As the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division gets ready to host its regional Leadership Summit, anticipation is high among church leaders in various organizations and institutions within the division. The summit, with the theme, I Will Go: Be His Witness, which will take place in the "Land of Smile," Thailand, from March 8 to 12, will focus on the crucial topics of mission and witnessing.
Church leaders from all over the region are expected to attend the summit, which will serve as a platform for sharing insights and experiences, as well as developing strategies to further the Adventist Church's mission in the region.
“This summit will provide an excellent opportunity for leaders to interact, share ideas, and learn from one another's experiences, with an emphasis on the devotion, empowerment, direction, and inspiration of every leader in our Division,” Pastor Roger Caderma said, president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. We are all asked to participate, to learn, and to walk in our relationship with Him as we lead others to Him (Matthew 28:18-19). The Great Commission is entrusted to His loyal church under the flag of a gracious God's authority to reach out and teach for transformed lives that begin inside us,” Caderma added.
One of the main goals of the summit is to emphasize the importance of witnessing, a crucial aspect of the Adventist faith. Witnessing is seen as an integral part of the church's mission, which is to share the good news of the gospel with the world.
The summit will also provide an opportunity for church leaders to learn of the progress made in various areas of the church's mission, and to identify areas where further work is needed.
Church leaders will be held to explore the relevance of Mission Refocus and its possible advantages to the church as a whole. The program intends to drive guests' insights toward a thorough grasp of how Mission Refocus may contribute to the church's mission in all areas.
The summit will also feature keynote speakers and discussions about witnessing, Mission Refocus, leadership, and its possible influence on the church. Delegates will have the chance to network with other delegates and participate in meaningful discourse, discussing ideas and tactics for implementing programs in their local churches.
Mission Refocus is a concept urging church leaders worldwide to take action and reprioritize their resources, alter their emphasis, and commit to ministering in places and population groups where the gospel message of salvation has yet to be heard.
“Leaders from many divisions voiced their thoughts about the upcoming leadership meeting. Even before we came to Thailand, we had so many hopes from this summit," said Elder Asher Ilyas Khan, Executive Secretary of the Pakistan Union section. “The first is that we will bring all we have learned here back to our own nation and guide and teach our young people leadership. Pakistan now lacks young leaders, thus this might be one of the finest possibilities for us to acquire more and provide more to our own people,” Khan added.
"We expect a lot more from our General Conference and division headquarters officials, as well as union leaders," stated Pastor Po Po Hla, president of the Adventist Church in Myanmar. "We may learn from our experiences and the challenges we experienced, as well as how we handled these circumstances when making critical choices for our local churches," Hla continued.
As part of the summit, attendees will participate in a range of activities, including plenary sessions, workshops, and small group discussions. They will also have the chance to worship together and participate in a variety of social and cultural activities.
The Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division is known for its strong commitment to mission and witnessing, and the upcoming summit is expected to further strengthen this commitment. With a focus on collaboration and strategy development, the summit promises to be an important milestone in the ongoing work of the church in the region.
Edward Rodriguez, SSD Communication Department