The Bishop of Goma, Martin Gordon, has joined Church leaders in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in calling for urgent international support and prayer as the country faces its 17th Ebola outbreak in 50 years.

Speaking from Goma, Bishop Martin, a Church Mission Society (CMS) mission partner, warned that the outbreak, officially declared by the Congolese government on 15 May, has already resulted in over 1,000 suspected cases and more than 200 deaths. The outbreak’s epicentre is in Ituri Province in the north of the country, with confirmed cases now reported in Uganda and in Goma itself, the largest city in eastern Congo.

Churches across DRC are now playing a critical role in the response. Through extensive networks of schools, clinics, and local congregations, churches remain among the few institutions trusted by communities. Bishop Martin explained, “The church is on the frontline. We are at the heart of every village and community, and we are one of the few institutions still trusted to tell the truth.”

Drawing on experience from the devastating 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, church leaders are already mobilising. The diocese of Goma has circulated pastoral guidance outlining Ebola symptoms and encouraging best practices for hygiene, physical contact and medical referrals. Plans are also underway to equip churches and schools with temperature screening equipment.

Adding to the challenge is widespread public mistrust of health authorities and treatment centres. Many communities remain sceptical about the existence of Ebola, while restrictions surrounding burials have intensified tensions. “During the last outbreak, there were nearly 500 attacks against health facilities and 25 frontline medical staff were killed,” Bishop Martin recalled. He continued, “Already, two Ebola treatment centres have been set on fire.”

A major awareness and mobilisation conference for clergy, evangelists, teachers, and church staff in Goma was scheduled, and there are plans to expand training efforts across the wider diocese in the coming months. Church leaders are also renewing partnerships with journalists and community leaders to combat misinformation and promote life-saving public health messaging.

Bishop Martin emphasised that financial support will be essential to sustain these efforts. “We need support to strengthen awareness raising, equip frontline churches and schools, and help communities respond effectively,” he said. “But above all, we ask people to pray – for rapid mobilisation of resources, protection for health workers, effective treatment development and for churches to continue to be voices of hope.”

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved treatment or cure. Researchers at the University of Oxford said a vaccine it was developing could enter clinical trials within two to three months. The crisis is unfolding amid severe humanitarian and political instability. Recent cuts to USAID have weakened health monitoring systems, while approximately 10 million people are living under the control of M23 rebel authorities in eastern DRC. Ongoing tensions between the Congolese government and M23 forces have also kept Goma and Bukavu airports closed, severely restricting access for medical supplies and personnel.

Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS, said; “Bishop Martin and other church leaders like him have shown extraordinary courage. When a health crisis of this magnitude strikes an area already experiencing socio-political vulnerability, the Church is often the primary safety net. They are not fleeing the danger; they are moving toward it with love, practical help and hope. We urgently ask the global community to lift them up in prayer, for protection over church workers, wisdom in stopping the spread, and for the necessary medical resources to reach the region swiftly.”

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Mission partner Tim Curtis has spent an entire generation – 44 years – in translation work among indigenous peoples in the Paraguayan Chaco region. As he retires, we take a look at how God made a way for his Word to come alive in the wilderness.

Many indigenous people groups in the wilderness Chaco region of South America have long been marginalised by the majority society who are of European descent (criollos). Deforestation has all but squeezed out Énxet speakers’ traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle and they often have limited access to healthcare and education.

There has been a Christian presence in the Chaco region for over 130 years, but even so, speakers of the Énxet languages haven’t always had access to God’s Word. But now that the Bible has been translated into their languages, they know that they are included in God’s plan.

Called back to Latin America

The son of missionaries, Tim was brought up in Chile and sensed God calling him back to Latin America after university in the UK. “A verse that came very clearly to me from Psalm 32 was, ‘I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will counsel you with my eye upon you,’” he remembers. He also had a dream that confirmed that he would be working somewhere quite remote.

Tim first went to Paraguay in the early 1980s. In 1982, when visiting the La Herencia project in the Chaco, Tim recognised the place he’d seen in his dream. This project was the Anglican Church’s response to a plea for help from its indigenous members amongst the Énxet, Angaité and Sanapana peoples in the Chaco region who had lost their ancestral lands. (By 1985, nearly 45,000 hectares of land had been secured for them.) Tim joined the project and for the next few years, he served several indigenous and government schools, commuting between the more far-flung ones on horseback.

