The Council for World Mission (CWM) South Asia Member’s Mission Forum was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 2-5 March, bringing together ecumenical partners and delegates representing CWM’s four member churches in the region — the Church of Bangladesh (COB), Church of North India (CNI), Church of South India (CSI), and Presbyterian Church of India (PCI).
The four-day event saw more than 20 participants engaged in robust discussions and dialogue as the region reflected on aligning mission priorities and emerging contextual challenges that call for a unified, collective response.
Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum, General Secretary of CWM, opened the forum by reaffirming CWM’s unwavering commitment to resist life-denying forces, advocate for social justice, and foster deeper ecumenical ties for mission work.
He also touched on and challenged the region’s member churches to continue in their work to reclaim true liberation and salvation not rooted in wealth, but in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work.
Many challenges
With its sheer geographical size and diversity in peoples and cultures, South Asia is a region grappling with a multitude of contextual issues—such as the rise of religious nationalism, climate crises, and the call for liberation from patriarchal mindsets and gendered moulds— that make mission work an uphill task.
One of the many woes facing South Asia is modern-day slavery in South Asia, said Dr Sudipta Singh, Deputy General Secretary – Programmes.
Singh shed light on persistent issues such as forced marriages, child marriages, and descent-based slavery that continue to plague many South Asian societies.
He challenged churches to embrace their missional purpose, leveraging their reach and influence to make a difference and transform lives. Most importantly, he urged churches to realign their missional priorities—to identify with the struggles of the oppressed and strive to be prophetic in mission.
Power that liberates
The forum was also a platform for pertinent theological and societal topics.
Rev. Prof. Sathianathan Clarke gave a keynote speech that cast a light on the theology of power.
Clarke emphasised that the concept of power has its origins in the Triune God, where there is power and joy within the relationship enjoyed by each of the Trinity’s members bound in mutual love.
“Jesus is an empowering liberator, not an overpowering force,” reminded Clarke who exhorted the attending church delegates to spare no efforts in creating inclusive spaces where power flows—and overflows—in love and in sharing.
Hospitality, gender injustice, life-flourishing communities
Two Bible studies were led by Rev. Philip Peacock.
The sessions took deep dives into the “theology of food” where the Holy Communion was examined as God’s perspective on hospitality, extolling believers in exploring alternative economies of food where everyone has access to sufficient sustenance.
The story of Hagar was also discussed, leading to conversations on gender injustice in social and economic spheres, exposing the plights of the marginalised and mobilising the member churches to stand in solidarity with them.
The forum was closed with a strategic session amongst the member churches in charting their way forward, exploring how each church can contribute to life-flourishing communities.
