God's Kairos Time
"AEF with 175 national workers is experiencing a 'Kairos' moment in God's scheme of things" declared Dr Jonathan James, the International Director. Dr James explained that while 'Chronos', one of the two Greek words for time, is measured in seconds and minutes, 'Kairos' refers to a unique season of divine opportunities when God opens doors and gathers a great harvest.
Dr Ramesh Richard of Dallas, USA, a world-renowned speaker and trainer of leaders addressed two keynote messages on the topics of Leadership Succession and Stewardship of the Ministry. In both messages he encouraged the team of evangelists, pastors and church planters to both "see" and "seize" the harvest reminding the fellowship that it is ultimately God who gives the increase.
Martyrs for Christ
Amidst all the exciting news of people from many nations becoming followers of Christ especially from the resistant people groups, there were some heart-wrenching stories of suffering such as the one about the home of a very effective evangelist that was destroyed by enemies of the faith and two martyrs who were forced to give up their lives for the Gospel in South Asia. The martyrs, two young men aged 23 and 25 were from a newly planted church with only 500 believers. At their funeral service, the local authorities did not allow any photographs to be taken so as to silence the atrocities that the fledgling church has been experiencing over the last few years.
New Workers and ministry
The conference coincided with two significant events: a graduation and the launch of a new ministry. On Friday September 21, the graduation ceremony of 9 new graduates from AEF's Asia College of Ministry (ACOM) took place with 150 guests and church leaders in attendance in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. The nine new graduates, all Tamil speaking Pastors and Christian workers are going to be a welcome contribution to the Tamil Church in Malaysia, according to Dr Alan Meers, AEF's International Training Director as there is a need for pastors to develop critical thinking skills in the wake of false teachings and cults coming into the country.
Destiny Communications, a new ministry was launched in Malaysia on Saturday 22. This new ministry, under the leadership of Jonathan Cortes is seeking to serve the marginalized communities in the nation with social and upliftment programs as well as use the medium of literature and other means to reach the urban, media-savvy generation.
Harvest Asia!
The conference ended on a spiritually high note with a moving communion service led by the AEF President Dr Met Castillo and Rev Swami Retnamony of India. The representatives from AEF's donor bases in Australia and New Zealand pledged to increase prayer and material support for the ongoing ministry of the national workers as they reach Asia with the Gospel in the midst of persecution and pain. The field delegates, some with tears affirmed the main theme of the conference: that, they would strive to be more dependent on Him and interdependent on one another to harvest Asia, a continent which is ripe unto harvest.