On March 13 (local time), the World Council of Churches (WCC) Conference on World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) adopted a “Call to Discipleship,” and closed its meeting at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge and Conference Center in Arusha, Tanzania, after a six-day collective search for the meaning of discipleship in mission, focusing on the theme “Moving in the Spirit: Called to Transforming Discipleship.”
On the last day of the conference, the 1,000 some participants unanimously adopted the “Call,” which interprets the disciples’ mission “into all the world” as reaching to the “margins.” WCC clarified that the holding of the conference in Africa was an affirmation of its task of mission to the marginalized. In the statement, the participants said, “We joyfully celebrated the life-giving movement of the Spirit of God in our time, drawing particular inspiration from the African context and spirituality. Through Bible study, prayer and worship, and by sharing our stories together, we were encouraged to be witnesses to the reign of God that has come to us through the life, crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The statement defined this age as one of faint hope. “We observed the shocking accumulation of wealth due to one global financial system, which enriches few and impoverishes many. This is at the root of many of today’s wars, conflicts, ecological devastation, and suffering…But the Holy Spirit continues to move in our time, and urgently calls us as Christian communities to respond with personal and communal conversion and transforming discipleship, (...) which challenges elitism, privilege, personal and structural power.”
WCC emphasized, “We are called to care for God’s creation and be in solidarity with nations severely affected by climate change in the face of ruthless human-centered exploitation of the environment for greed and consumerism.”
In the closing worship service (photo), Rev. Dr. Collin Cowan of the Council for World Mission (CWM), said, describing Jesus’ call for transforming discipleship, “Jesus pushed boundaries, confronted power, challenged systems of corruption and taught his disciples to go against the grain of cultural norms and practices.”
Reporter Jang Chang-Il (jangci@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo courtesy of WCC
Original Article in Korean:
“지금은 희망이 매우 희미한 시대… 소외된 주변부에 복음 전하자”: WCC 아루샤 세계선교대회 폐막
Arusha CWME Closes: “In an age of faint hope, let us tell Good News to the marginalized”
2018-03-15 17:32
