Action Points

A group of 90 mission leaders from all over South Africa gathered at Muldersdrift in Gauteng on 31 October and 1 November 2006. This was the second national gathering called by WENSA, convened for the purpose of sharing information, strengthening partnership and generally work towards the whole church in South Africa taking the whole Gospel to the whole world. The agenda was structured to focus on major issues – the unfinished task, reaching beyond the church, wholistic missions, focus groups and mobilizing the whole church. In each case a number of leaders introduced the particular issue after which it was discussed in smaller groups. What follows is a summary of each of these issues and the suggested action points.

The Unfinished Task

The Gospel has been preached in South Africa for centuries. Yet there still are huge challenges for missions in our country. The focus of millions of Christians in thousands of churches needs to be turned to the needs outside the church. It is estimated that at least 30 000 additional churches are needed to effectively reach 14 million un-churched South Africans.

Despite enormous progress in world missions over the past two centuries an estimated 2 billion people have not been given an opportunity to respond to the Gospel. Exciting new opportunities are available for the Church of Jesus Christ.

Action points

Equip church leaders for missions through training, testimony of other leaders, practical exposure
Equip church members for missions through teaching, testimonies, missions outreaches and feedback from practical missions
Involve all in prayer for missions – prayer is mission!
Mobilise women, youth and children – they have unlimited potential for missions
Organise major missions events (e.g. Missions Fest) to create awareness, challenge and create opportunity for missions
Partner with other churches and specialist organisations for research, training, planning and coordination in missions

Reaching beyond the Church

Although the majority of the SA population associate themselves with Christianity, only a tiny proportion live in a personal relationship with God and actively participate in the ministry of a local church. We therefore have to move beyond the church to the masses – in our communities and in the world. In discussion of this topic attention was given to three important sectors: immigrants, Muslims and youth.

It is estimated that there are 30 million refugees in the world, mostly women and children and half of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa alone has about 8 million refugees and illegal immigrants. Less than 2% of the SA population is Muslim, yet Muslims have enormous influence in government and society.
Worldwide Islam is growing and becoming more and more mobilized, missionary and militant.
About 70% of the SA population is under the age of 35. The younger generation grow up in a different world and face unique challenges. Young people are an exciting and powerful force to be harvested for God’s kingdom. The Bible clearly shows how important children and youth are for God’s kingdom.

Action points

We need to give clear biblical teaching about God’s heart for the foreigner, the marginalized, youth and children.
Do thorough research about immigrant communities to get accurate information about their potential, needs and effective ministry with them
Identify, equip and support ministry leaders from among refugee communities
Church facilities can be made available to refugee churches
Organise a conference focusing on ministry with immigrants and refugees (WENSA) and strengthen the existing network
Do thorough research about Muslims in our communities and about effective ways to reach them
Equip church leaders and members and involve them in effective interaction with Muslims
Acquire the right attitude towards Muslims – love them and seek ways to become their friends
Focus ministry on youth and children – their needs, potential, world, challenges, issues
Gather and share information about who is doing what in ministry with children and youth
Create opportunities for youth in ministry – they have much to give
Listen to young people, engage with them, build relationships
Reach children for missions; mobilize them to pray for missions
Work with other leaders and ministries focusing on ministry with children

Wholistic missions

God has called his people to transform society, to establish his Kingdom on earth. This means that every singly area and sector of society should be transformed according to the principles of God’s kingdom. The mission of the church will therefore be contextual, being shaped according to the needs of specific situations. Participants shared an exciting variety of wholistic mission in practice.

Action points

Equip church leaders and members to operate according to kingdom principles, so that they can transform their communities
Constantly evaluate the needs of a specific community and the potential of your own church to develop relevant, effective ministry for that unique context
Partner with other churches and Christian ministries in order to coordinate efforts and to demonstrate the unity of our mission
Establish a desk for gathering and sharing information about effective wholisitic ministry; build and share inventory of best practice

Focus Groups

WENSA operates as a network of missions networks, with twelve networks currently associated, each focusing on a specific sector of missions work. There are also other pertinent issues that might develop into new networks. Participants were given the opportunity to choose between four parallel sessions of four of these focus groups: developing transformational leadership, HIV/AIDS, prayer mobilization and church planting.

Developing transformational leadership

Challenge churches and ministries to develop and implement a strategy of developing new leaders
Collect and share information about effective transformational leadership development practices
Challenge and equip Christian leaders to mentor emerging leaders
Strengthen and develop the current mentoring training process (WENSA, Joy Chetty)

HIV / AIDS

Develop a database of ministries providing a Christian response to the challenge of HIV / AIDS and make the information available to challenge and guide others
Organise a special conference for HIV / AIDS related ministries (WENSA, Elijah Mahlangu)
Christians should live the message of grace and loving serve
Challenge churches and their leaders to educate their members and others on sexual issues and dealing with HIV / AIDS
Work with other ministries and organizations so that there may be coordination and unity

Church Planting Movements

Strengthen the efforts of the Church Planting Alliance to coordinate and develop church planting in our nation
Learn from church planting practitioners, especially those who introduce new strategies in response to contemporary challenges
Continue research and develop a strategy for effective, coordinated church planting, highlighting the most needy areas
Develop a database of leaders and ministries focusing on church planting
Coordinate and develop training of leaders for church planting
The Church Planting Alliance to facilitate a national church planting consultation in August – September 2007 and church planting track as part of the MANI regional conference in February – March 2008.

Prayer mobilization

Tell stories of what God is doing in the area of prayer and prayer coordination
Also share stories about struggling in prayer, including unanswered prayer, leading to new encounters with God
Church leaders should release and support laity for prayer mobilization
Strengthen and work with existing prayer initiatives (Jericho Walls, Transformation Africa, Global Day of Prayer)
Participate in Prayer Summit to be held in Pretoria 19 – 23 February 2007

Mobilising the whole church

The church in South Africa has generally been inward-looking, divided and very ineffective in its mission to the world. Over the last decade or more there has been exciting movements towards reconciling various sectors in the church and also towards mobilizing the church for missions. TEASA is the expression of the move towards evangelical unity and WENSA is committed to work towards coordinating the witness of the whole South African church.

Action points

Challenge every local church and ministry to work towards unity and effective witness in their immediate context and unto the ends of the earth
Challenge church and mission leaders to work with WENSA
Strengthen the work of the Mission Mobilisers Network
Continue and expand the initiative to mobilize township churches for missions
Create mission opportunities for black churches and its members
Predominantly white churches and ministries to open up mission opportunities to black Christians