our history

CWCI is an evangelical, non-denominational ministry, providing Bible-based teaching and spiritual encouragement through events and Know Your Bible studies.

The work of CWCI is overseen by an International Board composed of representatives from those countries where a National Management Board or National Leadership Team has been established. The International Board has pastoral oversight of the whole CWCI ministry and is responsible for maintaining its overall integrity as well as producing the Know Your Bible study material.

THE MISSION STATEMENT

· To deepen and enrich the spiritual lives of people and build them up in the Christian faith through Bible-based teaching.

· To bring people to a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour.

· To equip people for life in their homes, work, and communities.

· To enable people to be effective in their churches and in their service for the Lord.

THE BEGINNINGS

It is amazing to consider that one small group of women meeting for Bible study under the leadership of Mrs Grace Collins in Sydney, Australia in 1957 has grown into an international ministry. That group’s spiritual hunger made them ask for more than just their weekly meeting so they went away for a weekend of Bible teaching. This proved such a success that it was repeated the next year with double the numbers. The word began to spread and in a few years, weekend Bible teaching conventions for women were being held all over Australia.

The ministry was first known as Christian Women’s Conventions, then Australian Christian Women’s Conventions, and when it spread to New Zealand, the name changed again to Christian Women’s Conventions International – CWCI. Because the ministry has diversified to include other types of events as well as Know Your Bible studies, the name was changed in 1986 to Christian Women Communicating International. In the United Kingdom the ministry is called Know Your Bible.

Jean Raddon, who was a missionary in Nepal, was invited to Australia in 1967 as a special international speaker to celebrate CWCI’s 10th anniversary, and in 1970 Jean was appointed as the first full time staff worker for CWCI. The need for a Bible study that would suit most people’s needs and could be offered to people anywhere resulted in the beginning of Know Your Bible in 1972. It was decided to prepare an eight-week course as a follow-up to conventions. The first course was based on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians with notes prepared by Rev. Edgerton Long who was happy for Jean to use his material. Early KYB studies took one month to prepare while the production of present studies takes up to four years. There are KYB groups functioning in a number of countries around the world, and KYB study material is now also used by men and by mixed groups. 

In 1968, CWCI went international, with the establishment of the ministry in New Zealand. The inaugural meeting of the International Board was held in New Zealand in 1974, with the first full International Board meeting being held in 1981. In the meantime, CWCI had begun in the United Kingdom in 1978.

It was Jean Raddon and a colleague who made the initial visit to many countries in response to invitations received. The countries visited included Bolivia, Jamaica, Malaysia, The Netherlands, India, Denmark, Paraguay,Chile, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania. KYB was established for a period in some countries and resulted in the commencement of a translation ministry which no longer operates in the same way.

In 2001 a global gathering of women was held in Houston, Texas as a celebration of God’s goodness. Representatives of the CWCI International Board and the Australian President joined women’s ministries from many countries for a week of praising God, listening to challenging speakers and sharing resources for women. KYB studies were displayed and workshops held to explain how KYB operates.

Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are part of the Pacific islands known as Melanesia, and are supported by Australia in a pastoral and practical way, while New Zealand fills a similar role with Fiji. For many years there was a European sub-committee of the International Board that took KYB into several European countries, many of them formerly Eastern Europe. This sub-committee worked tirelessly promoting the studies. Many seeds were sown and women enabled to study God’s word, often using books in their own language. After many years the need for this team ceased, although the UK National Leadership Team still maintains some links with Europe.

Two books have been written about the amazing spread of the ministry of CWCI. The first, Beyond Expectation, tells of CWCI’s beginnings and growth in the early years. The second book, Far Beyond Expectation, tells the exciting story of how CWCI spread to New Zealand in 1968, and to the United Kingdom ten years later. Also recorded in Far Beyond Expectation are the stories of CWCI going to Fiji, The Netherlands, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Zimbabwe. These books show how God has used ordinary women to do extraordinary things because they were available to him.