Member Churches and Councils of CCA showcase diakonal action across Asia
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Representatives of Christian Conference of Asia member churches, member councils, and diakonal agencies presented on their mission, programmes, best practices, and challenges amidst crises at the Asian Church Leaders’ Conference on Ecumenical Diakonia that took place from 21 to 24 November 2025 in Chiang Mai.
Bishop Dr Myat San of the Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC) highlighted key learnings, emphasising community-based diakonia where local ownership strengthens impact; ecumenical and interfaith collaboration; the growing role of youth and women’s leadership; faith-rooted resilience sustained through prayer and pastoral care; and inclusive service that reaches all without discrimination.
Rev. Etika Saragih of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) outlined diakonal strategies focused on prophetic diakonia in the area of legal and human rights advocacy, particularly for women, children, indigenous peoples, and vulnerable groups, strengthening interfaith and civil society networks, promoting religious freedom and equality, encouraging political participation, and advancing socio-ecological justice, disaster preparedness, environmental restoration, and sustainable development.
Minnie Anne Mata-Calub, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), described how environmental disasters and socio-political challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, and shared NCCP’s advocacy for climate justice, good governance, economic equity, social protection, and safeguarding of women and children.
Rev. John Gilmore, President of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA), shared the work of the Australian Church Agencies Network (CAN), a group of 12 church-based aid and development agencies. CAN is advocating for the protection of vulnerable communities, investing in partner development, ensuring child safeguarding, supporting women and girls, advancing disaster risk reduction, facilitating access to funding, and maintaining a commitment to locally led initiatives.
Rev. Eldarton Simbolon of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) in Indonesia shared the church’s HIV and AIDS Ministry (HAM), which focuses on education, collaboration for healthcare access, social, spiritual, mental, and economic empowerment of PLHIV, and shelter services for children through the House of Love.
Joshua Rathnam of the Synodical Board of the Church of North India highlighted a network of 60 hospitals and numerous health programmes serving semi-urban and remote areas, strengthening the church’s healing ministry among poor and marginalised communities and promoting holistic wellbeing.
Rev. Kingsley Weerasinghe of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka highlighted post-war diakonal work through its Department of Social Ministry, focusing on ethnic reconciliation, psychosocial and community rebuilding, interfaith trust-building, environmental protection, climate awareness, human rights advocacy, and promoting inclusion in education, livelihood, and social life for poor and marginalised communities.
Canon Andrew Khoo, Chancellor of the Diocese of West Malaysia, presented the Anglican Church’s engagement in resource sharing, strengthening public witness, and providing services prioritising rural and marginalised groups, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens, alongside quality education and responsible citizenship formation.
Rev. Sung Hwan Ryu of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) described social ministry supporting marginalised and disabled communities, relief during domestic and international disasters, responses to social catastrophes, and climate change initiatives, emphasising preparedness and the need for detailed relief manuals.
Rev. Zion Chung of the Korean Christian Church in Japan highlighted Osaka Church’s Elderly College, responding to Japan’s super-aged society and challenges faced by older adults: economic hardship, chronic illness, loss of social roles, and isolation. The College bridges church and society, serving the elderly without discrimination, providing a sense of belonging, purpose, and communal learning.
Rev. Franceis Xavier of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM) shared two diakonal ministries: Bethany Home, a special-needs children’s home, and the ELCM’s HIV and AIDS ministry, noting best practices and challenges while emphasising Christlike service to those marginalised or separated due to disability or illness.
Rev. Stella Y.E. Pattipeilohy of Gereja Protestan di Indonesia Bagian Barat (GPIB) outlined the church’s diakonia, grounded in its Threefold Calling: Koinonia, Marturia, and Diakonia. GPIB moves beyond charitable aid toward empowering and transformative ministry through Caritative Diakonia (direct relief, education, health, care homes), Reformative Diakonia (skills training, community education, employment support), and Transformative Diakonia (advocacy, structural change, social action, interfaith collaboration, and fostering a giving mindset).
Boonyarid Promsuttipong of the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) highlighted prophetic diakonia and institutional transformation through the Social Development and Service Unit (SDSU). Leveraging hospitals, schools, seminaries, universities, and over 550 congregations, SDSU implements diakonal programmes for marginalised groups, and promotes eco-justice through sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, and natural resource stewardship. The McKean Senior Center was shared as a case study addressing Thailand’s super-aged society.
Pastor Kang Phaldaracheat, President of the Kampuchea Christian Council (KCC), noted key areas of work in Cambodia including relief and disaster response, social justice and advocacy, care ministries, and women and youth empowerment, while citing challenges such as limited funds, volunteer shortages, and leadership crises.
Rev. Levi de Vasconcelos Pinto of the Igreja Protestante iha Timor-Leste (IPTL) emphasised diakonia as culturally rooted but strengthened through transformative and prophetic pedagogy. He highlighted the Church’s role in reciprocal accompaniment and empowerment, enabling communities to “write their own story” as a tool for transformation. IPTL focuses on education and community development by helping members identify and use their own resources for sustainable empowerment. He also noted initiatives such as faith-based tourism, credit unions, ecological action, and hospitality training for youth and vulnerable groups.
Pe Than Simon Tan of the Methodist Church (Lower Myanmar) Board of Social Concern highlighted the 2025 Earthquake Relief and Emergency Response, providing household supplies, medical care, purified water, water purification units, toilets, and psychosocial support across affected areas.
Rev. Dethsacda Aphayamath of the Lao Evangelical Church (LEC) described dual priorities of spiritual and social development, including school construction, water purification, well-digging, and livestock raising to support rural communities.
