History

The Oriental Mission Society, now One Mission Society, was started in Japan in 1901 by founders who had what at the time was a unique vision for missions. They understood the importance of training Japanese men and women for leadership of the church in Japan. This was the origin of the enduring motif within OMS that “it is not the missionaries but the sons and daughters who will win their nation for Christ.”

With this directive firmly established, the work of OMS began to expand, first to Korea, then to China, and onward until today OMS engages in ministry in over seventy countries. Much of the expansion into new fields followed the pattern of spying out the land, sending missionaries to establish the church, and as soon as practicable establishing a seminary to train leaders for the church, especially for the OMS-related denomination in the country.

Thus, OMS missionaries became the professors, the administrators, the primary funders, and the strongest supporters of our seminary partners. Today, OMS enjoys a relationship with thirty-seven seminaries and Bible schools, most of which came into being through the above pattern. More recently, OMS has begun to partner with some schools founded independently of OMS. These relationships have and will continue to provide OMS with a venue for strategic input into the essential task of the day, developing Christ-like leaders for the global church.