Arab World Ministries Archive

At present the archive comprises only the papers of the Algiers Mission Band from 1888.

Founded in 1881, Arab World Ministries (AWM) is an evangelical, international and interdenominational Christian mission, which works amongst Muslim peoples of the Arab World and in partnership with local churches. AWM personnel serve in North Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula and major cities in Europe and North America.

The name Arab World Ministries was adopted in 1987, but the organisation brought together four separate mission organisations - the North Africa Mission, Algiers Mission Band, Southern Morocco Mission and Dades Valley Fellowship.

The original Mission to the Kabyles and Other Berber Races was established in 1881, later changing its name to the North Africa Mission in 1888. By 1900 mission work in the region had expanded to include Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, and the three other missions were subsequently incorporated: the Southern Morocco Mission in 1961, the Algiers Mission Band in 1965, and the Dades Valley Fellowship in 1983.

In 1959, one part of the mission began broadcasting via radio in North Africa. Two years later, radio broadcasting was launched from a specially designed studio in the Atlas Mountains. The correspondence and radio ministries expanded significantly, but the work in North Africa was under constant threat. In 1964, for security reasons, the radio broadcasting moved from North Africa and the Radio School of the Bible (RSB) was founded in Marseille, France. Today, Arab World Media communicates through the internet, YouTube, social networking and mobile phone messaging – as well as radio and satellite TV.

In January 2011, Arab World Ministries (AWM) made the strategic decision to merge with Pioneers, forming the Arab World Ministry of Pioneers.

[See attached document for more detailed administrative history; copy also available in the Special Collections Reading Room]

Open

Papers of the Algiers Mission Band were deposited at SOAS Library by the Arab World Ministries on 20th February 2017.

Catalogued

Enquiries should be directed to Archives & Special Collections, SOAS Library in the first instance.

Arab World Ministries

Over the years, various parts of the archive were transferred back to the UK, but with the outbreak of war in Algieria in the 1960s, key records were transferred to the UK and the remainder were destroyed.

Further deposits, including the archives of the Southern Morocco Mission, North Africa Mission and Arab World Ministries are expected.