Our Family

The Alliance is a family—one big, diverse, extended church family with some half a million members in the United States alone. Every local Alliance congregation is one of about 2,000 fellowships worshiping in 38 languages and dialects across the country.

Our Worldwide Family

More than 50 percent of the U.S. Alliance churches are non-majority culture, making us one of the most diverse evangelical church families in America!

We value diversity because we believe that God, the creator of every living being, values diversity. The gospel is not for one people group, it is for all people. In order to reflect the truth of the Word of God, The Alliance longs to reflect the diverse family of God.

We call ourselves a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family:

• Christ-Centered — We start with Jesus. He is the source of our love, the cause of our worship, and the core of our message. Not only do we begin with Jesus, but we end with Jesus, too, and center ourselves around Him. Everything we are begins and ends with Him.

• Acts 1:8 — Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We rely on the Holy Spirit to fill us as we seek to fulfill our calling to every segment of society and spread the good news.

• Family — We believe we are at our best when we do this together, serving in a local church and among a community of local churches. We are a diverse family—children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ. We do life together.

Districts & Associations

Local Alliance churches are organized into 25 geographic/ethnically designed districts (21 geographic districts and four multicultural districts) and 10 associations/ethnic ministries (African, African-American, Arabic-speaking, Chinese, Filipino, Haitian, Montagnard, Native American, Spanish Western, and Jewish). The Alliance also gives oversight to the Alliance federal chaplains—endorsement of military chaplains and institutional chaplains serving federal agencies.

Each district is under the supervision of a district superintendent who reports to Church Ministries at the National Office.

How We Work Together

National Office

Located in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, the National Office of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) is home to the majority of our administrative offices.

The National Office comprises five areas of ministry that help oversee the daily operations of the C&MA—Executive, Church Ministries, Alliance Missions, Development, and Operations/Finances. The C&MA National Office’s affairs are managed by the Board of Directors.

Board of Directors

The governance of the C&MA is vested in our Board of Directors. The Board is subject to the legislation and policies enacted by the General Council, which is the highest representative body of the members of the C&MA. The number of directors, their classifications, if any, their term of office, and the manner of their election or appointment is determined according to the Bylaws of the C&MA from time to time in force.

President’s Cabinet

The President’s Cabinet consists of the president as chairman, the corporate vice president, the corporate secretary, each vice president, and such others as the president desires to include from time to time. The Cabinet makes available to the president advice and information from all areas of administration. The president reports important matters and recommendations to the regular meetings of the Board of Directors.

General Council

General Council is the “governing body” representative of the U.S. C&MA. Acknowledging Christ as Head of the Church and Scripture as the ultimate authority, General Council, representative of the entire membership, is the legislative body of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Our Partners

Our Alliance family extends beyond our churches to include subsidiaries and affiliated enterprises, such as:

• Alliance Benefits
• Orchard Alliance
• Alliance higher education
• Alliance retirement and senior living communities