Mission Description, Aims, and Structure

The NSW Assemblies Evangelistic Mission was founded in 1975 by brethren from the NSW Christian Brethren Assemblies (often known as the "Open Brethren"), particularly under the leadership of Captain Fred Wilkins, as a means primarily to foster evangelism in New South Wales, Australia, especially in the rural areas outside the major cities.  Over the years the Mission has evolved and changed in some respects - and its history, though not well documented at this stage, has been summarised here.

The Mission is a Company Limited by Guarantee under the current laws of Australia and must report to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in the required manner. The Company Secretary, Mr Graham Hayden, can be contacted here.

The General Aim of the Mission today is to be a servant organisation to the Body of Christ, the Church, by supporting and encouraging the Lord's work in and through the NSW Christian Brethren Assemblies, their Home Workers, associated ministries or para-assembly organisations and other kindred bodies.  In this capacity it reports on an informal basis to the Coordinating Conference.

The Specific Aims of the Mission include:-

• To generate funds through the sale of Bibles, Christian books, greetings cards, tapes and videos etc, and through the wise management and investment of its assets and gifts;
• To provide funds for distribution amongst NSW Home Workers;
• To provide funds to support evangelistic and church growth projects;
• To encourage and facilitate the interchange of news and ideas among assembly fellowships, para-assembly activities and other kindred bodies, and the ministries of Home Workers – by publishing reports, news, letters, needs, prayer points, etc;
• To encourage good Bible teachers to visit NSW assemblies, and then to assist in the organising of their itineraries when necessary;
• To provide administrative resources and co-ordination of inter-assembly activities where appropriate or when requested;
• To provide liaison where appropriate between NSW Assemblies and NSW State and Federal governments.

The achievement of the General Aim and the Specific Aims is currently expressed in seven particular areas of ministry :–

• Operation of the Christian Outreach Book Service and Book Shops,
• Publishing of the Assemblies Outreach magazine,
• Operation of the NSW Christian Brethren web site,
• Oversight of the NSW Home Workers Fund,
• Provision of a Home Workers Advisory Council,
• Operation of a Secretariat providing administrative activities, and
• Initiatives relating to evangelism, teaching, and other Christian ministry activities.

More details of each function can be accessed via the AEM Menu on this web site.  These Mission ministries, or functions, are overseen by a Board of Directors and a number of sub-committees, as illustrated in the Mission structure diagram.  [Note: You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the diagram. If that's not the case it can be obtained from the Adobe company website]

The Mission's Board is ultimately responsible to God, but along with all para-assembly organisations in NSW reports to, and seeks guidance from, the NSW Christian Brethren Co-ordinating Conference (formerly the NSW Assemblies Combined Elders Meeting) which meets regulary, usually in Sydney.

The above aims and areas of ministry may be modified from time to time as the Lord leads the Directors, or as the NSW assemblies themselves make requests to the Board, which woul usually be via the Coordinating Conference.