Despite mission agencies in the west tend to be in decline, CMS has grown to 211 long term missionaries!
Rev Canon Peter Rodgers, the international director of CMS Australia said that while the growth was exciting, there was always more to be done.
“We’re really thankful to the Lord that more people are coming to CMS and wanting to be missionaries around the world.”
“At the end of 2017 there were 211 long-term missionaries… and 198 12 months before that. So we’re growing, and that’s no small thing [because] mission agencies in the West tend to be in decline"
At Summer School in Katoomba last month, CMS Australia shared its refreshed vision for the next five years.
“The world changes so rapidly that we can’t just rest on our laurels,” explained the Rev Canon Peter Rodgers, the international director of CMS Australia. He said the society needed to regularly reassess its work in light of “what is happening around the world”, so it could be “on the front foot to ensure our work is always effective and we’re doing the best work with the resources that we have”.
The core vision remains “A world that knows Jesus”, with a focus on the three areas of reaching gospel-poor peoples for Christ, equipping leaders overseas in areas where the church has grown quickly – but still needs support and training – and engaging churches locally and globally about the biblical mandate for cross-cultural mission.
Key values
To this has been added a list of CMS “distinctives”:
1. that it is Bible-based, with its mission knowledge and practice grounded in God’s word;
2. it has a gospel priority – all its ministries seek to bring people to Jesus and grow them in faith;
3. it has a long-term focus with its mission and international partnerships – emphasising the careful selection of who goes out to serve in addition to ongoing language learning, cultural insight, good pastoral care and commitment in prayer;
4. it values in-depth preparation and training for those it sends out.
The Logo
The new CMS logo underscores this vision. The circle represents its desire to be global in its work and relevance; while inside there is an M for mission, a crown for Jesus and, at the top, an open Bible.
“‘A world that knows Jesus’ has been embraced by CMS for several years, but the new brand gives prominence to this vision,” Canon Rodgers said. In both look and message, it is bold and unashamed.
“Our hope and prayer is that God will work through the CMS brand to raise up a new generation of dedicated supporters who will express their faith by partnering with us in mission.”
