Creating AWARENESS of national and global trends which influence the mission endeavour so that we fully understand the times we live in
A P R I L 2 0 1 9
One of the core goals of WENSA is to facilitate greater engagement of the church and so promote conversation and collaboration. The recent development of the SACD is a wonderful tool that contributes significantly to this goal.
“The SACD is a newly launched online platform that gives an overview of the Christian landscape in South Africa, covering a wide scope of areas of influence and activities of Christian churches, ministries, organisations, initiatives, networks and movements.”
Please click the button below to the SACD website and register your church or ministry. Once on the database you can search which other churches or ministries are in your area (province / town) and what they are doing. The idea is to promote connection, communication and collaboration between organisations and in so doing enhance the outreach of the church in your area or across the world.
The joint MANI / WENSA consultation for Southern Africa was a key consultation that helped to discern and re-focus what needs to be done to help the church fulfil its missionary mandate. This is articulated as the Four Callings and summarised as follows:
- Call for RENEWAL in the church’s role in mission
- Call to DISCIPLESHIP
- Call to fully understanding our TIMES
- Call to fully utilize the TOOLS God has given us
Read more : Tri-Region Conclusion
Click the button below to view a short interview which also summarises the consultation.
For more information regarding MANI please visit their website by clicking the button below. Here you will also get access to the African Least-Reached people groups – we still have more than 900 people groups to reach on our continent!
There are a number of these types of information videos – I found this one particularly helpful as a resource that puts the Great Commission into perspective! Use this video as a backdrop to praying for the nations.
In 2018 a group of mission leaders gathered for a conversation around Global Mission Trends. Included is a more detailed description issues discussed but summarised as follows:
- Globalisation – its impact on a global workforce and the opportunities this gives for taking the gospel across the nations. Operation Mobilisation (OM) shared their SCATTER GLOBAL initiative, click the button below to view.
- Media – many opportunities exist to exploit this tool; we need to be strategic about using media; media is good at communication information but we still need relationships to disciple.
- Role of Indigenous Churches – in the context where indigenous churches already exist. An encouragement to work with existing churches where possible.
- Movements and Networking – a growing global reality and awareness of the benefits and urgency of disciple making movements and networking with useful local resources available. Click the button below to view.
- Training – a shift from formal to mentored on-the-job training. Both types have a role to play. Mentored teams are the spawning ground for leadership development.
- Short term outreach & Long stay options – the issue of long-term visas an ongoing challenge; need new entry strategies such as vocational skills. The issue of resourcing missions is an on-going discussion; short term outreached do play a role but tend to be expensive and exclusive. The mix between urban & rural efforts needs to be balanced.
- Displacement of refuges – presents a huge opportunity to spread the gospel.
Read more : Minutes GLOBAL STRATEGIC MEETING
WENSA recognises the need for each of these trends to be explored further. We have a BLOG (see link on the bottom of the page) where the conversation around each of these trends can be taken further. We also intend to facilitate focussed – groups on some of these issues raised.