The long road north
Posted on: 25th November 2020
CMS missionaries Wayne Oldfield & Mandy Jones were seemingly settled in their jobs and lives in Sydney. But in 2011 they moved to the Northern Territory to minister alongside Indigenous Christians. Here Mandy explains why. Why would we become cross cultural workers with CMS? Wayne had worked for 31 years as an accountant at Sydney […]
Sharing the light of Jesus
Posted on: 10th November 2020
CMS missionaries Chris and Grace Adams have been serving in Timor-Leste since 2012. While the country is majority Roman Catholic, fear of spirits remains present, as this story shows. P* is a young Timorese man we see regularly. A little while ago, he was absent for several days. When he returned, we noticed that half of his face looked paralysed. P said that it was due to a curse, as he hadn’t paid respect to the sacred […]
A church for every kombini
Posted on: 7th November 2020
Helane Ramsay and her husband Adam have been serving in Japan with CMS since 2014. They are part of a church planting team in Chiba City. Japan needs Jesus On our days off we’ll occasionally take a drive, usually to the seaside. It’s refreshing to go through the country, but also discouraging. As we drive through village after village, there is always […]
Exploring mission with Mentac
Posted on: 19th November 2018
CMS missionary E serves in South Asia, but before she arrived at that destination she was involved for two years as an apprentice in the Mentac program supported by CMS. Checkpoint Online asked her some questions about her experience. What did you do during the Mentac program? The training in the program is a mix […]
Preaching Christ in traditional rituals in Toraja
Posted on: 16th November 2018
CMS missionary Andrew Buchanan has been serving in the Church of Toraja in Indonesia since 2002. As the church faces the resurgence of traditional grave cleaning practices, Andrew explains why and how he has recommended to ministers to take part in this ritual. The Church in Toraja ministers to a region that only came into […]
A pastoral visit to the Webbs in Broome
Posted on: 6th November 2018
In September 2018, CMS International Director Peter Rodgers went on one of CMS’s annual pastoral visits to support the Webb family in Broome. Here he gives some first-hand observations about their work, including his warm endorsement of how they are coping with the cultural differences that they encounter. First things first, because the purpose of a pastoral […]
Honouring the King: Loving his people
Posted on: 22nd October 2018
CMS worker R teaches English as a foreign language in Eurasia. She explains why she goes to the extra trouble of learning the language and culture of her students, when she is trying to help them speak English. I was recently at my friend’s wedding. She is my school manager and is fluent in English. […]
When belonging hinders belief
Posted on: 9th July 2018
CMS worker T* (serving with J* in South East Asia) has come to a deeper understanding that persuading Buddhists of the truth of the gospel requires long-term commitment and perseverance. T reveals how trusting in a God who rules lends strength to their work and the mission of CMS. During our first term in Buddhist […]
Offering grace in a land of kindness
Posted on: 25th June 2018
In her first term of service, CMS missionary N*, serving in South East Asia, finds herself in a land of kindness where money really does grow on trees. Here N speaks of the challenge that CMS workers face in offering a grace that is greater even than kindness. Sensory overload. That’s one way I’d describe […]
Finding tariki in Japan
Posted on: 28th May 2018
Tariki, meaning ‘outside help’, is an important concept in Japanese Buddhism. Former CMS missionary Phil Miles and CMS missionary Dave McIntyre (serving with his wife, Beck, in Nishinomiya) give two perspectives on bringing gospel tariki to Japan’s unique form of Buddhism. Phil Miles Untangling Japanese culture is like separating cake ingredients after baking the cake! […]
