Winston Churchill once declared, “Study
history, study history. In history lie all the secrets of statecraft.” The same
may be said of church-craft as well. The study of Christ’s bride and her
history will bring clarity and conviction in regards to the church’s present
situation. All For Jesus, written by
authors Robert L. Niklaus, John S. Sawin, and Samuel J. Stoesz, considers the
work of God in the Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1873 until 1987. A
wealth of knowledge from the past, ideas for today, and insight for the future
is contained in this work.
The work is divided into four main sections which represent four
periods in the history of The Christian and Missionary Alliance: Part One,
Formulation, 1873-1881; Part Two, Formation, 1881-1912; Part Three,
Redirection, 1912-1936; and Part Four, Acceleration 1936-1987. Highlights from
each chapter in each of the four periods will be offered...
In the book’s Introduction, it is suggested that the reason for
A. B. Simpson’s success, and the ensuing success of The Christian and
Missionary Alliance, is primarily due to the gracious providence of God. The
details that emerge over the following four sections give ample evidence of
that truth. Truly, God deserves the glory for the work of the many godly men
and women who helped propel this one-time alliance into the force for God’s
kingdom that it has become.
Part One, entitled Formulation, deals with the pre-twentieth
century years between 1873 and 1881. Beginning with the first chapter, The
Louisville Experience, the authors begin a fairly detailed account of founder
Simpson’s life and ministry. From 1873 until 1879 Simpson pastored in
Louisville where ecumenicism and evangelism became two of his appreciated
qualities. Just short of six years of ministry in Kentucky, Simpson would take
a new direction.
Chapter Two provides a flashback into the earlier years of Simpson’s
life in southwestern Ontario where he decided to pursue the ministry and where
he met his wife, Margaret. He pastored in Hamilton, Ontario for eight years
before leaving for Louisville.
Chapter 2 foundation years 1843 to 1873
Simpson grew up in southwestern Ontario as part of a strict religious family he
had a crisis of health and a crisis of faith he decided to pursue the ministry
– Simpson met his wife Margaret and became a successful preacher at Knox
Presbyterian church in Hamilton after eight years of ministry he decides to
leave Hamilton for Louisville
Chapter Three, The New York Pastorate,
deals with the years he would move and work in New York City. This period, from
1879 through 1881, Simpson emphasized evangelism; evangelism in North America
and a passion for evangelism to the ends of the earth. These years saw Simpson
begin a missionary magazine, become convinced of divine healing, experience
healing himself, and commit to see the gospel shared overseas. Part One
finishes with Simpson resigning his pulpit in New York.
Part Two, chapters Four through Seven,
leads the reader through the turn of the century and encompasses the years
between 1881 and 1912. It titles the chapters The Gospel Tabernacle; The Two
Alliances; The Missionary Explosion; and Changes, Crises, and Convictions.
Chapter Four regards Simpson’s endeavours
at the Gospel Tabernacle where many of The Christian and Missionary Alliance’s
long-running initiatives would begin. With the creation of this church also
came the creation of evangelistic tent meetings, small group gatherings, a
healing home, a missionary training college, a convention, and an orphanage.
This work could not be locally contained, and it spilled over the border into
Canada.
The Two Alliances, chapter Five, deals with
four years beginning with 1886. It details the initiation of the two alliances
which would later be joined to generate The Christian and Missionary Alliance.
The Evangelical Missionary Alliance would be an organization focused on
obedience to the Great Commission and in Simpson’s eyes, would speed up the day
of the Lord’s return. The Christian Alliance would be a parent organization
that would support the missionary effort. It would operate in North America,
and give testimony to certain truths while encouraging like-minded believers to
put truth into action and was to be a fellowship, and not a denomination.
The end of the nineteenth century is
covered in Chapter Six. At this time, three churches identified officially with
the Christian alliance: one in New York, one in Toronto, and one in
Peterborough. These early churches would spearhead a missionary movement that
would contribute to the provision of and for fifty-four missionaries in 1891
and thousands more in the years to come.
