JAKARTA AFFIRMATION

The Tenth Convention Of The Asia Missions Association, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2010

Aide–mémoire and Affirmation

Of the 10^th Triennial Convention of the

Asian Missions Association

Jakarta, November 3 – 7, 2010

The 10^thTriennial Convention of the Asian Missions Association (AMA) was convened at the Mawar Saron Cathedral in Jakarta, Indonesia, with the theme Asian Churches in Global Mission.The Convention was attended by 1450 delegates, representing seven national mission associations of Asia, and mission agencies from fourteen different countries.

Since its inception thirty-seven years ago, AMA has experienced the richness of God’s blessings and His empowerment by implementing the Great Commission, so that ultimately, Christ will be glorified, and every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11).

As delegates pray, study God’s Word and reflect on its mission praxis, we will come to a realization that just as we have come this far by faith, our faith in itself will be nurtured and strengthened by the Triune God. We realize:

1. We are living in an age full of challenges and opportunity; we are living in an age of change. Asia, as the most populous continent, is known for its long history of civilizations, and for being the birthplace of major world religions. The pluralistic nature of its societies with its complex layering of cultures demands our special attention.
2. Some Asian countries have experienced economic ascension and have attained global status. Nevertheless, to this date Asia remains a developing continent that faces many challenges, such as ecological crises and sharp population increases. Disparities in wealth distributions among populations have caused social tensions. There are concerns that Asia’s rich natural resources, its huge and cheap labor force might become the victim of exploitation by global powers. Thus, in order to help Asia avoid any social unrest, Asian churches in doing missions should not be blind to those realities.
3. In many countries of Asia, freedom of worship is a luxury. Christians have often suffered persecution for no fault of their own. Christian missions in some countries have been met with strong opposition from the local adherents of other religions and governments. There is a need to find a peaceful way in respecting every individual’s right to embrace or to change religious belief.

AMA realizes that its call to missions is entering a new phase and will face challenging realities. A new approach to missional praxis in this postmodern era is called for. We therefore resolve the following:

1. AMA realizes that in response to this contextually complex situation, the Scripture has taught that the local church has important role to play in carrying on God’s will in mission. This is true because God’s people in the local church are at the forefront of doing missions and carry the task of proclaiming the Gospel. They are the imprint of the universal church and point toward the Kingdom of God.
2. AMA affirms its desire to imply the insider and culturally sensitive paradigm as its modus operandiof missions in Asia and in the entire world. As the task of doing missions is so challenging, no mission organization is an island of its own: AMA always welcomes joint partnership in missions. It is at time in this era of globalization that we must mobilize believers in Christ to be involved in world missions and to reach out to the myriad unreached people groups, and encourage them to meet the ever-expanding demand in global mission by utilizing our strength in a strategy of spread and penetration.
3. AMA sees and confronts the challenge of postmodernism by joining hands together with local churches in an effort to raise total holistic mission awareness among every segment of its members. Thus, the flow of information distribution such as UN Declaration of Universal Human Rights should be safeguarded. Every local church member need to be trained and discipled so as to not lose sight of the basic tenets of Christian values and faith, as well as the finality of Christ in God’s redemptive plan.
4. AMA pledges not to forget the strategic place of children, teenagers, youth and young adults. AMA will pay serious attention in discipling the next generation of believers, and to equip them to face future challenges. AMA will also reach out to this strategic generation with the Biblical message of love, care, hope, justice, peace, and holistic view toward life.
5. AMA is fully aware of Christ Jesus’ warning that “apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5. AMA fully believes that the implementation of God’s mission needs the empowering and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. All field reports testify to that Biblical principle.

May the Holy Spirit help AMA in missions until the second coming of Christ Jesus, and all the glory to God the Father.

Jakarta, November 6, 2010.