First steps towards Bible translation

Recognising Tim’s love for the local people and aptitude for languages, the project director invited him to prepare for work on the translation of the Southern Énxet New Testament.

Tim became a missionary with the South American Missionary Society (SAMS), which later merged with CMS. He trained as a Bible translator at SIL and prepared for mission at All Nations Christian College before returning to Paraguay to focus on the Southern Énxet language.

From a New Testament to a complete Bible

In the early 1990s, a team of three indigenous translators was ready to begin the translation of the New Testament in partnership with United Bible Societies and the Paraguayan Bible Society. Chaco churches waited eagerly to see God’s Word come alive in their own language.

At the end of 1997, the revised Southern Énxet New Testament was launched and began to be used in homes and churches. In 2003, a new team began work on the Southern Énxet Old Testament at a purpose-built office in Rio Verde (made possible by a donation from one of Tim’s link churches). Over the next 13 years, they meticulously drafted the Old Testament and further revised the New Testament.

The full Southern Énxet Bible was launched in 2016 with church leaders and visitors from all over the Chaco region and the UK attending a special dedication event.

From start to finish, it was remarkable how people from different organisations, churches and institutions came together for the translation – in Tim’s words, “It was like the Lord was arranging everything.”

Accessible Scriptures for the Southern Énxet

The goal of Bible translation for any language group has traditionally been to get printed Bibles into people’s hands. Today, for many people groups, audio Bibles can make a huge difference to how many speakers engage with God’s Word. In 2016, Tim and the team worked with 25 Southern Énxet readers and Bolivian technicians from Faith Comes by Hearing to record a dramatised version of the New Testament.

The audio New Testament was put on players called Proclaimers, which can be charged using electricity, solar panels or wound up manually. Proclaimers have proved particularly popular among people who don’t have the opportunity to meet with other Christians, or who don’t read.

In 2024, Jesus Film Project technicians from Peru came to help Tim and a group of 22 readers dub the Jesus Film into Southern Énxet at the CMS-supported Anglican Centre at Rio Verde – the two-hour dramatisation of Luke’s Gospel has led millions of people around the world to Jesus.

The technicians also invited a group to Lima to record the Old Testament with Davar Audio Bibles. The full audio Bible is still being finalised, but in the meantime, people are listening to the New Testament, and parts of the Old Testament are being passed around on pen drives – people are eager to engage with God’s Word!

Another Bible translation in the works

In 2018, Tim joined the Northern Enlhet Bible translation team part-time, as a consultant. Several years on, the team have finished drafts of the Old Testament and recently completed the gospels and Romans. They hope to celebrate a complete Bible in the late 2020s.

At the same time, Tim continued providing logistical support for Bible studies in Rio Verde and working with Southern Énxet and other indigenous pastors and church leaders. He is also a member of the CMS-supported indigenous synod which was set up after the indigenous Anglican Congress in Argentina in 2022.

A hunter-gatherer people on smartphones

The Énxet people are traditionally hunter-gatherers , but their culture is changing. These days, some work on remote cattle ranches and farms and others have jobs in the towns. Many Christians listen to the audio Bible on their smartphones, and use WhatsApp to share Bible verses or prayers, and often have two or three verses as their background screen. Having the Scriptures different formats helps them keep growing in their faith and connect with each other.

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Spiritual hunger in the Middle East leading to “discipleship gap” say local Christian leaders

Behind today’s worrying headlines, and amid turmoil, displacement and deep trauma across the Middle East, Christian leaders in the region report an extraordinary spiritual awakening – one they say is gathering momentum at a pace not witnessed in generations. Now, many of these leaders are calling upon their counterparts throughout the world to join with them and “prepare for the harvest”. They caution that without joint efforts, there’s a risk of a “discipleship gap” developing.

In a recent interview with Church Mission Society (CMS), S,* a regional leader who serves with a CMS partner organisation, describes a “massive and genuine search for God” emerging from the heart of crisis. She explained war, migration, political instability and global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic have created a moment of unprecedented openness to Jesus: “Although the world is in chaos, God has been preparing the scene for the biggest revival ever. People have been dragged out of the normal rhythms of life and into deep pain – and in their pain, they are truly searching for God.”

Shaking leads to awakening

According to S and others, the spiritual hunger now visible across the region began during the global pandemic and continued amid tumultuous world events and ensuing instability: “Everything is shaking,” she said. “But in the unseen, God has been preparing hearts.” In several Middle Eastern nations, people displaced by war and/or disillusioned by corruption are encountering faith in Jesus for the first time. One woman told S that if she had not lost her home and been forced to flee from Syria, “I would never have met Jesus.”

