The CM&A began as a missionary-sending operation and, true to its roots, missionary work has remained a major focus - even as the CM&A, since its founding in the late 19th Century, has slowly evolved into a true Protestant denomination that now claims a membership of several million members worldwide.

CM&A missionaries work many missions fields. One is Jews, collectively, whom the CM&A regards as one of the biggest "unreached people groups" on Earth: another is members of the U.S. Army.

Towards that end, of bringing army recruits to Christ, several years ago a Christian and Missionary Alliance U.S. Army chaplain, Ron Huggler, created an official "Spiritual Fitness Test" which, according to Chris Rodda, head researcher for a nonprofit that fights improper and coercice evangelizing in the U.S. military, "is part of the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program, a program that puts spiritual fitness on par with physical and mental fitness."

As I covered in a February 2011 story on the subject,

The most recent revision of the Army Field Manual FM 22-100, on leadership, appears to have been released in October 2006. On May 7, 2007, the Army issued Regulation 600-63 on Health Promotion, which explicitly defined Spiritual Fitness as a component of combat readiness and mandated that base commanders, and Army commanders at all levels, promote the vaguely defined (to put it charitably) "spiritual fitness" idea.

Lt. Col. Huggler's paper, "Teaching and Developing Character in the Armed Forces" appeared on the website of the Association For Christian Conferences Teaching and Service. ACCTS targets the world's militaries for evangelizing with the following justification:

"approximately 65% of the earth's nations are heavily influenced by their armed forces.

With military personnel from so many countries stationed around the globe, there has never been a more strategic time to share the life-changing gospel of Christ with the semi-closed society of international military personnel. Positively changed lives among military personnel will result in positive changes for the nations of our world."

[...]

 Ron Huggler's paper "Teaching and Developing Character in the Armed Forces" was published along with a group of papers by ACCTS authors, both retired and active-duty, from militaries across the globe including in the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, Korea, the Ukraine, Holland, Romania, and Russia.

As Army Chaplain Ron. Huggler writes in the paper,

"What is there besides human reason and experience that can assist us in deciding what is ultimately right and wrong? I submit that religion, (in the US military we call it spiritual fitness), is the critical missing element. Again, let me turn to an experiential argument. Historically, in the US before the 1960's the way a national ethical problem was addressed was that the best reason and experience were brought to bear on the problem. The process did not end there, however. The result was scrutinized. If the result violated a religious principle (usually a Christian principle) then that right was considered wrong or inadequate and was rejected...."

    Beginning in the 1960's, our Supreme Court struck down many of the ways we instilled religious principles in the populace. We grew into a country that pursued right and wrong based on reason and experience alone. We reaped and are continuing to reap moral and ethical weakness and its logical result, character weakness. The resulting negative impact on our nation is evident. The quality of our military is lessened as we incorporate officers and enlisted personnel without the strength of character we need. That is why the military has turned away from a values system based on reason and experience alone. We are instead pursuing a values system that's ultimate source of right and wrong is defined by religious, primarily Christian, principles. This method enables our military to have moral absolutes. "

Lt. Col. Huggler's sentiments fit into a widespread narrative, on the US evangelical right, which blames an allegedly disastrous moral decline on the purported removal of Christianity from "the public square." Such narratives commonly reference Supreme Court decisions such as the 1963 Abington School District v. Schempp US Supreme Court decision which "declared school-sponsored Bible reading in public schools in the United States to be unconstitutional."

1963 was the year that US national rates of murder and violent crime began to rise, a trend that did not break until roughly 1992. Divorce rates had already been rising for years, which many trace to the rise of no-fault divorce laws. But by the 1990's both trends were dropping and they continued to do so in the following decade as well. The US State with the lowest rate, Massachusetts, now boasts a divorce rate that prevailed in the Bay State prior to the onset of World War Two. Massachusetts also has had legal gay marriage now for the better part of a decade."

Another fertile evangelizing field for CM&A missionaries is Africa, where prominent CM&A leaders such as the Georgia-based Fred Hartley III and the Ottawa-based CM&A pastor David Chotka, both under the auspices of the CM&A-endorsed "College of Prayer", have played a significant role in exporting the "culture war" fights that conservative evangelicals have been losing in North America, by organizing key Ugandan politicians behind that country's so-called "Kill the gays" bill, recently passed by Uganda's parliament stripped of a provision allowing for the death penalty for homosexual "repeat offenders", with the penalty reduced to a mere life-sentence in prison.

The bill awaits signature by Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, and would also mandate that Ugandan citizens report suspected homosexual activity to government authorities, or else face several-year prison sentences.

In a 2010 story posted on the U.S. College of Prayer website COP Canada head David Chotka stated,

"I have three-twelve members of the Canadian Parliament who have heard about what God is doing in Uganda and would like to attend the Parliamentary COP in Uganda next year. They are interested in bringing the College of Prayer to the Canadian Parliament." It seems that God continues to expand our spheres of influence. The extraordinary favor of God is resting upon us. All glory to His name!"

The website of the U.S. branch of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which launched CM&A Canada only a few decades ago, states that,

"[the Bible contains] specific instructions that prohibit homosexual conduct, for example: Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13). Homosexual conduct is declared to be detestable because it is out of harmony with the purpose for which God created human beings."

Leviticus 20:13 (NIV) reads, "If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."

In 2010 Prime Minister Stephen Harper was lauded by Canadian press, such as Maclean's, as a "hero to Uganda's homosexuals", for warning Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni that Uganda's Anti Homosexuality Bill was politically sensitive. Museveni told the BBC, "The Prime Minister of Canada came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays."

