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November 2015
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Newsletter #15
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Dear Co-Laborer in Christ:
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The GGCN Steering Team recently met to discuss the growth and future of the Global Great Commission Network. Ecouraging news is the emergence of local, grassroots expressions of GGCN. This is especially true in India, although we are starting to see it in other places as well.
As a report from the GGCN India Coordinator was reviewed, two statements stood out:
- Per my understanding, GGCN India is the only network generating their own local funding here in India.
- GGCN India is the only network consisting of leaders of various denominations, cultures, areas, ages, etc.
Perhaps there are there other groups who can make the same claims. We are thankful for and want to support and encourage all Great Commission Activities. But, these two statements do speak to the spirit of what GGCN desires to model as a global network. The section of this newsletter From the Global Steering Team describes more of the Global Great Commission Network commitment in these areas.
The next section, GGCN India Report, is a report of GGCN India local seminars in 2015 and plans for 2016.
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GGCN India Report - by Paul Radha Krishnan
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In 2015, three state-level, one-day GGCN seminars were held in India. These included seminars in Telangana (February), Odisha (June) and Tamilnadu (September). All three were sponsored by local facilitators. The local co-ordination team provided the funds for the seminar, including food. The national co-ordinating team members provided their own funds for travel and accommodations.
 The seminars focused on discipleship, unreached people groups, and strategic Great Commission approaches with reference to the needs and situation in each state. The attendance of the seminars ranged from 93 to 300 plus. The participants of the seminars were primarily grassroots level pastors and mission and church leaders.
In Odisha, the participants and the local coordinator reported that the remarkable seminar opened their eyes to see the big picture of India. A senior mission leader told the participants that "it has stimulated my mind to rethink about my personal relationship with Jesus and His task in these days." in Tamilnadu, the participants exclaimed that the seminar burdened them to live a witnessing life of sacrifice for unreached people groups.
 GGCN India plans in 2016 are to organize four state level seminars, including Northeast states, and one national volunteers get-together. Translation work has gone forward in multiple Indian languages for the Discipleship Survey and the Tokyo Declaration, and these will be made available soon at www.ggcn.org. Also, India specific resource materials, particularly about discipleship and unreached people groups, will be researched and linked to www.ggcn.org in 2016. Contact [email protected] directly for more details.
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GGCN India Focus Areas
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GGCN values are being applied in India as follows:
- Personal discipline and engagement in discipleship
- Children and youths as today's Church
- Mobilizing the alternative mission force
- Engaging unengaged people groups and areas.
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| From the Global Steering Team |
As we seek the Lord about His desires for the Global Great Commission Network, we believe that 2015 has seen a sharpening of our focus. While we continue to develop tools that we believe will serve globally (such as the GCnetwork), we want to emphasize that Tokyo Declaration core values need to be adapted to the local, national, and regional expressions of GGCN around the world. As part of that focus, we have affirmed our commitment that Western funding will not be part of the program or expectations is GGCN. We realize that will not always be an easy path to follow, but we feel before the Lord that the network must function within this principle.
Per the second point in the introductory section, we will continue to emphasize and recognize the broad-based participation of those the Lord calls to Great Commission activities. In the words of the Tokyo Declaration: "We confess that we have not always valued each other or each other's work. We repent of those wrongs and will endeavor to bring an end to competition where it exists, and reconcile where there is hurt, minunderstanding and mistrust. Furthermore, we will endeavor to recognize that each part of the Body has its very own purpose, ... We will respect all mission-engaging individuals and groups as special vessels for God's glory, each endowed with abilities that extend His Kingdom in multiple ways."
If you are interested in more information about how you can be part of the local expression of GGCN, please let us know at [email protected], And we'd love to hear your story of how the Lord is challenging you for His purpose in your lives and ministry. |
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David Hupp
Global Great Commission Network - Global Steering Team
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