Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Mesoamerica, South America, USA-Canada Regions

NMI 110th Anniversary Celebration

In response to Christ’s Great Commission, missionary organizations were established by various groups and denominations. Nazarene Missions International (NMI) traces its origin primarily to the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America (APCA), when in April 1899, the Woman’s Missionary Society (WMS) was founded. 

The WMS was officially recognized as an auxiliary organization of the Church of the Nazarene in 1915 at the 4th General Assembly. It was recommended that there be an organization in each local church to increase knowledge and interest in missions—by prayer, by obtaining special speakers, and by keeping in touch with the missionaries—and to cooperate with the (local) Church Board in raising their apportionments (for missions). 

The first General WMS Convention was held in June 1928. At that Convention, the General Council members were elected by the Convention (prior to that the Council was elected by members of the General Assembly). 

The name of the ministry has changed over the course of its history: 1928—Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society (WFMS), 1952—Nazarene Foreign Missionary Society (reflecting the introduction of men, youth, and children into the organization), 1964—Nazarene World Missionary Society, 1980—Nazarene World Mission Society (reflecting the international aspect of the organization), and 2001—Nazarene Missions International (NMI). 

Today, Nazarene Missions International is active in over 25,000 local churches across the globe, with membership of 2,781,500. A volunteer organization, NMI is the global missions advocate in every local church, nurturing a spirit of missions, and mobilizing into action, impacting people around the world.

110th Anniversary Special Focus: Missionary Healthcare

When a special Anniversary year comes around, NMI mobilizes the church to respond to a specific need through offerings and projects that focus on that need. The 110th Anniversary Special Focus is on Missionary Healthcare. We endeavor to honor and care for our missionaries from deployment through retirement, blessing the young as they first cross borders with the good news of Jesus, both sponsored and global in assignment, and blessing those who have given their lives to missions, now retired and facing the challenges of living on fixed incomes in volatile economic environments.