The Birth of a Movement: To the Ends of the Earth
By Bob Haslam

The year 1881 marked the beginning of Free Methodism’s missionary outreach to the world. In 1880 Ernest Ward requested of the Illinois Conference an appointment to India. His request was granted. He and his wife gathered meager support and sailed for India in 1881.

Four years later, in 1885, the missionary board, now known as Free Methodist World Missions, was formed. That same year the board sent out missionaries to Mozambique and Transkei (an independent region surrounded by South Africa.)

Before the 1880s ended, missions work had been established in the Dominican Republic, South Africa, Japan and Egypt, the latter by the Holiness Church of Canada that later merged with the Free Methodist Church of North America.

Six new mission fields were opened in the next 42 years. During the post-World War II years of the ‘40s through the ‘70s, nine more fields were opened. Six more emerged in the 1980s. Then came the 1990s when 28 countries were entered. Fifteen more countries have been added in the first five years of the 21^st century for a total of 70 world areas!

During the 1980s and 1990s a new phenomenon emerged—mission fields being opened by other mission fields. And too, annual conferences in North America have nurtured and mentored persons from other countries, only to see them return and plant the Free Methodist Church in their home countries. The partnership between the North American Free Methodist Church and other national churches is one of the most exciting things happening in the worldwide Free Methodist Church today.

History is repeating itself. Daughter churches are giving birth to “granddaughter churches” in various parts of the world.

While the history of Free Methodist World Missions is exciting, the future may be even more exciting. With the burst of church planting taking place overseas, our commitment to foreign missions should now be at an all-time high.