What Church Mission Society does

Church Mission Society (CMS) is a UK-registered Christian charity (Charity No. 1131655 in England and Wales; SC047163 in Scotland) founded in 1799 and headquartered in Oxford. Operating with approximately 120 staff, CMS functions as a global Anglican mission organization that recruits, trains, deploys, and supports individual mission partners across more than 30 countries spanning Africa, South America, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania, with regional management through CMS-Africa based in Nairobi. Its core programs include Mission Service (placing individuals in mission contexts), church transformation programs (Pioneering Parishes, Partnership for Missional Church, Global Edge Churches), Pioneer Mission Training, the Acts 11 Project, and the Anvil journal of theology and mission. The organization is supported by a donor and prayer community engaged through the CMS Magazine, Prayerlines, The Ways We Pray, and targeted fundraising appeals such as the Lebanon Summer Appeal 2026, and operates affiliated initiatives including Common Grace Aotearoa in New Zealand.

CMS does not operate a proprietary technology stack; its digital presence is built around a content-marketing website, email/newsletter systems, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube), WhatsApp-based community groups (e.g., the Presence project), the Prayermate app, and the Anvil journal delivered in print and PDF/web formats. The organization is registered with the Fundraising Regulator, accredited as a Living Wage Foundation employer, and is a member of the SCHR Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In 2009, CMS merged with SAMS (South American Missionary Society), and in 2016 it rebranded under its current positioning of "With Jesus. With each other. To the edges."

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving: individual donations, church community contributions, mission partner participation contributions, and targeted fundraising appeals for specific mission projects. CMS does not charge fees for its core mission service or training programs; pricing is voluntary and donation-based. Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on church partnerships, prayer networks, supporter communities, newsletters, the blog, events and conferences, and the Anvil journal rather than paid advertising or traditional commercial distribution.

Name

Church Mission Society

Legal name

Church Mission Society

Website

https://churchmissionsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1799

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Church Mission Society is a 220+ year-old UK-registered Anglican charity that recruits, trains, and supports individual mission partners and churches globally through mission service, church transformation programs, theological publishing, and a donor and prayer community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Mission and Church Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Christian mission services
• Mission partner placement
• Church planting training
• Pioneer ministry programs
• Mission theology publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable donations and fundraising: CMS is a registered charity (1131655 in England and Wales; SC047163 in Scotland) funded primarily through donations from supporters, church communities, and individual givers. Fundraising appeals (e.g., Lebanon Summer Appeal 2026) are used to fund specific mission work.
2. Mission service participation: Individuals join CMS mission service, contributing financially to participate in mission opportunities globally. Revenue is generated through mission partner contributions and associated costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Church Mission Society is a registered Christian charity that recruits, trains, and places individual mission partners in cross-cultural ministry globally, and equips UK and international churches through pioneer training and missional transformation programs. It runs named church networks (Global Edge Churches, Pioneering Parishes, Partnership for Missional Church, Acts 11 Project), publishes the Anvil journal of theology and mission alongside the CMS Magazine, and distributes prayer resources (Prayerlines, The Ways We Pray, Presence Project) to supporters.

Product overview

Church Mission Society (CMS) offers a portfolio of mission-focused programs and resources rather than commercial technology products. The core offerings include mission service placements, church networks (Global Edge Churches, Partnership for Missional Church), and training programs (Pioneer Mission Training, Pioneering Parishes). CMS also produces publications including the Anvil journal of theology and mission and CMS Magazine. Prayer resources include Prayerlines (daily printed prayer guide), The Ways We Pray, and the Presence Project. Additional programs include the Acts 11 Project and partner initiatives like Common Grace Aotearoa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CMS: Primary abbreviation and common usage name for Church Mission Society
• Anvil
• Pioneering Parishes
• Acts 11 Project
• Partnership for Missional Church
• Global Edge Churches
• CMS-Africa
• Presence
• Prayerlines
• The Ways We Pray

