From August 17-20, 2011, 540 delegates representing 17 nations convened at the Elijah School of Global Mission (ESGM) in Taytay, Rizal, outside Manila. Notably, the attendance has doubled from the previous year (MIMC 2010) when 255 delegates participated, representing nine countries. This regional event was co-sponsored by ESGM and Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches. The theme for the MIMC 2011 was “Mobilizing Missional Churches and Leaders in the Asian Context.” Addressing these themes were missiologists and practitioners including the following:
Rev. Andrew Kirk (Leading Missiologist, prominent author, UK)
Dr. Anne Dyer (Theologian and Missiologist, Mattersey Hall, UK)
Dr. Gilbert Perez (Senior Pastor, Temple of Praise Church, San Antonio, Texas, USA)
Dr. John Rankin (President, Theological Education Institute, Connecticut, USA)
Dr. Benjamin Levi Moses (Director, Global Leadership, Geneva, Switzerland)
Dr. Alexander Philip (National Director, New India Evangelistic Association)
Dr. Alex Abraham (Professor of Neurology at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana)
Dr. Daniel Seung Wook Kim (Senior Pastor, Hallelujah Church, S. Korea)
Dr. Sadiri Joy Tira (Lausanne Movement Senior Associate for Diasporas)
Bishop Efraim Tendero (National Director, Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches)
Dr. Elijah Kim (President, Elijah School of Global Mission)
Dr. M.A. Raju (Neurologist, Mujwa Mission Hospital)
Topics included:
-Contemporary World Missions Trends
-Amazing Missionary Network: Filipino Diaspora Missionary Movement
-Taking a Nation: India Model
-Finishing the Task and Unreached People Groups
-Strategic Church Planting in an Asian Context
-Contemporary Mission Mandate: 4/14 Window
-Principles of Transformational Leadership in Mobilizing Missional Churches and Leaders
-Marketplace ministry for discipleship and evangelism
-Lessons from the Secularization of Europe
-The Holy Spirit and Missionary Calling
-Mission Possible for Moslems?
-Mission Networking and Collaboration
-Rising MIssion Force, Latin American Churches
Subjects of “break out” sessions included Philippine Missions Mobilization, Urban Missions, Integral Missions in Afghanistan, Issues Concerning Emerging leadership, Muslim Background Believers (MBB), Intercessory Prayer and Worship, Integral Missions in Medicine were discussed.
Participants gathered everyday for prayer, worship, and strategic sessions inside ESGM’s modern facility.
MIMC 2011 was organised with the leadership of Dr. Elijah Kim, President of ESGM. Dr. Elijah Kim and his wife are Korean missionaries to the Philippines. For over two decades, they have ministered to the urban-poor in Metro Manila. God honoured their faithful and dedicated service. Today, a local church is vibrant and engaging the community of Barangay (village) Bato Bato, Dolores, Rizal. The Kims do not only preach the Good News of salvation but help transform the community through the community projects. By providing health care, clean water, community sanitation, and education. Young people in the Barangay who once used drugs and were courageous pick-pockets and juvenile criminals have been transformed into bold disciples of Jesus Christ and responsible community leaders.
In his plenary session, Dr. Elijah Kim states: In order to evangelize the world and especially Asia, the global Church is rapidly adapting and changing, and here in Asia the seemingly impregnable block of spiritual strongholds also reside. The simultaneous task of raising up Asian missional leaders and fulfilling the Great Commission is fulfilled as we bring God’s Kingdom through victory and conquering the darkness with the light of the Gospel, and as we build missional Churches all throughout Asia.
The MIMC 2011 concluded with unanimously accepting the Manila International Missions Conference 2011 Declaration, a declaration to be championed by the participants (see attached files for the MIMC 2011 Declaration). A post event team was then formed to ensure that the declaration is delivered and implemented in the region and beyond. It is evident from the growing participation in the MIMC that the Asian diaspora has indeed embraced this missional vision.
The Lord said to Habakuk: Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it. (Habakkuk 2:2, King James 2000 Bible)
The Spirit of God is moving in the Asian waters and His glory is increasingly declared among the Asian nations. Praise be to God.
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Sadiri Joy Tira (D.Min., D.Miss.) is the LCWE Senior Associate for Diasporas; Vice President for Diaspora Missions at Advancing Indigenous Missions (AIM); Director of the Institute of Diaspora Missiology at Alliance Graduate School (Philippines); and Diaspora Missiology Specialist at the Jaffray Centre for Global Initiatives at Ambrose University College (Canada).