Partnering with ECWA and SIM

About ECWA

History

ECWA (Evangelical Church Winning All) was established through the mission work of SIM which began in 1893. Three missionaries, Canadians Walter Gowans, Roland Bingham, and American Thomas Kent headed to Africa to share the Gospel. Gowans and Kent died in 1894, and Bingham returned to Canada due to illness. Unable to return to Africa, Bingham sent out a third team. Through the efforts of these first missionaries and Rev. Tommy Titcombe, the Gospel was shared and many churches were birthed. These SIM established churches were incorporated as ECWA in 1954 with 7 District Church Councils (DCCs). Today, there are 6,000 churches organized into 74 DCCs and 6 million members. Many people have benefited directly or indirectly through the ministries of SIM/ECWA.

ECWA's Purpose

ECWA's goal is to glorify God through preaching and teaching the Bible; promoting evangelical, educational, medical and welfare work of the church; building up pastors and missionaries; ministering to the poor; and working with the government to promote moral and physical development in Nigeria.

ECWA is involved primarily in missions and church planting, education, medical work, literature/media, rural development, and spiritual renewal.

About SIM

History

Founded over 100 years ago, SIM has a rich history of founders who journeyed to Africa, Asia, and South America to reach people who had never known the love of Christ. Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) began in 1893. As noted above, Canadians Walter Gowans, Roland Bingham, and American Thomas Kent had a vision to evangelize the 60 million unreached people of sub-Saharan Africa. Unable to interest established missions, the three set out alone. Although Gowans and Kent lost their lives, Bingham sent out a third team which successfully established a base in Nigeria 500 miles inland at Pategi (approximately 83km from Egbe) in 1902. From there, the work of SIM began in Africa.

In the 1980s, AEM, ICF, and SIM joined forces to become SIM, which then stood for the 'Society for International Ministries.' AEF joined with SIM in 1998. In 2000, SIM adopted the trade name 'Serving In Mission' for English-speaking countries, but the name most commonly used today is SIM. SIM has sending offices located around the world.

SIM's Purpose

SIM's purpose is to glorify God by planting, strengthening, and partnering with churches around the world to evangelize the unreached, minister to human need, disciple believers into churches, and equip churches to fulfill Christ's Commission.

Partnering with ECWA and SIM

ECWA and SIM Nigeria are uniquely positioned to facilitate partnerships through the church and medical ministries.

Through the Church – ECWA and SIM Nigeria are committed to facilitating the growth of a spiritually mature, vigorous, and mission-focused church in Nigeria through this partnership. ECWA churches are engaged in theological education, medical ministries, radio, publications for outreach and discipleship, rural development, urban ministries, and cross-cultural missions. More than 1,600 missionaries from ECWA churches serve with the Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS), the missionary arm of ECWA, among unreached people in Nigeria and other countries.

Through Medical Ministries - The CWA Medical Department is the arm of the ECWA church responsible for providing quality and compassionate health care. The department comprises four secondary and tertiary level hospitals; one being ECWA Hospital Egbe. Other hospitals include ECWA Eye Hospital Kano, ECWA Hospital Omu-Aran and ECWA Evangel Hospital Jos. The department also oversees ECWA School of Nursing and ECWA School of Midwifery as part of the ECWA Hospital Egbe complex, along with a School of Health Technology at Kagoro and a Community Health Unit. The Community Health Unit coordinates 22 health centres and 105 primary health centres in Nigeria all over Nigeria. The department is also involved in drug manufacturing, wholesale and retail through the ECWA Central Pharmacy Limited, and a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program through the ECWA AIDS Ministry.

SIM works with churches world-wide to send missionaries to ECWA evangelical and medical ministries in Nigeria such as ECWA Hospital, Egbe.