China Inland Mission (CIM)

On June 25, 1865, James Hudson Taylor (1832–1905) founded the China Inland Mission in Brighton, England, with a burden that the good news of Jesus Christ would not remain near the coastal treaty ports but advance into China’s vast interior. The CIM became a landmark “faith mission,” characterized by a deliberate refusal to promise salaries or appeal for funds in the ordinary way, choosing instead to depend on God’s provision through prayer. This pattern reflected a conviction that “My God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Taylor’s approach combined courage with humility. He identified closely with the people he served, adopting Chinese dress and urging workers to honor local customs without compromising Christian truth. He pressed missionaries to learn the language, to live simply, and to embrace hardship as part of faithful service. Rather than presenting the mission as a human enterprise, Taylor emphasized that the work belonged to God and must be sustained by God. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6).

Expansion into the Interior

From the beginning, the CIM aimed at provinces long unreached by Protestant witness. Teams were sent beyond familiar expatriate enclaves into regions marked by distance, poverty, and periodic unrest. Many workers endured illness, loss, and opposition, yet their perseverance helped establish preaching centers, distribute Scripture, and plant churches where little or no gospel presence existed. The mission’s commitment to evangelism was paired with discipleship, seeking not only converts but rooted believers and congregations.

The CIM also shaped generations of missionaries through a spirit of prayer, discipline, and mutual accountability. Its example stirred many to consider the call to cross-cultural service, reminding the church that obedience may require leaving comforts behind for the sake of those who have not heard.

Legacy and Continuity

In 1901, the mission’s headquarters later moved to the United States, reflecting its growing international support and participation. A century after its founding, in 1965, the CIM became OMF International, continuing ministry throughout East Asia and beyond. Its enduring legacy is the witness that God strengthens ordinary servants for extraordinary tasks, and that sacrificial love, patient endurance, and confident prayer are fitting responses to Christ’s command to make disciples among all nations.