Mission and Youth in a Context of Globalization

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

No preference updated.

24 August 2004
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

Twenty-five young people from various churches and youth organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America participated in a seminar on mission and youth in the context of globalization at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland on 17-23 August.

Through worship, community building activities, creative and participatory Bible studies, small group discussions, sharing of experiences, analysis of realities and issues, as well as cultural art forms, the group reflected on the role of young people and the church in carrying out mission in today's challenging context. Apart from the economic and political aspects of globalization, the young people acknowledged how the cultural aspects are seriously influencing young people today so that young people have "consciously and unconsciously become its agents".

The group however affirmed that globalization does not have the last word. "More and more young people are becoming aware and are challenged to affirm their Christian faith through finding innovative alternatives and strategies in education and advocacy" to counter the negative impact of globalization.

"As young people, we understand mission today as the announcement and realization of the fullness of life for all, which is the message of the Word of God," they said in a statement. This is done through witnessing and action both within the church and the wider society. Mission is also faith in action, they affirmed, "where 'we should walk the talk' if we are to be true to our calling".

The group included a message to the World Council of Churches' Conference on World Mission and Evangelism, urging the conference to seriously consider the context of globalization today as part of the realities which mission efforts should address, and to enable the full participation of young people in all processes.

Hope Antone of CCA-FMU was invited by the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Tapia (faculty of Bossey and in-charge of the seminar) as one of the Bible study leaders and co-facilitator with Andreas Nufer.

Click here to see some photos