Rev. Nguyen Quoc Dung of the Justified Baptist Church in Vietnam highlighted humanitarian ministries, including support for the blind, persons with disabilities, food provision, community health programmes, providing meals for children undergoing treatment in hospitals, outreach in Mekong Delta villages, disaster relief in Typhoon Kalmaegi affected areas, and home reconstruction for vulnerable families.
Tee Toh of the Kawthoolei Karen Baptist Churches (KKBC) along the Thai–Myanmar border shared about their service and ministry among displaced Karen communities, including mission schools, hostels, and emergency relief, while noting the severe challenges of statelessness, restricted movement, loss of homes, and increasing social issues due to funding cuts.
Rev. T. Adama A. Sihite, General Secretary of the Pasundan Christian Church (GKP) in Indonesia, shared integrated diakonal work spanning disaster response, gender justice, social inclusion, and economic empowerment. Initiatives include boreholes in drought areas, emergency response, volunteer training, the Women’s Crisis Centre advancing GEDSI and PSEAH objectives, shelters for victims of gender-based violence, psychological support, entrepreneurship programmes, home industries, goat farming, scholarship provision, and legal advocacy including Indonesia’s 2022 Anti-Sexual Violence Law.
Rev. Dr Saw Cyrus Sein of the Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) outlined the grave challenges in Myanmar: political instability, conflict, attacks on churches, mandatory conscription, collapsed education and healthcare systems, and natural disasters including the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck in March 2025. MBC’s response combines immediate relief with long-term recovery, holistic physical, emotional, and spiritual care, psychosocial workshops, caregiver training, music therapy, and mental health support, in coordination with churches, NGOs, and international partners.
Rev. David Nathaniel of the Methodist Church in India highlighted longstanding diakonal ministry through extensive educational institutions and hospitals, while noting growing challenges posed by religious fundamentalism and government restrictions.
Molina Karmaker, Director of the Social Health and Education Development (SHED) Board of the Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha, described programmes with vulnerable communities including early childhood development centres, indigenous women’s empowerment, support for blind and visually impaired persons, hostels for marginalised children, and disaster response. Best practices include play-based learning, church–community partnerships, peer and leadership groups, rights-based disability advocacy, mentorship networks, and rapid response through local church networks. Key approaches include Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), faith-sensitive programming, and trauma-informed care.
Farida Pasiwen Cawatig of the Episcopal CARE Foundation, the development arm of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, highlighted the ABCD approach, strengthening local capacities, and the Receivers-to-Givers (R2G) practice, enabling communities to pass on support to others. E-CARE supports livelihood and asset building, skills training, marketing of community products, housing support, creation care initiatives including tree-planting, solarisation, rain-catchments, waste management, and natural farming, and disaster recovery interventions. These approaches have reduced dependence on overseas funding to 20% of the budget.
Rev. Shibu Samuel of the Christian Agency for Rural Development (CARD) in India, the social service wing of the Mar Thoma Church in India, highlighted programmes across 16 districts in 9 Indian states, guided by sustainable development, equitable distribution, and holistic care. Activities include child support, rural education, tribal community development, agriculture and food security, health programmes, care centres for people with disabilities, hospice care, educational aid for backward communities, vocational training, capacity building, and disaster management, among many more.
Adeel Rehmat of the Pak Mission Society (PMS) highlighted work among Pakistan’s most vulnerable and unreached communities, including urban slums, refugee settlements, Interior Sindh, and remote mountain regions such as Kohistan and Shangla. PMS empowers youth, women, and faith workers, mobilising over 12,000 volunteers and 190 church partners across education, livelihood, health, disaster relief, WASH, entrepreneurship, and climate initiatives.
Presiding over the session, Dr Kuriakose Mor Theophilose Metropolitan, Chairperson of the CCA Programme Committee, noted, “Listening to the diakonal engagements of CCA member churches and councils as they respond to crises in their respective contexts has been both encouraging and deeply insightful. Their diakonal ministry at the grassroots level in addressing vulnerable situations, as well as their prophetic witness to their communities, not only reflects the strength of Asian Christian solidarity but also offers inter-contextual lessons, showing how diverse experiences, grounded in a commitment to mutual solidarity and accompaniment, can speak to and enrich the Asian churches.”
Dr Geevarghese Mar Barnabas Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church led a biblical theological reflection on “Seeds of Justice and Fruits of Peace” (James 3:13–18) in the Asian Christian context, highlighting the Letter of James’ call for the Church to demonstrate faith through ethical action and to recognise true wisdom by its fruits.
Acknowledging Asia’s strong ties to agriculture, “the pulse of life”, Metropolitan Barnabas outlined three phases of spiritual cultivation: seed, soil and fruit. He stressed that the seed of divine wisdom shapes the harvest and urged church leaders to sow mission in Asia with prudence, self-discipline and spiritual integrity. The preparation of the soil, symbolising righteous conduct, meekness and humble accompaniment, was presented as vital in light of the region’s geopolitical tensions, climate vulnerabilities and the increasing suffering of marginalised communities. True solidarity requires walking alongside the oppressed in the spirit of prautēs, the controlled strength of Christlike humility, he said.
He affirmed that the fruit of such labour is lasting peace, the visible harvest of righteousness produced when ministry is rooted in the peace of the Holy Spirit. Ecumenical diakonia remains the Church’s mission field, calling leaders to reject self-centred forms of wisdom and to cultivate justice, compassion, and peace across Asia.
“We are called to cultivate the rich soil of our conduct through the humble, controlled power of meekness, so that we may faithfully sow curative justice in every sphere of our mission. Only then, walking alongside the marginalised with solidarity and grace, will the abundant, tangible fruit of righteousness flourish, leading to the complete social, spiritual and ecological wholeness of all people in Asia,” said Dr Geevarghese Mar Barnabas Metropolitan.
On Sunday morning, 23 November 2025, participants joined local congregations in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for worship and a time of shared devotion.