A surging movement – and a massive challenge

As large numbers – reportedly tens of thousands – of people living in the Middle East begin exploring Christian faith, the need for support structures is becoming acute. As crackdowns on religious freedom and missionaries in some countries increase, many new believers, especially those from Muslim backgrounds, cannot safely or comfortably attend traditional churches. “They need love, acceptance, a safe community,” said S, adding, “They need help discovering their identity in God. And many churches in the region simply aren’t equipped for this.” This reality has led to a rapidly expanding network of house churches and online Bible study groups across the region where believers live out their faith more secretly. Yet, a frequent question these days is, with such demand, who will lead these groups and guide these men, women and children in following Jesus?

Andy Roberts, CEO and previous mission director of CMS, said, “Though people are turning to Jesus in large numbers, the risk is that without steady, contextual, locally-led discipleship, a huge portion will turn away due to pressures they often face from their communities. There is in a very real sense, a discipleship gap growing in the Middle East, which means that if we don’t act at this pivotal moment, this could adversely affect the future of the body of Christ there.” In light of this, CMS is currently making it a mission priority to equip and encourage believers in places where they are still in a pressured minority.

Making the most of this moment

Roberts outlined four key strategic efforts being put into place so as not to lose momentum:

• Equipping and Discipleship – Training local believers to disciple the growing number of seekers and new Christians.
• Raising Quality Local Leaders – Empowering young, skilled leaders who understand the culture, trauma and challenges faced by new believers from another faith background.
• Innovative Digital Outreach – Using social media and modern communication tools to reach audiences who cannot access physical churches.
• Planting Home Churches – Establishing safe, discreet communities where people can explore faith and grow spiritually.

S emphasised that the key to sustaining the movement lies in unity, humility and collaboration across Christian organisations. She also says, “We cannot continue with ‘business as usual. The harvest is huge. We must work together in new ways. God is connecting modern day Esthers, Josephs and Daniels – ordinary people with an extraordinary purpose.” She added: “Revival will come from the nameless and faceless, grassroots; small groups are good but they need to be connected.”

S concluded: “This is a unique opportunity. We are about to witness the biggest harvest the world has ever seen. We believe churches and individuals in the UK have a vital role to play. We need partnership. Each organisation has an edge – something they do best. If we bring those strengths together, we can meet the enormous needs on the ground.

“Evangelism and salvation are important but growth in Christ is just as important if not more so. We have to nurture the seeds that have been planted or they will get snatched away.”

[* Name withheld for security reasons]

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Dr Harvey Kwiyani, founder of the Acts 11 Project, a Church Mission Society initiative, has called upon the Church to disentangle itself from the legacies and logic of imperialism and proclaim a gospel that resists privilege, inequality and exclusion.

In his new book, Decolonizing Mission, Kwiyani argues that while imperialism and colonialism have been associated with the expansion of Christianity for over 500 years, the gospel of Jesus Christ subverts idea of empire. Kwiyani says: “The good news is not imperial. It does not conquer. The mission of Jesus liberates. It does not colonise.”

Throughout the book Kwiyani traces the history of Christian mission alongside the history of empire, showing the influence that one had on the other. He imagines what mission without imperialism would look like, and sheds light on the connection between colonialism and mission and invites us to realign our missional methods with God’s.

Kwiyani explains: “In first-century Judea under Roman rule, proclaiming good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed was dangerous. Jesus was not merely comforting souls – he was confronting empire. Jesus announced a new social order rooted in God’s justice and mercy.” This is the gospel Kwiyani challenges the Church to reclaim – a gospel that resists the logic of conquest, domination, and superiority.

In Decolonizing Mission, Kwiyani uses historical vignettes to that show how the gospel has never required conquest to spread. From the beginning, Jesus entrusted this movement not to kings or soldiers but to the marginalised and overlooked, colonised people like his Galilean disciples. The true mission of God has always relied on love, humility, vulnerability, and the Spirit’s power.

Kwiyani explains: “I dream of a global mission movement of Christians from formerly colonised lands as well as the rest of the world. This is the task of the Church today: to proclaim a post-imperial gospel. A gospel that resists baptising privilege. A gospel that stands with the poor. A gospel that disrupts injustice, embodies compassion, and embraces the non-coercive love of Christ.”

