Council for World Mission
Christian community
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Council for World Mission (CWM) is a worldwide partnership of Christian churches, comprising 36 denominations that share resources, people, skills, and insights globally and locally to accomplish and fulfill the Christian mission. The organization includes churches of Reformed and United tradition, many of which historically originated from the work of the London Missionary Society (1795), the Commonwealth Missionary Society (1836), and the Presbyterian Council for Missions (1847).[1][2]
| Council for World Mission | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Reformed Tradition and United Churches |
| General Secretary | Jooseop Keum |
| Associations | World Council of Churches |
| Region | Global |
| Headquarters | Singapore |
| Origin | 1977 |
| Merger of | London Missionary Society, Commonwealth Missionary Society and Presbyterian Council of Missions |
| Members | 36 denominations |
| Official website | www |
History
Background
The CWM has its roots in the London Missionary Society, founded in 1795, the Commonwealth Missionary Society founded in 1836, and the Presbyterian Council for Missions, founded in 1847.[2][3]
These three predecessor missionary organizations were constituted with the goal to evangelize regions such as the South Pacific, Africa, India, and China.[1]
During the 20th century, the churches founded by these missions became autonomous, consolidating local identity and drawing attention to the need for a global missionary partnership based on equality between churches of the Global North and South.[4]
Foundation (1977)
In 1977, the historic missions were reorganized as the Council for World Mission (CWM), with the aim of promoting missionary cooperation among partner churches, each considered both agent and recipient of God's mission. The international headquarters is located in Singapore, with regional offices in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Europe.
The member churches are represented by 144 delegates, four from each member church. The delegates elect the Moderator, Treasurer, and all members of the Board of Directors.
The member churches meet annually to approve any amendments to the Memorandum and Articles of Association, appoint the General Secretary and to admit or expel members upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors.[5]
Organization and purpose
The CWM promotes:
- Global missionary cooperation;
- Strengthening solidarity between churches of the North and South;
- Justice, peace, and integrity of creation;
- Theological and missionary training in partnership with seminaries and universities.
The organization participates in the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the meetings of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC). Although the CWM does not have formal membership status in the WCRC, 30 of its 36 member churches are also members of the WCRC[n 1], which is why the Council acts as a missionary partner to several of these denominations.[6][7]
Members
In 2025, the organization had 36 members:[8]
| Country | Denominational sub-family | Denomination | Number of congregations | Number of members | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Congregationalists | United Congregational Church of Southern Africa | 1,000 | 1,500,000 | 2024[9][10] |
| South Africa | Presbyterians | Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa | 473 | 500,000 | 2006[11] |
| Bangladesh | United Churches (Presbyterians and Anglicans) | Church of Bangladesh | 115 | 22,600 | 2022[12] |
| China (People's Republic of China) | United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists) | Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China | 74 | 36,000 | 2016[13] |
| Cook Islands | Congregational | Cook Islands Christian Church | ~80 | ~18,000 | 2024[14] |
| South Korea | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap) | 9,446 | 2,190,919 | 2024[15] |
| Guyana | Congregational | Guyana Congregational Union | 40 | 2,452 | 2006[16] |
| India | United Churches (Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists and Disciples of Christ) | Church of North India | 4,600 | 2,300,000 | 2025 |
| India | United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Continental Reformed, Anglicans, and Methodists) | Church of South India | 10,114 | 5,000,000 | 2020[17][18] |
| India | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of India | 4,054 | 1,605,423 | 2024[19] |
| Jamaica | United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Disciples of Christ) | United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands | 194 | 14,000 | 2025[20] |
| Kiribati | United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Anglicans) | Kiribati Uniting Church | 136 | 25,216 | 2020[21] |
| Madagascar | Continental Reformed | Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar | 7,200 | 6,000,000 | 2016[22][23][24] |
| Malaysia | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church in Malaysia | 100 | 7,000 | 2004[25] |
| Malawi | Churches of Christ | Church of Christ in Malawi | 4,000 | 75,000 | 1991[26][27] |
| Mauritius | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Mauritius | 5 | 501 | 2011[28] |
| Myanmar | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Myanmar | 245 | 33,000 | 2001[29] |
| Nauru | Congregational | Nauru Congregational Church | 7 | 7,000 | 2006[30] |
| New Zealand | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand | 259 | 18,348 | 2023[31][32] |
| New Zealand | Congregational | Congregational Union of New Zealand | 13 | 670 | 2019 |
| Netherlands | United Churches (Continental Reformed and Lutheran) | Protestant Church in the Netherlands | 1,487 | 1,387,000 | 2025[33] |
| Papua New Guinea | United Churches (Presbyterians and Methodists) | United Church in Papua New Guinea | 2,600 | 748,961 | 2011[34] |
| "French Polynesia" | Congregational | Maohi Protestant Church | 104 | 135,500 | 2019[35] |
| United Kingdom | United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Disciples of Christ) | United Reformed Church | 1,242 | 35,844 | 2022[36] |
| United Kingdom | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Wales | 471 | 12,938 | 2023[37] |
| United Kingdom | Congregational | Union of Welsh Independents | 390 | 20,000 | 2006[38] |
| United Kingdom | Congregational | Congregational Federation | 235 | 10,883 | 2004[39] |
| Solomon Islands | United Churches (Presbyterians and Methodists) | United Church in the Solomon Islands | 191 | 50,000 | 2006[40] |
| Samoa | Congregational | Congregational Christian Church of Samoa | 325 | 70,000 | 2006[41] |
| American Samoa | Congregational | Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa | 113 | 20,000 | 2006[42] |
| Singapore | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church in Singapore | 37 | 21,000 | 2020[43] |
| Taiwan | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church in Taiwan | 1,271 | 257,550 | 2020[44] |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Presbyterians | Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago | 108 | 40,000 | 2004[45] |
| Tuvalu | Congregational | Christian Church of Tuvalu | 18 | 9,682 | 2012[46] |
| Vanuatu | Presbyterian | Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu | 400 | 65,000 | 2018[47] |
| Zambia | United Churches (Presbyterians and Methodists) | United Church of Zambia | 1,060 | 4,000,000 | 2024[48][49] |
| Global | Council for World Mission | 52,151 | 26,240,487 | 2004-2024 | |
Programmes
The Council has four permanent programmes – financial sharing, personnel sharing, mission development and education, and communication – which give encouragement, provide training opportunities, share information and give practical help to the churches' mission programs.
Member churches carry out theological education, pastoral ministry, healthcare (including HIV/AIDS care), counselling and community work. CWM offers training programmes, missiological research and scholarship to its members.
The ‘Partners in Mission’ (PIM) programme works to share mission personnel between member churches.
The 'Face to Face' program offers theology students overseas placements of up to two months.[50][51] In 2008, CWM launched a partnership with St George's College to operate a temporary 'Face to Face' program in Israel.[52] Partner countries for this programme include the US, Fiji, India and Zambia.
Archives
The Archive of the Council for World Mission is held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. [53][54] They also hold the archives for LMS, CMS and EPBM.[further explanation needed][citation needed]
Notes
- The only denominations that are members of the CWM but not members of the WCRC are: 1. Cook Islands Christian Church; 2. Church of Christ in Malawi; 3. Nauru Congregational Church; 4. Congregational Union of New Zealand; 5. United Church in Papua New Guinea; and 6. Congregational Federation.