But Canadian media wholly missed the fact that prominent leaders from Harper's own denomination had played a role organizing and inspiring Ugandan politicians leading the drive for the Anti Homosexuality Bill - including parliamentarians David Bahati and Benson Obua-Ogwal - who first introduced the bill in Uganda's parliament, former Uganda Office of Ethics and Integrity head Nsaba Buturo - another major bill backer, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Beatrice Lagada - who finally in 2014 managed to engineer passage of the bill, and Bishop Julius Oyet - who claims to have both helped conceive the bill and even served on a committee that picked MP David Bahati as the point man in parliament to spearhead its passage.

In April 2009, Fred Hartley III and David Chotka, during a religio-political rally held at a Kampala, Uganda hotel, helped organize those Ugandan politicians into a local branch of the "College of Prayer", headed by Julius Oyet.

At the event, Hartley gave a keynote speech based in I Kings 18 -- which describes a confrontation between the prophets of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, that ends in the slaughter of the Baal prophets. Leaders on the American Christian right routinely depict Homosexuality as a manifestation of Baal worship.

A post on the main College of Prayer website (which was subsequently deleted) described the gala event:

"    As the Honorable Buturo, one of the most influential leaders in the Ugandan Parliament, addressed the 248 people attending the Parliamentary College of Prayer, he said, "Prayer is what our country needs. Never before have I felt the forces of evil coming against us as strongly as I do right now. I am encouraged that the College of Prayer is coming to Uganda at such a time as this."

    The College of Prayer first arrived in Uganda almost two years ago when a team of Fred Hartley, Mike and Lisa Plunket, Steve Phillips and David Chotka first met with members of the Parliament and then planted a campus of the College of Prayer in Arua, the birthplace of the former dictator, Idi Amin. At that time the COP received a warm reception from members of Parliament who expressed an invitation for us to return. Little did we realize at the time that when we would return, we would actually be asked to enter into a three year relationship to officially facilitate the College of Prayer for them and other influential gate-keepers in the capital city of Kampala.

    Mike Plunket, our team leader, spoke to Parliament with 50 participants Thursday morning, April 16. Our team had opportunity to pray and prophesy over virtually every member who came. Members of Parliament were rejoicing over the opportunity to be led in extended prayer and worship by Christians who had come not to push an agenda, but simply to serve and bless them. This strategic meeting held in the Parliament paved the way for our Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast for members of Parliament and city leaders Saturday morning, April 18.

    There was a high level of enthusiasm that filled the Grand Ballroom of the Imperial Royale Hotel as 248 leaders including 50 members of Parliament gathered. The Honorable Minister of Ethics and Integrity Nsaba Buturo spoke passionately over the need for the power of God to be evidenced in answer to prayer on behalf of Uganda. The Honorable Benson Obua-Ogwal served as master of ceremonies. Apostle Julius Oyet gave an eloquent exhortation rallying the participants to seize the moment and forcefully pray for the advancing of Christ's kingdom throughout the nation. Honorable Beatrice Lagada read scripture and Dr. Joseph Serrwadda, pastor of Victory Christian Center and president of the Reborn Faith Federation, led in prayer. Professor Mike Plunket had the delegates stand and cry out to God in repentance, imploring God to have mercy on the land. Dr. Fred Hartley, president of the College of Prayer International, gave the keynote message from 1 Kings 18, "The God who answers by fire, He is God." A spirit of prayer came upon the participants. As a group they put on the armor of God and declared their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ.

    All members of Parliament, church leaders, and business leaders were each called forward to stand in their distinct groups to receive prayer and blessing. Fred Hartley prayed over every member of Parliament; Mike Plunket prayed for all church leaders and Rian Seipler (businessman, Orlando, Florida) prayed for all business leaders. Each of these influential gate-keepers were profoundly grateful and refreshed.

    When the breakfast was completed, an interested-persons meeting spontaneously gathered at the front of the ballroom for those who wanted to be part of the leadership team for the future of the COP Parliament. To our amazement almost 100 members stayed and were begging for the team to return twice a year for the next three years. "We were overwhelmed by their earnest passion and the high level of commitment. These are all busy people but they were obviously desperate for God and willing to make time for prayer," says Hartley. The event was broadcast on national television.

    In addition to planting the campus of the College of Prayer for the Ugandan Parliament, the team also facilitated a Kampala VIP Pastors' College of Prayer led by Joel Kangas. One hundred and fifty church leaders gathered at Lifeline Center in Kampala. God showed up in force. Approximately 30 people indicated they prayed to receive Christ. We had opportunity to teach most of the Year 1 Curriculum of the College of Prayer. Perhaps the most significant teaching was brought by Joel Kangas on the subject of repentance. He had everyone take a clean sheet of paper; on one side we were directed to write all of our sins against God; on the other side we were to write down everyone who had sinned against us. We then went outside and burned the papers in a fire. Next to the fire pit was an enormous bucket of water in which we washed our hands to declare our cleansing from sin. This was followed by great joy, dancing and celebration.

    Each member of the team had opportunity to preach in different churches in Kampala on Sunday. Fred Hartley preached at the Victory Christian Center. The message was broadcast live by radio to 3.5 million. At the conclusion of the message, opportunity was given to respond to the gospel; over 200 people stood to their feet indicating they had just prayed to receive Christ.

    When the team returned to North America, they received a phone call from David Chotka, COP Canada. David said, "I have three-twelve members of the Canadian Parliament who have heard about what God is doing in Uganda and would like to attend the Parliamentary COP in Uganda next year. They are interested in bringing the College of Prayer to the Canadian Parliament." It seems that God continues to expand our spheres of influence. The extraordinary favor of God is resting upon us. All glory to His name!"