Professor Esther Mombo, of St Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya, said: “Decolonizing Mission is essential reading for anyone committed to a faithful, humble, and culturally sensitive witness in the 21st century. It challenges us to lament past wrongs, repent of lingering imperial impulses, and embrace a mission that truly reflects the kingdom of God – one defined by love, equality, and freedom.”

Kwiyani concluded: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a tool for expanding empires – it is a prophetic summons to dismantle them. It proclaims that the love of God liberates, heals, and decolonises. To be faithful to God’s mission in the world today, we must decolonise mission.”

Decolonizing Mission is available from SCM Press.

See churchmissionsociety.org/events for details of upcoming book launches.

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Church Mission Society has announced its backing for the UK Government’s Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform.

At its core the Charter calls for the rights of a child to a family and the progressive ending of the institutionalisation of children in favour of family-based care models like fostering. Church Mission Society joins UNICEF, Tearfund Ireland, World Vision and the Wonder Foundation in backing the Charter which in total has received support from organisations in 32 countries for its campaign.

This visionary initiative lays out a groundbreaking framework to transform the lives of children globally so that all children are cared for in families, free from violence, exploitation and other harmful practices. Inspired by the then Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon David Lammy MP, the Charter calls on governments, civil society, faith groups and individuals with lived experience of care systems to join with world leaders to harnesses decades of international progress to ensure all children can grow up in a safe, nurturing and loving family environment.

Church Mission Society is an experienced operator in this field and supports mission partners like Elise and Jon Fletcher who live in Khlong Toei, Bangkok’s biggest slum community. They said, “Poverty is the biggest cause of children ending up in orphanages in Thailand and we work with the Thai government advocating for reform of the care system. Our aim is that every child in Thailand can grow up in a safe and nurturing family.”

Collectively, the vision of the signatories and supporters of the Charter is to strengthen families and prevent unnecessary separation, ensure safe, family-based alternative care and end the use of institutions for children around the world. Industry experts, academics, civil society groups, UNICEF, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children and young people with lived experience of living in care have all contributed to bringing the Charter to life and turning the vision into reality.

The Charter urges world leaders to act together to uphold the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, invest in families, children, care leavers, and inclusive services, and end violence against children and harmful practices like orphanage tourism with the aim of delivering lasting change for future generations.

Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS, said: “Every child deserves the best start in life within caring families and communities, but globally, there are over five million children living in institutions which harm their short-term and long-term development. The majority of children living in institutions are not orphans – they are there due to poverty, lack of services and other solvable factors. Care reform is an investment in human capital and national growth as well as being more effective and cost-efficient than using institutions.”

Prior to becoming Director of Mission and more latterly CEO of CMS, Andy Roberts was co-founder of Revive International, a pioneering charity providing a home and protection for abused and vulnerable girls in Olinda, north-east Brazil. When the charity was given the green light to launch a ground-breaking fostering service, Roberts said, “From the moment we set up ReVive, our vision has been of a day when we could close down our children’s shelter homes because children were being cared for within a strong, quality, fostering service. We strongly believe that children should be brought up in families, where their hope can be restored and they can look forward to a future free from abuse inside a loving, caring family.”

Andy concluded: “As a global community, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind and that every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and supportive environment. CMS pledges its full support to the UK Government’s Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform and commits to working alongside other stakeholders to make these principles a reality to create a brighter, safer, and more equitable future for children around the world.”

ENDS

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Christians called to embody “hospitality not hostility” towards migrants in statement from mission leaders

Dr Harvey Kwiyani

Acts 11 Project leader

Andy Roberts MBE

Church Mission Society CEO

The new CEO of Church Mission Society (CMS) Andy Roberts MBE and  Dr Harvey Kwiyani, director for the Acts 11 Centre for Global Witness and Human Migration have issued a joint call for Christians to practise “hospitality not hostility” towards migrating people.

Andy Roberts said: “As a mission organisation, we are keenly aware that God has long worked through people on the move,” adding, “Instead of giving into hatred, we should be looking for the hand of God in this moment.”

Dr Harvey Kwiyani said, “We live in an age of migration. This is an opportunity to lead with faith, to counter fear with compassion and to demonstrate a gospel-shaped response that embraces hospitality above hostility.” 

