Contact: Mark Failing, The Christian and Missionary Alliance, 719-265-2001, failing@cmalliance.org

COLORADO SPRINGS. Colo., March 8, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- In 1887, the Alliance movement began when A. B. Simpson left a lucrative pastorate to minister to the marginalized populations in New York City. Prostitutes, longshoremen, and the homeless received the message that all people are eligible for Christ's grace. Simpson established the New York Gospel Tabernacle to bring likeminded believers together to facilitate outreach. His exposure to New York City's displaced immigrant peoples birthed in him a deep burden to reach the lost multitudes around the world. To that end, he started the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack [New York] College) to equip men and women whom God was calling to ministry.

Overseas Alliance work began in the Congo in 1884. Since then, The Alliance has served the spiritual and physical needs of thousands of men, women, and children worldwide.

Today, there are more than 2,000 U.S. Alliance churches and approximately 20,000 fellowships in 81 countries worldwide where nearly 5 million Christians call themselves "Alliance." The Alliance is bringing Jesus' light into places that are resistant to the gospel and where access to the good news is low. Community centers, medical/dental clinics, microenterprise programs, and a host of other ministries provide practical, compassionate care for the whole person.

"In the United States in the last half-century, no one denominational mission board has a better record in starting mission-minded overseas churches than The Christian and Missionary Alliance," said the late Dr. Ralph Winter, former president of the U.S. Center for World Missions and missionary statesman.

As The Alliance looks toward future ministry, it will continue to send international workers to some of the last unevangelized corners of the planet and plant churches in the most challenging neighborhoods in the United States.

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is a worldwide family of Christians mobilized to fulfill the Great Commission by living out the fullness of Jesus Christ in personal experience and building His Church worldwide. Alliance people are united by an unquenchable passion to reach their communities for Christ and provide access to the gospel where no access yet exists.