How it all started...

SICM was officially launched in September 1992 by Stewart Bloor (left). Over the previous year or so, Stewart (who was a Pastor) had been asked if he could send cassettes of his Sunday sermons to an Evangelist in Ghana. Little did he realise that from such small beginnings, an organisation would develop which would then go on to touch the lives of many people across the world.

Based in the small town of Sedgley, which is near to the city of Wolverhampton in England, it was the former that found its way into the title of the fledgling ministry. It's quite a mouthful, so it is hardly surprising that we always refer to ourselves as SICM. And although titles are relatively important, they are just identities; what really counts is the work that we do.

When we say that SICM had small beginnings, we are certainly not exaggerating that point. It all started on a table in Stewart's home, before moving upstairs to one of the bedrooms. It was in 1992 that the first real move took place though, when premises were occupied in nearby Dudley in the form of an industrial unit. In June 2003 we were on the move again, as we split locations with office and storage space at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Coseley and a small base in Sedgley. Although offices, equipment and so on are of value, they are merely the means to an end, not the end itself. SICM is definitely a people-based organisation.

Credibility and integrity...

By February 1996 a governing document was drawn up and submitted to the Charity Commission. We were accepted as a Registered Charity (1057488) the same year, thus not only giving us the advantage of tax benefits via an agreement with the Inland Revenue, but also the credibility that comes with the status. As an organisation our charitable status means a lot to us, not simply because we can claim tax back on certain UK donations, but because it shows that we have met the high standards that have been set in order for charitable status to be granted.

We always aim for the highest standards of integrity, particularly where money is concerned. Every single donation that comes into SICM is receipted and acknowledged. At the end of our financial year the books are taken to an independant accountant where they are then checked over, the final result being that we submit them to the Registered Charity. The bottom line is that everyone who chooses to invest finance into the ministry of SICM can do so with the satisfaction of knowing that there is total and absolute accountability.

What we do...

From the early days of sending cassettes into Ghana, the work we do has expanded way beyond what we could ever have imagined. We still send resources to church leaders in the developing world, mostly Africa and Asia. In fact over the course of a year thousands of items such as books, commentaries and Bibles will find their way into the hands of people that desperately need spiritual resources. In addition, we fund certain church leaders so that they are able to do the work more effectively in their respective nations. We also send short-term teams and longer-term missionaries to assist and work alongside the nationals in areas of need.

But you can't go into somewhere like Africa and simply preach. People need more than words. Therefore we take a holistic approach to ministry, recognising that man is body and soul as well as spirit and that in order for ministry to be totally effective it must aim at the whole man and not a fragmented part. Therefore we have been, and continue to be, involved in projects such as wells providing fresh water, orphanages, the providing of animals for rural farmers etc. All of our projects involving the transfer of finances are carried out via our National Representatives on the ground, thus ensuring accountability. You can read more about our ongoing work elsewhere on the web site, particularly in the latest news / SICM news sections on the home page.

What we believe...

Although we have a good reputation outside the borders of Christendom - for example, working with schools - we make no apologies for the fact that we are first and foremost a Christian organisation. We are not tied to any particular denomination and so don't have to toe the party line. That doesn't mean to say that we are loose cannons doing our own thing - far from it. Although by the nature of our set-up we are a para-church organisation, we are very much committed to the concept of the local church, and all the people that work with us around the world do so with the blessing of their respective leaders, with many of them being leaders themselves.

In the UK alone, our ministry is supported by churches as diverse as Anglican and Assemblies of God, Brethren and Baptist. We count it a great blessing to have such wide connections. As far as doctrinal statements are concerned, we are more than happy to affiliate with that of the Evangelical Alliance. The EA represents more than one million Christians in the UK, drawn from 30 denominations and their statement of belief can be found here.

Our mission statement...

Our mission statement is summed up in the words 'to reach, teach and equip'. We want to reach people with the love of God, teach them Biblical principles and finally equip them so that they can then themselves serve . It has been our great pleasure down the few short years that we have been in existence to see that happen on an ongoing basis. And we want to continue on that path as we look forward to the future and all that God has in store for us.