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Cooperative Ventures Affirmed by Asian Church Leaders
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (September 27, 2000) - A commitment to cooperative mission ventures in Asia was one of the strategic initiatives approved during the first-ever meeting of Asia Covenant Church leaders meeting here last week.
Covenant leaders from four Asian countries included (accompanying photo, from left): Rev. Thongpan Prometta, president of the Thailand Covenant Church; Rev. Paul Devakumar, president of the India for Christ Ministries Covenant Church in India; Rev. Masami Katsumoto Sensei, president of the Japan Covenant Church; and Rev. Nathan Chang, president of the Taiwan Covenant Church. Also attending the meeting (not pictured) was Chang's associate, Franklin Chang.
The cooperative venture initiative could include sending Asian Covenant missionaries to countries with existing Covenant churches, as well as countries that have no Covenant churches. Suggestions include sending a Thai missionary to work among Thai factory workers in Taiwan; sending a Taiwanese missionary to Thailand; sending a Taiwanese missionary to work with Taiwanese in Japan; and sending a short-term missionary team to work in India.
Plans were affirmed for a second Asia Covenant Church Consultation to be held in Japan November 20-24, 2001, according to David Husby, regional coordinator for Asia for the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC).
The group approved creation of a special fund to help cover the costs associated with future Asia Covenant leadership meetings and church consultations, as well as support cooperative mission ventures of the Asia Covenant churches. Each country will decide how much they will contribute each year.
The group also made a commitment to regularly pray for one another, sharing needs with one another as they arise. It was also agreed that each church leader will submit items for an Asia Covenant Church newsletter to be distributed quarterly. The leaders
also committed to share prayer needs with each other as they arise.
Others attending the consultation as translators and facilitators included Carolyn Johnson, Covenant missionary to Thailand; Gary Carlson, Covenant missionary to Japan; David Dolan, ECC coordinator of Chinese ministries; and Husby.
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