Last month, in Manila, the Asia Community of Practice (CoP) was privileged to meet with President Greg, Susan, and Heber Ticas, Superintendent of Latin America. Presentations and discussions centred around our participation in Christ’s ministry, leadership development, and healthy church.
Greg reminded us that the harmonious flow of the triune God in the ministry of the church continually compels us to combine “great commandment living with the great commission.” Our being and doing must always go together; they complement each other, enabling the church to bring hope to the world. As always, our participation in Jesus’ ministry is never done alone. Christ has assured us, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Heber reiterated that our goal as Healthy Church is to multiply congregations and develop healthy leaders. We are a “sent” people, as Jesus proclaimed to his disciples, “…as the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” He recommended a three-pronged approach to experience renewal as local congregations, then to be relaunched in the community, to eventually become ‘’mothering” churches, nurturing daughter churches. A healthy church thus becomes a missional church.
Helpful discussions followed while answering a list of questions that were specific to the region. The icing on the cake was the bonding activity to bake cakes in teams! The cakes were relished by the participants and shared with the Philippine National Office. The meeting concluded with sharing in the Lord’s table, which renewed our quest to inspire our congregations to be the best expression of the church of Jesus Christ in our region.
By Dan Zachariah, Superintendent of Asia
