The Evangelical Alliance Mission history

TEAM began under the name Scandinavian Alliance Mission, or S.A.M. In January of 1891, the first band of 35 missionaries set sail for China.

Following Franson’s death in 1908, the mission continued to expand into Latin America and thrive in Africa and Asia.

In 1949, the Scandinavian Alliance Mission changed its name to become The Evangelical Alliance Mission, or TEAM, a better reflection of its broad scope of ministries and missionaries.

In 1951 the Alliance and the United States-based National Association of Evangelicals helped establish the World Evangelical Fellowship, a worldwide association of evangelical organizations.

In 1958 the Alliance helped organize the Evangelical Missionary Alliance, “to provide a medium of fellowship and effective cooperation in the interest of evangelical missionary work and service overseas.”

TEARFund is formally established after years of giving from Christians around the UK to the Evangelical Alliance Relief fund (EAR), launched in 1960 as a response to famine and war .

In 1967 former curate George Hoffman was hired by the Evangelical Alliance to develop the fund’s work.

On 29 May 1968, George and members of the Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund Committee met for the first time, determined to marry Christian compassion with practical action.

Tearfund’s fresh outlook proved attractive to one of the UK’s most high profile Christians, popstar Cliff Richard, who in 1969 performed two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, raising money for Tearfund and going on to become a long term supporter.

In 1973 Tearfund became an independent registered charity, with 80 per cent of its aid allocated to long term development projects, demonstrating Jesus’ love for the poor in tangible, sustainable and life-changing ways.

Clive arrived at the Evangelical Alliance from Youth for Christ where he had been director since 1974, as well as being involved in local, national and international church contexts.

An advisory group to help the Evangelical Alliance reflect on issues from a theological point of view was established in 1993.

He wrote in Christianity Today in December 1996, "As evangelicals have begun to depart from an inherited policy of self-imposed isolation they have emerged from their comfortable ghettos to grapple with the needs of contemporary society."

Gweini was established in October 1999 by the Evangelical Alliance, Care and Cornerstone Church Swansea as a representative body of the Christian voluntary sector in Wales.

Later known as African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA), this was an independent charity that worked under a partnership agreement with the Evangelical Alliance to represent black majority churches in the UK, closing in 2009 after 25 years.

SAF was formed in 2010 by the Evangelical Alliance to unite and support the 75,000 South Asian Christians, originally from the eight South Asian countries, who are now living in Britain.

In 2011, the desperate shortage of foster carers and adoptive parents in the UK made headline news.