Products and services

• Mission Service Mission placement program offering opportunities for chronically curious Jesus-followers to serve at the edges through various placements globally, including recruitment, training, and ongoing support for long-term and short-term mission partners.
• Global Edge Churches A network of churches engaged in mission at the edges of society and church life, supported by CMS programs and resources for missional engagement.
• Partnership for Missional Church A program helping churches engage with their local communities and develop missional practices, with participation from churches in the UK, Uruguay, and elsewhere.
• Acts 11 Project An initiative supporting contextual mission and theological education for local leaders, including church planting and new church development in various contexts.
• Pioneer Mission Training Training program for pioneers called to innovative mission contexts at the edges of church and society, equipping individuals for pioneering ministry.
• Pioneering Parishes Program helping parish churches develop cultures of mission and reach people beyond traditional church attendance, training lay pioneers and clergy in contextual mission.
• Anvil Journal CMS's peer-reviewed biannual journal of theology and mission, published periodically, exploring the theory and practice of movements and communities in mission, with archives going back to 1984.
• Prayerlines Daily printed prayer guide shared with supporters, with prayers also distributed via Facebook and the Prayermate app to reach mobile prayer app users.
• The Ways We Pray CMS Presence resource for prayer created and shared by people across the globe, sharing photographs and practices for prayerful presence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 church leaders mobilized for advocacy on the Treaty Principles Bill in New Zealand via Common Grace Aotearoa
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Servants (servantsasia.org)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS was linked with Servants, a small mission organization with roots in Asia. CMS board member Idina Dunmore had previously served with Servants, and Servants Southall (2008–2016) was a joint initiative. Servants originally sought to establish teams in the Global North, with the Southall placement arising from a vicar in Southall connecting with Servants' international coordinator.
• A RochacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Rocha partnered with Servants Southall to develop a community garden project and co-founded the Wolf Fields Urban Nature Reserve in Southall. A Rocha is an international Christian environmental organization.
• Parish Collective (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS Pioneering Parishes is partnered with the Parish Collective (US-based network of congregations and small groups seeking to be church in the neighbourhood). Tina Hodgett of CMS-Pioneering Parishes is in ongoing conversation with Tim Soerens, co-founding executive director of Parish Collective. The partnership involves joint learning, video conversations, and shared movement-making frameworks.
• Together NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS partners with Together Network on faith-at-the-edges initiatives, including supporting seekers and new believers in the Middle East and North Africa, and joint video content (e.g., 'Views from the Edges — Bahrain').
• Common Grace AotearoacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommon Grace Aotearoa is an initiative aligned with CMS's mission focus on justice and transformation. Established in early 2023, it equips churches in Aotearoa New Zealand for systemic action on climate change, inequality, and indigenous rights (Treaty of Waitangi). CMS's Anvil journal publishes articles about Common Grace Aotearoa. Over 350 churches have been reached through its Treaty 101 course.
• St John's Church, Southall (Church of England)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS worked with St John's Church, Southall (CofE parish) to pioneer Servants Southall community. The parish provided venue and support, and the Thursday evening group was eventually nurtured into a new worshipping community called 'The Table' at the local parish church.
• All Nations Christian CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCMS holds its People in Mission conference at All Nations Christian College in Hertfordshire. All Nations is a missional training college used as a venue for CMS's annual gathering of around 75 people in mission.
• Church of England (parish network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS's Pioneering Parishes program works extensively with Church of England dioceses to help parish churches engage in missional transformation. The program is championed by diocesan advocates and has trained churches in multiple dioceses.
• CMS-AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS-Africa is the African regional body of Church Mission Society. Managed by a regional manager (Joan Busolo, based in Nairobi), CMS-Africa coordinates mission partners and programs across DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, and other African countries. It has its own board chaired by Canon Dr Rebecca Nyegenye.
• CCX (Church Community Experience)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Table worshipping community, which grew out of Servants Southall, was documented by CCX (Church Community Experience), which published a book and video about it.
• Speak NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServants Southall contributed to the Speak Network, a network of missional communities and practitioners engaged in sharing and conferencing around missional community at the margins.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel): Historic Anglican mission agency founded in 1701, also headquartered in the UK. Directly comparable to CMS in heritage, denominational identity, global mission placement model, and donor base.
• Tearfund: UK-based Christian relief and development agency with global programs and similar donation-driven funding model. Overlaps CMS in faith-based international development and supporter engagement.
• Operation Mobilisation: Global evangelical mission movement with ship-based and land-based mission programs, Discipleship Training Schools, and church mobilization networks. Comparable in scale, global reach, and supporter-driven mission model.
• SIM (Serving In Mission): Interdenominational global mission agency with 4,000+ workers in 70+ countries. Highly comparable in mission placement, member care, and cross-cultural ministry training programs.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators: UK-based Bible translation mission organization with global field operations, member support model, and similar donor-driven funding. Overlaps CMS in long-term cross-cultural mission placement.
• Interserve: UK-headquartered international mission agency placing professionals in Asia and the Middle East. Directly comparable in mission partner placement model, training programs, and donor-driven revenue model.
• Church Missionary Society (CMS Ireland): Irish Anglican mission society with shared name heritage and parallel mission service, church planting, and theological training programs targeting similar Christian donor and volunteer segments.
• Pioneers UK: UK-based mission agency focused on church planting among unreached people groups. Direct overlap with CMS's Pioneering Parishes and Pioneer Mission Training programs and 'edges' positioning.

Others

• All Nations Christian College: UK-based missional training college that hosts CMS's People in Mission conference. Provides cross-cultural mission training to a similar audience and serves as a CMS channel partner for mission formation.

Emerging players

• A Rocha: International Christian conservation organization explicitly named as a CMS partner in Southall. Shares faith-based identity, UK/European footprint, and overlapping community outreach and missional community models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cmsmission
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/churchmissionsociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/churchmissionsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/churchmissionsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/churchmissionsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Church Mission Society