South Asian Theological Students Gather in Colombo to Discuss Good Governance, Integrity Leadership, 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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31 August 2025

Participants of the Sub-regional Workshop on "Good Governance, Integrity Leadership, and Stewardship in Parish Ministry" taking place in Colombo

Colombo, Sri Lanka: A group of theological students from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India, invited by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), are participating in a four-day workshop on “Good Governance, Integrity Leadership, and Stewardship in Parish Ministry”, at the Ecumenical Institute for Study and Dialogue (EISD) in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  

The workshop, being held from 30 August to 3 September 2025, brings together 22 final-year theological students from selected theological institutions in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India.

Dr Mathews George Chunakara, General Secretary of the CCA, in his opening address, reflected critically on the pervasive new trends and patterns of corruption and degeneration among pastors, ministers, and church leaders in some churches in Asia.

The CCA General Secretary shared observations from different contexts across Asia and cautioned that the alarming rise of corruption and lack of integrity in leadership are exacerbating crises and internal divisions within several Asian churches.

“The growing number of denominations does not signify the growth of the Church. Rather, it reflects a worrying trend of a fragmented church burdened with avenues for poor governance and mismanagement,” Dr Chunakara said.

Delivering the thematic address on “Being God’s Stewards in Pastoral Ministry”, Rev. W. P. Ebenezer Joseph, a member of the CCA’s Programme Committee, underscored the urgent challenges confronting pastoral ministry globally. 

“The church has many pastors now, but lacks stewards,” he remarked, lamenting that crises in ministry are evident across societies and can be witnessed daily in the news. 

Rev. Joseph reminded participants that true pastoral stewardship is not defined by position but by Christ-like service and humility. Drawing on the epistles of Paul and the Gospel narratives, he highlighted biblical models of stewardship: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45), and the humility of Christ washing the feet of his disciples.

Rev. Joseph urged participants to embrace the image of the pastor as shepherd, in line with the Johannine and Psalmic vision of pastoral ministry.

He further stressed that the splintering of churches, due to various practical challenges, must not deter pastors from living out their vocation as faithful stewards. Citing the witness of pastors in Sri Lanka who ministered alongside their people in refugee camps during the civil war, he affirmed that such presence amidst suffering reflects the true shepherd-like stewardship expected of pastors.

The second presentation by Rev. W. P. Ebenezer Joseph on “Biblical Foundations on Good Governance and Pastoral Witness” traced the journey of Moses as a leader, acknowledging his human frailties yet recognising his obedience to the task entrusted to him by Yahweh. 

Linking these scriptural insights with the divine governance of the Triune God, Rev. Joseph pointed to the centrality of the Lamb of God as the model of governance that is sacrificial, just, and life-giving. He invited participants to consider how such theological underpinnings must inspire the church’s own practice of good governance and its witness in pastoral ministry today.

The ongoing workshop in Colombo is part of a series of capacity-building initiatives being organised by CCA across Asia, reflecting CCA’s continuing commitment to nurture integrity in leadership within Asian churches and to strengthen good governance and stewardship in pastoral ministry. These workshops are designed to equip prospective ministers and church leaders with the tools needed for responsible and effective leadership.

For pictures of the Workshop on Good Governance, Integrity Leadership, and Stewardship in Parish Ministry in Colombo, please click here.