The Call to Hospitality not Hostility statement

Humanity beyond the headlines

Migration is back in the headlines due to ongoing and impending protests. In turn, these protests are often galvanised by fearful or sensationalist headlines. Within the European Union and the United States of America, there is a rise in anti-migration rhetoric and sentiments. Social media feeds are full of anger and fear.

There are many valid causes for concern, exposing deeper systemic failures: unsafe housing, slow asylum processes, under-resourced communities and divisive political narratives. 

But amid the shouting and violence, one truth risks being lost: the humanity that we all share.

Considerations for Christians

For Christians, moments like these cause us to reconsider how we live faithfully at the intersection of national politics and our deeper calling to follow Christ as a pilgrim people, sojourners on the earth. 

How we respond to this moment will reveal whether we are echoing society’s anxieties or embodying the heart of Christ. 

Migration in memory

In the 1980s, Mozambique was torn apart by a brutal civil war. Violence forced hundreds of thousands of Mozambicans across the border into Malawi. They arrived traumatised, hungry and desperate for safety.

Originally from Malawi, Dr Kwiyani remembers how  communities responded. Families shared food, however scarce. Schools made space for displaced children. Churches offered shelter, prayer and encouragement. 

This spirit of hospitality was not rooted in wealth or comfort. Most Malawian families live close to poverty. Instead, it was grounded in the spirit of umunthu – that profound African conviction that “I am because we are.” Often known as ubuntu, it insists that our humanity is shared, that to deny dignity to another is to diminish our own. 

In welcoming Mozambican refugees, Malawians were not just showing kindness; they were affirming their own humanity, living out the truth that the well-being of one is tied to the well-being of all.

Understanding ubuntu

This is a lesson our world urgently needs today. In countries like the UK, migrants’ humanity is overshadowed by arguments about borders, costs and control. Yet the reality is this: the vast majority of the world’s displaced people are not in wealthy nations but in poorer countries. Uganda hosts more than 1.5 million refugees; Pakistan and Iran have sheltered millions from Afghanistan; Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey carry the enormous weight of welcoming those fleeing Syria. 

This reality should give Christians in wealthier nations pause. If those with the least are able to carry the greatest weight, how much more should those with greater resources embrace the call to hospitality? 

The gospel reminds us that our identity is not secured by defending ourselves against others but by recognising Christ in the face of the stranger. Abraham welcomed strangers at his tent. Israel was commanded to remember its own history as migrants and to care for the foreigner. Jesus himself began life fleeing violence in search of safety in Egypt. 

Christians are called to embody a spirit of hospitality – not out of surplus, but out of faithfulness. When we welcome the stranger, we strengthen the bonds that make us human. When we turn people away, we wound not only them but ourselves.

But ubuntu challenges us to go deeper than welcome. It calls us to ask why people are displaced. We must be honest: many Western governments continue to profit from the global arms trade and economic exploitation of other parts of the world. It is not enough to welcome refugees at our borders if our economies simultaneously profit from the conditions that drive them out of their homes. Christian witness demands that we not only open our doors but also raise our voices against policies and practices that perpetuate any form of violence, military or economic. 

The choice for Christians

Rather than being trapped in the false choice between “helping locals” or “helping migrants,” followers of Jesus can model a bigger imagination. We can show through word and deed that God’s kingdom is not a zero-sum game. Extending hospitality to the stranger does not mean neglecting those already here. True hospitality seeks the flourishing of all – the asylum seeker, the long-term resident, the neighbour who feels overlooked. 

This is an opportunity to lead with faith, to counter fear with compassion and to demonstrate a gospel-shaped response that embraces hospitality above hostility. Above all, it is a chance to point to Jesus himself – the child who fled to Egypt, the teacher who welcomed outsiders, the Saviour who broke down dividing walls to create one new humanity (Ephesians 2:14–16).

We pray for peace this week.

How Christians can embody hospitality not hostility

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Dr Kwiyani’s new book, Decolonising Mission, is out now from SCM Press.

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Church Mission Society has today announced the appointment of Canon Andy Roberts MBE, 40, as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

Andy is a pioneering mission leader, a former CMS mission partner and founder of Brazilian children’s charity ReVive International.

He has been CMS’s director of mission since 2021 and succeeds Alastair Bateman in the CEO role. He will take up his new position from 1 August 2025.

Originally from York, Andy has lived much of his life in Brazil. He and his wife Rose, a Brazilian national, spent several years serving vulnerable children and young people in Olinda, in the northeast of the country.

