USA (MNN) — At a time when church-based giving toward missions has decreased significantly, the U.S. Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) has been recognized by Christianity Today (CT) as one of the leading denominations in terms of the percentage of church dollars given to missions.
The article, "Spotlight: How We Give," in CT's February 2011 issue, states that out of every dollar given in U.S. C&MA churches, 11 cents is designated for international missions. The 12 other denominations listed ranged in missions giving from 1 to 6 cents per dollar. The report was based on surveys from Empty Tomb, Inc. and Giving USA.
The C&MA's worldwide ministry is financed by the Great Commission Fund (GCF), a central fund that enables Alliance church members to participate in fulfilling Christ's command to make disciples of all nations. Gifts to the GCF support more than 500 international workers in 64 countries.
Words of gratitude from Alliance international workers reinforce the C&MA's commitment to providing much-needed resources for field staff, church planters, and creative-access personnel. "Gifts [to the GCF] enable us to be here and to be a blessing to our friends and church family–encouraging, discipling, equipping, and giving," says Brenda Knopp, who ministers in Kosovo. "Thank you for supporting us."
"Thank you to all of you who are giving to the Great Commission Fund," says Kevin Oberg, serving in Burkina Faso. "You are helping keep us on the field with everything that this entails–support, medical care, kid's schooling, and even certain ministry items covered by our field budget."
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is a worldwide family of Christians mobilized to fulfill the Great Commission by living out the fullness of Jesus Christ in personal experience and building His Church worldwide. Today, there are more than 2,000 Alliance churches in the United States and more than 20,000 fellowships in 81 countries around the world, where nearly 5 million Christians call themselves "Alliance," united by an unquenchable passion to reach our communities for Christ and provide access to the Gospel where no access yet exists.
