Thirty-five delegates from Council for World Mission (CWM) member churches in East Asia gathered in Singapore from 24 to 27 August for the CWM East Asia Regional Assembly 2026, discerning together how churches can respond faithfully to changing realities across the region.
The assembly brought together church leaders, laypersons, women, and young people in a shared space of worship, theological reflection, and dialogue. At the heart of the gathering was a call to discern the signs of the times, listen to the Holy Spirit, and respond faithfully to God’s call to mission.
“The task of the church is not to romanticise suffering but to listen carefully enough to recognise those signs of life, to stand alongside the people and communities in whom they are emerging, and to participate faithfully in God’s transforming work,” said CWM Mission Secretary for Mission Programme and Partnership and the East Asia Region Rev. Dr Minwoo Oh.
Keynote speaker Rev. Dr Wati Longchar challenged delegates to revision mission by listening to voices from the margins, where, he said, God has chosen to inaugurate God’s kingdom. Drawing on biblical stories of people often overlooked, Longchar urged delegates to recognise God’s presence among marginalised communities and to participate in bringing “dry bones” back to life.
Thematic speakers Rev. Jenne Pieter and Rev. Dr Seungbum Kim further explored this shift. Pieter invited churches to “check the vibe” by moving beyond critique to discern the rhythms of Indigenous life and the groaning of the earth, while Kim challenged mission structures to allow local churches and communities greater participation in decision-making towards genuine ecumenical collaboration.
Migrants, Indigenous peoples, women, and young people, Kim stressed, are active theologians whose wisdom should help shape decision-making and Christian witness.
Panels call for redefined roles
Panel discussions brought the lived realities of East Asian churches into focus.
A youth panel called for mentoring, emotional support, meaningful participation, and permanent places at decision-making tables. Participants challenged churches to become trustworthy spaces where young people can feel safe to process, rest, and build a lasting and grounded faith.
A women’s panel likewise urged churches to recognise women’s leadership, lived wisdom, and vital roles in sustaining communities. A panel of church leaders reflected on ecumenical solidarity amid conflict, displacement, and social vulnerability.
A lay panel also called for greater participation in church decision-making, vision-setting, and ownership of God’s mission.
Concluding the panel discussions, CWM General Secretary Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum described revisioning mission in East Asia as a vision in which regional churches become bastions of peace rather than mirrors of nationalist hostility, and faith communities listen to young people before rushing to defend institutions.
“Young people are not merely the church of tomorrow but are calling the church to faithfulness today through their questions, creativity, and moral urgency,” Keum said.
Looking towards Jubilee 2027
As the assembly concluded, Elder Lim Kar Hor of Gereja Presbyterian Malaysia turned delegates’ attention towards CWM’s Jubilee in 2027.
Describing the approaching 50th anniversary as an invitation for East Asian churches not only to remember God’s faithfulness but also to undertake a radical re-examination of their mission, Lim highlighted strengthening global partnerships, empowering young people, and discerning where God is calling the East Asian church next.
These priorities, he said, can help shape strategies and goals for the next 50 years as the region journeys towards a shared witness of justice, healing, peace, and life-flourishing communities.