Beginning their work with the South American Mission Society, and later through CMS, the couple launched multiple pioneering initiatives, including ReVive, a charity providing shelter and holistic support for girls affected by abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Andy’s call to mission began at age 18 during his first short-term trip to Brazil where he immersed himself in life among the urban poor.

Reflecting on that time, he says, “I quickly discovered I had a lot to learn – from street children and from the local church. Their spiritual depth humbled and transformed me.”

Andy’s learning journey continued. Upon discovering there was provision for street-affected boys in Olinda but not girls, Andy and Rose founded ReVive, which has since grown to become a nationally recognised charity and is now thriving under local leadership.

Under the Robertses’ direction, ReVive advocated for changes to legislation governing foster care and adoption in Brazil. Archbishop Miguel Uchoa made Andy a lay canon for services to the Anglican church in Brazil.

In 2021 Andy was awarded an MBE for his work with vulnerable children in Brazil, making him one of the youngest recipients of this honour. That same year, he was appointed to his current role as mission director of CMS and he and his family moved to the UK.

His current role has taken him to Africa, Asia, the Middle East and back to Latin America as CMS continues to develop focused, collaborative work in a number of contexts at the edges, overseas and in the UK.

Jeremy Moodey, chair of trustees at CMS, welcomed the appointment: “Andy brings a rare combination of on-the-ground mission experience, strategic insight and a deep heart for transformation through the gospel. We are excited for this next chapter under his leadership.”

Alastair Bateman, whom Andy will succeed as CMS CEO, said “I’m absolutely delighted with this appointment. Having worked directly with Andy over the last four years, I know he will continue to live out CMS’s values of being pioneering, relational, faithful and evangelistic because they are an expression of who he is. I couldn’t be more pleased to pass on the baton of stewarding CMS for future generations to him.”

Commenting on his new role, Andy said: “It’s a privilege to step into this position at such a pivotal time. My passion is to see mission shaped by deep listening, courageous innovation and local leadership. While CMS has a 225-year legacy, we’re entering a fresh era of pioneering grounded in the same spirit that inspired our founders.”

He added: “Passing on ReVive’s leadership to local hands was a natural and necessary step. Now, at CMS, I see an opportunity to continue that commitment to empowering others, globally and locally, as we follow Jesus to the edges.”

Andy lives in Oxfordshire with his wife Rose and their two daughters, Sofia and Júlia.

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The number of students entering the Church Mission Society (CMS) Pioneer Mission Training programme has this year risen to record levels, enhanced by the enrolment of a cohort of students from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

At a time when many Christian training colleges are struggling to attract new students, a total of 45 students have enrolled for the CMS Pioneer Mission Training programme for the new academic year, spread over its undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research courses.

CMS Pioneer Mission Training is now in its 14th year of helping prepare students for mission at the edges of society, with innovative and creative initiatives designed to engage people who fall outside the scope of traditional church programmes.

Bishop Martin Gordon, a CMS mission partner and the Bishop of Goma in Eastern Congo, said the group of Congolese men and women, who are aged between 27 and 45, are expected to become senior leaders in the diocese. The group will remain in DRC but will have an onsite tutor/mentor to assist them with their studies as they study for an MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission (African Christianity route).

One of the new students, Judith Kahindo Mwengenindi, a mother of four and health and community programme leader, said: “I support ministers in the war-torn regions of the DRC, providing pastoral care and assistance. I am eager to deepen my understanding of theology and ministry to better serve the pastors and leaders I minister to in the conflict areas.”

James Nzanzu Muvunga, an IT graduate and student ministry leader, said: “As a trainer and programme coordinator at the Centre for Intercultural Mission, I seek to equip student leaders in the DRC with the skills to effectively engage in evangelism and bridge the perceived divide between faith and science in academic settings.”

The course will include diverse subjects such as Church History, Christianity and Indigenous Religions and Global Pentecostalism and is incorporated within the African Christianity route through the Certificate and MA courses. The course combines CMS’s experience of pioneering mission and ministry with partner Missio Africanus’ experience of resourcing non-western missionaries involved in mission work in the West (and in Africa). St Augustine’s Foundation, a body which enables ministry training, will support the Congolese students’ studies through its innovation fund.

Joseph Ola, African Christianity MA lecturer at CMS, said: “The Congolese cohort come with a burning desire to acquire practical knowledge that directly addresses the unique challenges they face, coming from a war-torn region. We are thrilled to welcome them and we are confident that this training will equip them to develop meaningful and transformative mission strategies for their communities.”

