The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster was born with an inbuilt missionary interest. In fact Free Presbyterian Churches were born out of successful evangelistic campaigns. Dr. Ian Paisley had long felt a burden for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel, a burden that was evident in his preaching. It was against this background that a young woman in Ravenhill church had a brilliant idea.

The first mention of a Missionary Council in the Presbytery was at the Presbytery meeting in Antrim on April 14, 1961. The minute of that meeting carries this record:

A letter was read from Miss Valerie Shaw, a missionary from Ravenhill Church. Miss Shaw in her letter made constructive proposals towards the organizing of a missionary project in the churches. After discussion it was decided that the minister and session in each church nominate two persons to form a Missionary Council and that this council meet for prayer and business at regular intervals.

Valerie first put the idea to her minister, Dr. Paisley. He responded

enthusiastically to her proposals and suggested that she put them in writing for the Presbytery to consider. Dr. Paisley arranged for Valerie to appear before the Presbytery at its meeting in Ravenhill on April 6, 1962. Her proposals enjoyed general support in the Presbytery.

An onlooker might have been forgiven for thinking that they had started on a project that, given the smallness of the denomination, appeared to hold little prospect for much success. Time would prove such an assessment very wide of the mark, for the Council formed was quickly to become a vehicle for accomplishing things in the cause of missions.