Formation 1988 Type of business Christian missions | President Dan Reeve Founded 1988 | |
Location Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit, and Washington, DC Headquarters Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Similar North Park University, Cornerstone University, Friends University | ||
The Center for Student Missions (CSM) is a short-term, non-denominational, urban mission organization. It is committed to "provide an effective urban ministry experience that transforms lives, influences churches and communities, and honors Christ."
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Statistics
Since its founding in 1988, CSM has brought over 8,800 groups (151,000 individuals) into urban centers to serve. CSM currently works year-round in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, and Washington, DC.
CSM has over 20 full-time year-round employees in the ten cities in which it operates and its home office. It employs additional seasonal staff to assist in hosting service group.
History
CSM began in 1988 as an innovative, new way of "doing missions". Instead of traveling to a different country and creating their own ministry, groups are brought into urban centers throughout North America and partnered with ministries in the city. Seeing a need for volunteers on the ministry end and a desire for cross-cultural ministry within churches, CSM wanted to join the two and create experiences that transform both the serving group and the receiving ministry.
Ridge Burns began the first site in Los Angeles in 1988. CSM expanded to Chicago in 1992 and Washington, DC, year-round in 1993.
Noel Becchetti became president of CSM in February 1996.
CSM expanded to Houston in 1996, to Nashville and the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999, to Philadelphia in 2002, New York City in 2006 and Denver in 2009.
Dan Reeve became president in September 2008.
CSM is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an alliance ministry of Gospelcom.
In 2012, CSM expanded its ministry to Boston.
CSM expanded to Detroit in 2015.