- What is SIM?
- What do the letters SIM stand for?
- What has God accomplished through SIM in more than 100 years?
- What kinds of work do SIM missionaries do?
- How are SIM's missionaries supported?
- What does SIM believe?
- Have I got what it takes to be a missionary?
- How does SIM relate to other organisations?
What is SIM?
SIM is a community of God's people who delight to worship him and are
passionate about the Gospel, seeking to fulfil the mission of Jesus Christ
in the world.
More specifically, SIM is an international mission organisation with more
than 1,600 active missionaries serving in over 40 countries. SIM members
serve God among many diverse people groups in Africa, Asia, and South
America.
SIM members representing over
30 nationalities—including nations that in the past only received missionaries.
They also serve in a wide variety of career fields.
What do the letters SIM stand for?
SIM was begun in 1893 as the Soudan Interior Mission. As other groups working outside Africa merged with SIM, the decision was made to keep the acronym (SIM) as our official name, and we adopted the trade name Society for International Ministries. (This trade name is still used in some countries for legal reasons.) Since 2000, we have used the trade name “Serving In Mission,” but the official name of the organisation remains simply SIM.
What has God accomplished through SIM in more than 100 years?
God’s main work is invisible, within human hearts. SIM has, however, been involved in:
- planting thousands of churches serving millions of believers and seekers
- over 60 hospitals and community health ministries
- around 90 institutions for training Christian leaders
- 33 Bible translations
- distributing millions of books for Christian workers around the world
- providing sources of safe water for more than a quarter of a million people
- innovative HIV and AIDS ministries in Africa and Asia
- dozens of Christian radio ministries (20 in Benin alone)
- encouraging and facilitating new mission agencies in former mission fields
What kinds of work do SIM missionaries do?
SIM is a general mission. We appreciate and work closely with specialised missions in Bible translation, radio outreach, community development, medicine, HIV and AIDS ministry, and aviation, but our distinctive is our church-focused vision. Many of our missionaries work as church planters in pioneer areas or in partnership with local churches in discipleship, evangelism, or theological education.
How are SIM's missionaries supported?
SIM is a faith mission. This means missionaries receive prayer and financial support from churches, friends, and others who believe in their ministry.
What does SIM believe?
Those who serve with SIM are committed to the essential truths of biblical Christianity. See our statement of faith.
Have I got what it takes to be a missionary?
Being a missionary requires physical and emotional stamina and a resilient character.
We would be happy to chat with you about this.
SIM relates to other organisations as described below:
- Evangelical Bodies
The policy of the Mission is to maintain fellowship with other groups of like
evangelical position, while maintaining our ability to function independently
when necessary. The Mission seeks to preserve its interdenominational character
in view of its responsibility to the evangelical community of which it is a
part. The Mission recognizes each member's Christian liberty to hold varying
views within its established policy.
- Non-evangelical Bodies
It may be necessary to relate to other groups (e.g. government or professional bodies)
regarding common concerns. In no case does this involve organic union or mutual
interdependence with non-evangelical bodies such as the World Council
of Churches or its affiliates.
- Sponsorship by Other Organisations
When entering a new country of service under the sponsorship of another organisation,
SIM will seek to cooperate with that organisation in every way, but will maintain the
Mission’s autonomy and responsibility for its program within the Terms of Agreement
with the sponsoring organisation and its policy on Organizational Relationships.
- Local Churches
SIM recognises that church groups arising from its ministry are not the Mission's
but Christ’s. From the beginning, the Mission seeks to emphasize that a local church
comes under the authority of Christ and not of a mission organisation, and that
the church, with the Lord's enabling, should be self-reliant and not dependent on
resources from other organisations.