What is SIM?

As our “ethos” statement explains: SIM is a community of God's people who delight to worship him and are passionate about the Gospel, seeking to fulfill the mission of Jesus Christ in the world.

More specifically, SIM is an international mission organization with more than 1,600 active missionaries serving in more than 40 countries. SIM members serve God among many diverse people groups in Africa, Asia, and South America.

SIM members are "international" themselves, representing more than 30 nationalities—including nations that in the past only received missionaries. They also serve in a wide variety of career fields. The SIM family can use people of every ethnicity who have almost any skill imaginable!

What do the letters SIM stand for?

SIM was begun in 1893 as the Soudan Interior Mission. As other groups working outside of Africa merged with SIM, the decision was made to keep the acronym (SIM) as our official name, and we adopted the trade name Society for International Ministries. (This trade name is still used in some countries for legal reasons.) Since 2000, we have used the trade name “Serving In Mission,” but the official name of the organization remains simply SIM.

What has God accomplished through SIM in more than 100 years?

God’s main work is invisible, within human hearts. SIM has, however, been involved in:

• planting thousands of churches serving millions of believers and seekers
• over 60 hospitals and community health ministries
• around 90 institutions for training Christian leaders
• 33 Bible translations
• distributing millions of books for Christian workers around the world
• providing sources of safe water for more than a quarter million people
• innovative HIV and AIDS ministries in Africa and Asia
• dozens of Christian radio ministries (20 in Benin alone)
• encouraging and facilitating new mission agencies in former mission fields

What kinds of work do SIM missionaries do?

SIM is a general mission. We appreciate and work closely with specialized missions in Bible translation, radio outreach, community development, medicine, HIV and AIDS ministry, and aviation, but our distinctive is our church-focused vision. Many of our missionaries work as church planters in pioneer areas or in partnership with local churches in discipleship, evangelism, or theological education.

How are SIM's missionaries supported?

SIM is a faith mission. This means missionaries receive prayer and financial support from churches, friends, and others who believe in their ministry.

What does SIM believe?

Those who serve with SIM are committed to the essential truths of biblical Christianity. See our statement of faith.

Have I got what it takes to be a missionary?

Being a missionary requires physical and emotional stamina and a resilient character. See a list of questions we'll ask as you consider missionary service.

How do I apply to SIM?

Let's start by getting acquainted. See a step-by-step list of the process on our Application Process FAQ.

How does SIM relate to other organizations?

SIM relates to other organizations as described below:

Evangelical Bodies
The policy of the Mission is to maintain fellowship with other groups of like evangelical position, while maintaining our ability to function independently when necessary. The Mission seeks to preserve its interdenominational character in view of its responsibility to the evangelical community of which it is a part. The Mission recognizes each member's Christian liberty to hold varying views within its established policy.

Non-evangelical Bodies
It may be necessary to relate to other groups (e.g. government or professional bodies) regarding common concerns. In no case does this involve organic union or mutual interdependence with non-evangelical bodies such as the World Council of Churches or its affiliates.

Sponsorship by Other Organizations
When entering a new country of service under the sponsorship of another organization, SIM will seek to cooperate with that organization in every way, but will maintain the Mission’s autonomy and responsibility for its program within the Terms of Agreement with the sponsoring organization and its policy on Organizational Relationships.

Local Churches
SIM recognizes that church groups arising from its ministry are not the Mission's but Christ’s. From the beginning, the Mission seeks to emphasize that a local church comes under the authority of Christ and not of a mission organization, and that the church, with the Lord's enabling, should be self-reliant and not dependent on resources from other organizations.

All SIM policy and principles of relationship are detailed in the SIM International Manual which is available for review upon request.