible.24 As the believer's blessed hope, this vital truth is an incentive for holy living and sacrificial service toward the completion of Christ's commission.25

Top

Endnotes

1. Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 45:5-6
2. Matthew 5:48; Deuteronomy 32:4
3. Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:19
4. Philippians 2:6-11; Hebrews 2:14-18; Colossians 2:9
5. Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35
6. 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; 1 John 2:2; Acts 13:39
7. Hebrews 4:14-15; 9:24-28
8. Matthew 25:31-34; Acts 1:11
9. John 14:16-17
10. John 16:7-11; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12
11. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21
12. Genesis 1:27
13. Romans 8:8; 1 John 2:2
14. Matthew 25:41-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
15. Titus 3:5-7; Acts 2:38; John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 6:11
16. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
17. Acts 1:8
18. Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:16-25
19. Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:13-16
20. Ephesians 3:6-12; Ephesians 1:22-23
21. Acts 2:41-47; Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Acts 11:19-30; Acts 15
22. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
23. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
24. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
25. 1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:11-14; Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20

Top