If you are on a good thing, stick to it! The mission principles of CMS are one of those ‘good things’ to stick to.
At the Tasmanian Anglican Synod the Church Missionary Society (CMS) State Director David Boyd gave me the booklet, The driving principles: a look at the five principles of the Church Missionary Society.
The principles came from John Venn, one of the founders of CMS. The other CMS founders were John Newton (Author of Amazing Grace) and William Wilberforce (the driving force behind the abolition of the slave trade in England). They met in the Castle and Falcon Pub in London. The Society, known later as the Church Missionary Society, was born (1799) out of the question they were discussing at their pub meetings. The question? –
What is the best method of planting and promulgating the gospel in Botany Bay?
The result: Five Mission Principles:
- Follow God’s leading.
- Put money in second place, not first.
- Begin in a small way.
- Under God, all will depend on the type of people sent out.
- Look for success only from the Spirit of God.
What great mission principles for us to enact!
See CMS Driving Principles and Object here and History here. Also Christian Mission for Tasmanians.