The final chapter of Part Two discusses the
amalgamation of the two alliances in 1897, introduced in Chapter Six. It
describes the continued growth of the fellowship in North America which was a
result of, among other things, the steady advance of evangelism at home. Similarly,
missionary work around the world continued to expand with missionaries
penetrating Asian and South American countries. The charismatic movement, with
its divisive teaching on tongues, was another issue the fellowship of growing
churches had to deal with.
Part Three, labelled Redirection by the
authors, deals with the early twentieth century and includes both World War 1
and the Great Depression. The next three chapters pertain to the working of God
and God’s people in the years leading up to World War II.
The eighth chapter’s title indicates coming
changes: Question of Succession. These years, 1912-1919 would see a new
president take over for patriarch A. B. Simpson and would also see the passing
of the man of God. World War I would impact the movement financially, resulting
in a shortage of funds for the training institutes at home. However, work in
the missionary fields forged ahead as churches committed to resourcing
missionary work despite shortages. Paul Rader, arguably the Alliance’s greatest
promoter, would become vice-president and the president after Simpson.
The years from 1919 to 1926 are summarized
in Chapter Nine. President Rader would begin many new and different
evangelistic strategies including the Tabernacle Strategy which saw cheap
building quickly erected in order to hold evangelistic outreach. Rader was a
controversial leader who was replaced by Frederic Senft when the former
resigned.
Chapter 9 19-26
The years of the Great Depression saw
another change in leadership with Harry Shuman becoming president at the death
of Shuman. As with all institutions during this era, the depression caused
financial distress for the Alliance. Once again, however, almost in denial of
the reality, the Alliance’s work oversea continued even in light of the
cash-strapped situation in North America. Shuman would lead the fellowship
through these tumultuous years with an eye for the future. This chapter
finishes Part Three.
With a nod to the world around it, Part
Four is entitled Acceleration and encompasses the pre-war years, beginning in
1937, and finishes in the year 1987. Chapters Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen deal
with an era of great change and great opportunity for The Christian and Missionary
Alliance.
Before the second Great War, the Alliance’s
jubilee celebration would occur in 1937. Chapter Eight details a fellowship of
believers committed to seeing the gospel spread to the corners of the earth
through evangelism. This commitment would be sorely tested in the coming years
of conflict. Missionary endeavours and workers would experience, as a result of
World War II, persecutions and martyrdoms, trials and tribulations,
imprisonments and expulsions. Despite the varied difficulties, the work of the
Alliance continued and was quickly restarted where it stopped in the years
after the war. President Shuman, well into his seventies, would step down from
his position as president in 1954.
Chapter Twelve deals with the presidency of
Harry Turner who would oversee the Alliance through the years in which North American
church growth would become a major emphasis. President Nathan Bailey, elected
in 1960, would see this trend continue. He would also see the emergence of A.
W. Tozer, an Alliance man whose influence would rival that of founder A. B.
Simpson, primarily through his writing and preaching. Missionary work came
under increasing pressure, usually due to regime changes in countries where
work was already present. Countries such as Zaire, Indonesia, Guinea, and Viet
Nam would be areas of concern for Alliance missionaries. And, in 1974, The
Christian and Missionary Alliance would become the denomination that most
people considered them to be.
The final years dealt with in this book,
1975 through 1987, are covered in Chapter Thirteen. This chapter reports of the
forming of the Alliance World Fellowship and the benefits this brought to
worldwide fellowship of Alliance churches. It also discusses the formation of
the non-profit relief agency CAMA Services which delivered aid to people in
need across the globe. This period saw continued growth in North American
congregations as well as developing churches in the urban explosion that
continues to this day. In 1978, The Canadian contingent chose to become
autonomous thereby paving the way for the creation of The Canadian Christian
and Missionary Alliance.
This book was very interesting and equally
informative. Having this insight in The Christian and Missionary Alliance
cannot help but make one better suited to work in and with the institutions and
individuals of this worldwide fellowship. The lessons reach beyond just this
denomination, but help one appreciate and grow in one’s outlook and
understanding of the global church.