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At a time when the UK is still reeling after violent protests against immigration in cities and towns across the country, Church Mission Society (CMS) is urging Christians to take a different approach and reach out to migrant communities with love and faith.

Dr Harvey Kwiyani, Diaspora Centre leader for CMS, said; “CMS recognises that the world is experiencing an ‘Age of Migration’ where globally one in every 30 of the earth’s population are migrants. However, until now migration has not been an integral part of mission and Christian communities are not equipped to reach out and share their faith with strangers in a world where migration and tensions are on the rise.”

In response to this uncertainty over how to engage with migrants, a new centre for mission that will help educate and equip Christian communities reach out to migrants is to be launched by CMS, as part of its long-term vision to reach people at “the edges” with the Good News of Jesus.

Central to this vision is this first-of-a-kind education centre, tasked with helping Christian communities to imagine and embrace hospitable mission in a world where migration is on the rise. The centre will also focus on preparing Christian migrants for effective witness wherever they migrate.

The new centre will be named The Acts 11 Centre, reflecting the biblical account of the first believers migrating from Judea.

Dr Harvey Kwiyani, the inspiration behind the new centre, said; “The explosion of migration globally over the last 25 years has prompted a reassessment of how we prepare Christians to engage with migrant communities, as well as how we equip and enable migrant Christians to share their faith.”

Initially, the centre will offer theological and missiological resources, practical seminars, courses and conferences on global witness and human migration. In addition, the centre will help create and curate resources for Christian communities, mission agencies, and academic institutions interested in reaching migrants around the world, and research opportunities and challenges that emerge for followers of Christ in the current context of global migration.

To launch this new initiative CMS is running a ground-breaking conference to examine the missiological and theological issues around migration.

Titled Acts 11: Convergence 1, the conference takes place from 26 to 27 September 2024 at CMS’s offices in Oxford. Professor of World Christianity, Dr Jehu J Hanciles, from Emory University in Atlanta will deliver the keynote address.

Dr Kwiyani explained: “Our vision is to gather people and share resources to equip and empower the Body of Christ to effectively bear witness for his name in the age of migration.

“We are committed to helping Christian communities share the Good News with the migrants who come to their neighbourhoods and to empowering Christian migrants to engage in disciple-making in their new host societies.

“Migrants are often at the edges of society, but we believe they come bearing God with them.”

More information is available at churchmissionsociety.org/acts11

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Church Mission Society’s sister organisation, Asia-CMS, has this week marked its 10th anniversary with a pledge to serve countries across Asia despite many challenges.

Those challenges include rising fundamentalism, religious extremism, urbanisation and hostility from some within Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, the region’s other major religions.

Established in 2012 by CMS as a mission movement based in Asia, led by Asians to reach Asia, Asia-CMS initially focused on establishing missionary education hubs. By 2022 Asia-CMS had grown to a team of 28 mission partners across South-East and South Asia, carrying out a range of ministries including church planting, pioneering mission to unreached people groups, theological education, and cross-cultural and leadership training.

Speaking ahead of a celebratory dinner attended by staff, mission partners and church leaders to mark the 10th anniversary, Rev Dr Chan Nam Chen, executive director of Asia-CMS, announced: “Christianity now constitutes nine per cent of the population in Asia and is growing at twice the speed of population growth in Asia. With the exception of the Philippines, Christianity is a minority faith in all Asian countries, and subject to rising fundamentalism and religious extremism. In this context inter-faith and inter-communal dialogues are not seen as optional, but a necessary means to bridge the chasms.”

Based on the key principles of ‘connecting’, ‘collaborating’ and ‘catalysing’, Asia-CMS is committed to engaging the world’s least-reached people groups – many of which are found in Asia – with the Christian message in ways that are culturally relevant and contextually appropriate.

In Cambodia, Poline Yean works with local churches to prepare missionaries for ministry among unreached people groups. Inspired by a vision to see Cambodia come to Christ, many churches have been planted in rural Cambodia among communities that have never heard the gospel.

In Thailand, Helen Avadiar-Nimbalker partners with local organisations to share God’s love and inner healing with survivors of human-trafficking, as well as supporting women who have chosen to leave the sex industry.

Helen says: “Asia-CMS’s vision matches my passion and heart for Asia and for the lost. It is a privilege to be a part of an organisation that aims to fulfil the commission to make disciples, spread the good news of Jesus, and more importantly, to walk alongside those who have a heart for God’s mission – even those on the edge!”

