The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada
The Christian and Missionary Alliance grew out of the vision of Rev. Albert
Benjamin Simpson, who was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1865 and
became the pastor in one of Canada’s most prestigious pulpits. During the next
number of years, the Holy Spirit revolutionized his life, making him more
passionate for neglected people and people living in poverty at home and
around the world.
In 1887, compelled by a sense of urgency to take the message of Jesus Christ
to all nations, Simpson was used by God to give birth to The Christian and
Missionary Alliance. It was only natural that his vision should extend to
Canada. Many of the leaders in those first years were Canadians. The first
Alliance church in Canada was Bethany Tabernacle, founded in 1887 by John
Salmon in Toronto.
Alliance Tabernacle
Dr. William Cassidy, a Toronto medical doctor, was the first ordained
missionary in the new mission society. He died of smallpox en route to China.
However, his death was the “spark that ignited the Alliance missionary blaze”
which has been burning to this day.
By the 1920s, the C&MA became a major evangelical movement both in the
United States and Canada. In Canada, saddle-bag preachers visited the
homesteads of the West, and evangelists conducted campaigns in the East,
bringing many people to Christ. By 1926 there were 19 “branches” in eastern
and central Canada and four in western Canada. The growth of the church in the
1930s was in direct contrast to the depression experienced by the entire
country.
In 1941, the Western Canadian Bible Institute was opened in Regina as a direct
result of the need for trained workers.
A.W. Tozer
Aiden Wilson Tozer served pastorates across the United States, including 30
years in Chicago. He became known as a writer with a wider evangelical
audience and his writings continue to influence Christians around the world.
His final pastorate was at the Avenue Road Church in Toronto, Ontario. From
there, his sermons and writings greatly impacted Canadians in the post-World
War II years.
Throughout the early years, the C&MA in Canada was governed by the U.S.
Alliance. An autonomous Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada came to a
new direction during the founding Assembly held in Winnipeg in June 1980. A
constitution was adopted, a president elected, and a Board of Directors chosen
in preparation for full Canadian autonomy January 1, 1981. The two
organizations, from Canada and the U.S., still maintain a close cooperative
relationship today.
Over the past 30 plus years, the Canadian C&MA has had six presidents: Mel
Sylvester (1980–1992), Arnold Cook (1992–2000), Franklin Pyles (2000–2012),
David Hearn (2012–2021), Keith Taylor (2021–2022), and Darren Herbold
(current). We have grown from 241 churches to more than 440.