Prospective Indonesian Pastors and Church Leaders trained on Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry

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).

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12 September 2024

Bandung, Indonesia: Forty prospective pastors and church leaders from theological institutions across Indonesia were trained on good governance and stewardship in parish ministry at a national-level workshop organised by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) in Bandung, Indonesia.

The workshop on “Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry”, organised in collaboration with CCA member church Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP) and the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), was held at the headquarters of the GKP from 2 to 4 September 2024.

The three-day programme provided participants with insights into the ethical and managerial aspects of church leadership, focusing on integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Over the course of the programme, participants engaged in in-depth discussions and group activities on a range of topics including church governance, financial stewardship, pastoral care, and parish administration. Participants also critically examined and discussed their respective church's organisational structure and administrative policies.

In the opening session, Rev. Dr Henriette Hutabarat-Lebang, a President of the World Council of Churches (WCC), delivered a compelling presentation on "Church Leadership Models and their Roots in Ecclesiology." She illustrated how these models were deeply rooted in biblical principles, tracing their origins back to the early church, where leadership was both communal and participatory. She also emphasised that the highest priority was serving the congregation and guiding them as devoted shepherds of God’s people.

Rev. Asigor P. Sitanggang, Head of the Center for Biblical Studies at Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Theologi Jakarta, led the session on "Biblical Foundations of Good Governance and Stewardship” where he explained the importance of integrity, accountability, and transparency in Christian leadership. He also broadened the concept of stewardship beyond financial considerations, encompassing holistic care for the congregation and the environment.

A session led by Rev. Indah Sriulina Ginting from Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Theologi Jakarta on "Good Theology = Good Governance: Being God’s Stewards," highlighted the principles of governance as a theological duty, connecting good management with spiritual and pastoral care. By stressing that effective governance starts with self-governance, she encouraged thinking about leadership in terms of divine stewardship.

Rev. Jimmy Sormin of the PGI focused on “Church as a Christian Organization.” He opined, “Churches are structured to serve their communities effectively while upholding transparency and accountability. Leading within an organisational context presents challenges, but it is essential to stay true to the mission and vision of the church.”

"Contextual Values: Indigenized Management Principles," was the theme of the session led by Rev. Adama Shitie, General Secretary of GKP, during which he underscored the importance of contextualising governance and leadership practices to resonate with Indonesia's rich socio-cultural landscape.

Drawing on traditional wisdom, Rev. Shitie illustrated how local values can be woven into the management of church resources and ministries, fostering a sense of community and ownership among parishioners.

John Paul Devakumar, Programme Staff of CCA, shared examples of CCA’s efforts to combat corruption, fraudulent attitudes, and mismanagement of resources within churches across Asia. He emphasised the need to develop a comprehensive theological pedagogy for good governance and stewardship, aimed at preparing future church leaders to lead with integrity and transparency.

In the closing session, participants expressed their enthusiasm for applying the principles of good governance within their respective churches after completing their theological studies and even practising them in their student leadership roles within seminaries and educational institutions.

The Bandung workshop was part of a series of programmes that CCA has been focusing on to assist Asian churches in developing good governance, integrity leadership in parish ministry, and enhancing theological education curricula.

For more photos, please click here: National Workshop on 'Good Governance and Stewardship in Parish Ministry', Bandung, Indonesia 2024