Nam Chen continued: “No single group can claim credit for what has unfolded before us – the growth of Christianity and the gospel’s inspiring impact, across and from, Asia. God has empowered a diverse spectrum of Christian individuals, agencies and denominations to incarnate the truths of the gospel through words and deeds into a vast breadth of human needs and existence.

“Nonetheless, to move ahead in the coming years, the vastness of God’s mission and the changed global realities demand the cooperative efforts of all of God’s people, in all of its breadth with all of its diverse strengths and resources.”

Asia-CMS is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is part of the international CMS mission network including CMS-Africa, NZCMS, CMS Australia, CMS Ireland and SAMS-USA.

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The post Asia-CMS celebrates 10th anniversary appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Church Mission Society, the United Reformed Church (URC), the Congregational Federation and Seedbeds have launched a joint initiative designed to raise up a new generation of lay pioneer leaders able to see local communities flourish in God’s love and shalom and spur transformation by reflecting God’s love and fullness.

The Newbigin Pioneering Hub is the first CMS Free Church pioneering hub in the UK. Located in Winson Green in Birmingham and named in honour of the inspirational URC minister and mission theologian, Lesslie Newbigin, the Newbigin Hub aims to reach the 85% of people who say, ‘they will never, or are highly unlikely, to ever go to church’.

In September, the Newbigin Hub’s first intake of pioneer leaders will begin studying for the CMS certificate in pioneering mission, which comprises modular learning and practical ministry in local communities.

The Newbigin Pioneering Hub, which aims to accommodate pioneer leaders from across the UK, will be jointly led by Rev Dr Ash Barker, an ordained URC minister and leader of Seedbeds, with CMS, at the invitation from the URC, who will directly support the development of the community of pioneers at Winson Green, as well as putting a motion before the URC General Assembly in July to accredit this new category of lay pioneer. The Congregational Federation has also pledged their support.

Rev Dr Barker said: “We launch this hub at a critical time. So many of our churches have struggled to make a breakthrough to most of the general population, especially in our diverse, inner cities and outer urban estates. There is an urgent need for both greater relevance to local communities and faithfulness to the gospel that pioneer leaders can provide.”

At the heart of the hub is a desire to recognise and resource pioneer leaders in their calling as catalytic Christian ministers. In addition to their studies, Newbigin’s pioneer leaders will benefit from being part of a wider community of pioneers and have opportunities to express their training in practical mission contexts under the mentorship of experienced pioneer leaders.

Jonny Baker, Britain Hub Mission Director for CMS, said: “We know from experience that hubs like Newbigin challenge the existing culture, transforming the way the Church interacts with communities and makes a difference to real lives. Our hope is that the Newbigin Hub will catalyse mission at the edges and by establishing a presence in the Midlands, help to build a nationwide network for pioneer training and practice.”

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The 10th gathering for Church Mission Society’s annual Conversations Day will focus on sustainability and lasting change in mission. 

Keynote speakers will address vital questions around sustainable mission, community and service, and ask, “How can mission, church and communities thrive and survive in a such a challenging time of social, economic and spiritual upheaval?”

Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, Director of the Evangelical Alliance’s One People Commission, will explore ideas that help us develop a sustainable planet. Author and educator Alison Webster will speak on building sustainable communities, urging Christians to prioritise human connection and sustainability over growth, especially in respect of evangelism, mission and community development.

Janet Williams, vice-principal of St Hild College in Yorkshire and author of Seeking the God Beyond, will suggest different ways to thrive as we grow in faith.

Picking up themes such as sustainable economy, sustainable planet, sustainable church and sustainable pioneering the day will host a series of talks, workshops and conversations exploring the big picture and the day-to-day details. The event will be hybrid, with simultaneous talks and workshops taking place in Oxford and Penrith, Cumbria, as well as an online option.

Cathy Ross, leader of CMS Pioneer Leadership Training in Oxford, said: “In our current context where we are beginning to realise that unlimited growth is no longer possible nor desirable, we want to consider mission in a sustainability frame. We believe that sustainability may be a more fruitful way forward to enable us all to thrive.”

The Conversations Day – Thriving Searching for Sustainability in Life, Faith and Pioneering – takes place from 10am to 4pm on 5 April 2022. Tickets cost £15. To book or to find out more information go to: https://pioneer.churchmissionsociety.org/thriving

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