The regional discipleship council met in a key city in Asia, May 7-9, to review and plan their strategy for discipleship ministry. Regional Discipleship Coordinator Rev. John Eun Yup Kim encouraged the council members to complete the established tasks they set last year and also to strengthen discipleship ministries in districts on their fields.

On the first day, they reviewed tasks they established at the first council meeting last year. The group then discussed their main agenda item, the launch of a new regional discipleship model, on the next day.

“The Asia-Pacific Region is geographically large and ethnically diverse. It spans most of Asia and all of Oceania, contains 40% of the earth’s population, is a mix of both Eastern and Western cultures, and contains high numbers of [unreached people groups]. Christianity is under-represented and there is an urgent and significant need for Christ-centered discipleship, including evangelism. Whether drawing people to Christ, helping them grow in Christ, helping them embrace a call to ministry, helping churches to grow and expand, or caring for the whole person at all stages of their faith journey, discipleship is vital to a healthy and growing church!” said Dr. Rob Fringer who was on the sub-committee of the regional discipleship council. This subcommittee helped develop the model, working in collaboration with Regional Director Mark Louw, and with the Re-envisioning Theological Education Think Tank.

This new model will be fully presented at the regional conference, to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in October this year.

The meeting concluded with the commitments to spread the new regional discipleship model for members of each local church to make disciples who make disciples with passion in the entire Asia-Pacific Region.

Submitted by Rev. John Eun Yup Kim, Regional Discipleship Coordinator