ACM International History

A BRIEF HISTORY

 After World War II, several people from the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ in the United States wanted to begin mission work in the Belgian Congo, as it was then known.  However, the Belgian government restricted missionary activity only to those connected with a legally recognized mission agency.  Therefore, the African Christian Mission was incorporated in the State of Ohio, on October 11, 1947, by leaders within the independent Christian Churches.
 
The first missionaries were sent to the Congo in 1948 to begin the work.  They began in the Ituri Rain Forest of northeastern Congo, opening the first mission station at the village of Bomili just outside of Stanleyville (now Kisangani) in the territory of Bafwasende.  The work grew quickly and a strong church was formed.  Even in the years after independence (1960) when turbulence and war forced many of the missionaries to evacuate, the church in Congo stood firm.
 
After working exclusively in Zaire (the name was changed from Congo in 1970) for 45 years, African Christian Mission began to expand its geographic vision.  In 1994 ACM formally assumed Bread of Life (Pain de Vie in French), another USA based missionary group, into its organization.  Bread of Life is a legally registered Christian Church in the country of Mali, in West Africa.  In 1996 ACM began similar discussions with West Africa Christian Mission, based in Nigeria (also in West Africa), and a merger was later completed with them as well.
 
In 1995 the Lord led ACM to close out our missionary role in Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo) for a time.  This process was completed in early 1996.  At that time ACM missionaries moved out of Zaire to begin ministries in several different locations within Africa (including Nigeria and Mali) as well as other parts of the world. 

OUR NAME

Due to the nature of the new ministries God was opening before us and the prospects for reaching out into areas beyond Africa, it became clear that it was time for us to consider changing our name from African Christian Mission to something less limiting geographically.  In an attempt to maintain some connection with our past while opening ourselves up to God’s leading for the future, we took on the name ACM International.  This name change became official in early 2008.  In August 2009 it was decided, by the ACM International Trustees board, that the letters ACM from now on, would stand for the Alliance of Christian Missions.  This was not a decision to change our name, but rather to give new definition to the letters ACM.  Our official name remains ACM International. 
 
We love what “the Alliance” communicates about our team.  This word describes well the way God has brought us together.  And even more than an alliance of organizations, we are an alliance of individuals determined to work in unity toward our common purpose - to establish churches who are effectively sharing life with all that surround them!  The alliance also captures our prayer for the future.  We have a deep commitment to work in harmony with others, individuals and organizations, whom God might choose to place beside us.  We also envision men and women, whom we have yet to meet, joining the family.  This includes those who may be called to become members of ACM International as well as those who are called to lend support to the work God is doing through our team.  So  – “What does ACM stand for?”  We are the Alliance of Christian Missions! 
 
To learn more about us, click on the appropriate title(s) below:

Who We Are
Our Purpose & Vision
Our General Strategy
Our Core Values