The OMS celebrated 125 years of ministry in June 2026.
It’s not often you get invited to a 125th birthday party, so of course I went!
You can read about the party here.
OMS stands for The Oriental Missionary Society, and the current iteration: One Mission Society.
Either way, for 125 years, OMS devoted itself to sharing the gospel around the world.
It began, of course, with Charles and Lettie Cowman, Juji Nakada, Ernest Kilbourne (and Julia, too), and Tetsusaburo Sassao.
Their legacy, begun in 1901 in Tokyo, carries on.
Who else attended the 125-year party?
Juji Nakada’s granddaughter, a spry, cheerful 98-year-old, was 10 years old when her grandfather died.
When I showed her a photo of Juji and Lettie, taken in 1939, she recognized the wallpaper and the house!
One of Ernest Kilbourne’s great-grandsons attended — and was astonished when we were introduced.
He’d just read my blog posts about his great-grandfather on his flight to Indianapolis and had just sent me an email asking, “Who are you, and why do you know so much about my family?”
LOL.
(I’ve since sent him all the genealogical information I have about the Kilbournes.)
What has OMS accomplished since it began?
Plenty.
Consider just these linked with one or more of the founders:
- A Bible School in Tokyo.
- A Bible School in Korea.
- A Bible School in China.
- Missionaries all over the world.
- The Great Village Campaign.
- Every Creature Campaign.
- Ministry to World Leaders
- Ministering to missionaries.
How have ministry needs changed over the past 125 years?
OMS is now in 85 countries speaking more than 50 languages around the world — the ministry hasn’t been primarily in the Far East for several decades.
They have about 300 missionaries at present. I met many of their retired missionaries while conducting research at OMS in 2019.
It was a joy to see them again in 2026.
As the OMS home page explains: “OMS believes that the most effective way to share the Gospel is by training individuals within each nation to reach their own people and then extend this outreach globally.
“One Mission Society trains a nation’s sons and daughters to multiply disciples, churches, and leaders in their homelands.”
That’s exactly what the founders intended when they began The Oriental Missionary Society 125 years ago in Japan.
How has OMS affected Lettie Cowman’s biographer?
I had never heard of The Oriental Missionary Society nor One Mission Society before I began my research on Lettie Cowman.
The ministry, understandably, investigated me before inviting me and an assistant to the Greenwood headquarters.
They were nothing but kind and generous. They gave us a place to stay, a key to the archives, and arranged for us to dine with many retired missionaries who live in the area. Several knew Lettie Cowman.
My assistant and I had a wonderful two weeks in Greenwood, Indiana. The mission answered questions, directed me to photos, and other letters.
They were incredibly generous.
While I personally support several missionaries, they opened my eyes to the kindness of believers who have walked and sacrificed for a long time for the sake of the gospel.
Pure joy.
I’ve appreciated them ever since.
And I know Lettie, Charles, Juji, Ernest, Julia, Tetasusaburo, and the rest of the founders would be pleased.
To God be the glory, yes, that’s what they’ve pointed me to!
Thanks be to God.
For More Information
Visit One Mission Society’s website.
Read my many blog posts about OMS here.
A blog post about the actual party here.
Read Overflowing Faith: Lettie Cowman and Streams in the Desert.
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?