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COala2.0 Bangkok 1~3 May 2024
coala3.0 panama city 26~29 April 2025
COala2.0 Bangkok 1~3 May 2024
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Recommendations for Mission Practice for the Majority World
A. Preamble
The 20th century has witnessed a major shift in the shape of the global church. For the first time in the modem period, the center of gravity of the church has moved from the West into the non¬Western or Majority World (MW: Africa, Asia, Latin America & MENA [Middle East and North Africa]). Today, two-thirds or more of global Christians reside in the latter.
Side by side with this shift, we have also seen a relative numerical decline of cross-cultural missionaries being sent out from the West, with the gap increasingly being filled by those sent out from the MW. The overall result of the above is that some countries that were mission fields in the past are now increasingly being recognized as missionary sending nations. Further, some that used to be sending nations are now receiving missionaries back from formerly receiving nations.
Given the above, many in the global church today recognize that we are now living in a new era of polycentric missions, wherein missions today is from everywhere to everywhere. The above have important missiological consequences for the global church, both the Western and the MW churches.
As a group of missions workers from the MW, we have some real concerns over the involvement of MW churches in cross-cultural missions. We would like to propose some recommendations for further reflection and discussion by the wider church.
B. Recommendation on MW Churches9 Engagement in World Missions
1. The primacy of the leading and power of the Holy Spirit in mission’. In accordance with the Lord Jesus’ instruction (e.g. Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8) and the example of the Apostles in the New Testament, especially in Acts, we affirm that missionaries sent out must go under the leading of the Holy Spirit and in His power. It is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit which makes mission possible and fruitful.
2. The missionary and the local church’.
2.1. Missionaries and related cross-cultural workers should always go with a servant heart and attitude, and with humility and respect towards the leaders of the local church and their indigenous co-workers. Their reliance should always be on God and not on their superior educational background or the resources that they bring from outside.
2.2. The goal of missions is to build the local indigenous church which is marked by self government, self-support, selfpropagation and selftheologizing. Therefore, missionaries should never build churches centered around themselves or their sending bodies, which remain dependent on them and the resources they bring.
2.3 As far as possible, a missionary should work with local churches with a Kingdom mindset which is concerned to build the whole church of God in a particular region or nation. Churches should never be planted and built in isolation. Rather, in so far as possible, it should become part of an existing denomination or network of churches, working in cooperation with others.
2.4 Missionaries should always hold themselves accountable to the local church or body where they are working. Thus, missionaries sent out should know how to network with local believers and, and as far as possible, be willing to serve under local leadership.
2.5 Missionaries should see themselves as midwives, and not mothers. They must therefore respect the local churches and allow them to make all important decisions in a contextual and culturally-sensitive manner, albeit based on scriptural teaching.
2.6 The most effective witnesses of the gospel are indigenous believers and the local church. To this end, missionaries should encourage all indigenous believers and available local church-related institutions to take responsibility and initiative for the growth of the church. The missionary5s major tasks are to train and work alongside local believers and institutions.
2.7 Money is a matter of crucial concern in missions. It can bring great blessings; it can also cause much damage in the long term. We therefore urge missionaries and their sending bodies to exercise extreme care in this matter. We need to avoid models which lead to a standard of living for the local Christian worker which is higher than the local average or to initiate expensive projects which the local church will find difficult to sustain long-term.
C. Unity and Partnership
We are called to unity in Christ (John 17:11,21) which should be expressed as genuine partnership in the work of the Kingdom of God. The following needs to be taken seriously if such partnerships are to emerged.
1. God has given us a clear mission mandate in Matthew 16:18 and 28:19-20. Together with this, we believe also that God has given all the resources needed for the advancement of the work of the Chrisfs mission, be it spiritual, human and financial. Such resources are to be shared as much as practically possible by all involved:
• Between the local church and the missionary.
• Between the mission sending and the receiving churches.
• Between churches and mission agencies working across the world.
2. In this era of polycentric missions, we affirm that genuine partnerships must be developed between all churches everywhere, between those in the West and the MW, as well as among all churches in the MW. The challenge before us to fuse all our God-given resources together into a powerful synergistic whole for world mission.
COala3.0 Panama city 26~29 April 2025
coala 3.0
A coalition of regional and national majority world mission movements
The Panama Partnership Declaration
The Third Assembly of the COALA (Christ Over Asia, Africa, and Latin America) Movement, hosted by COMIBAM, was held in Panama from April 26 to 29.
With the celebration of the COMIBAM 2025 Congress still fresh in our minds and hearts, we want to reflect our common desire as a movement to establish the following resolutions:
Preamble
The 20th century has witnessed a profound shift in the global church. For the first time in the modern mission era, the center of gravity of Christianity has moved from the West to the non- Western world—what we now call the Majority World (MW), encompassing Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) regions. Once led predominantly by Western churches, global missions have rapidly shifted, with the center of world Christianity now gravitating toward the Global South—Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This marks a significant turning point in the history of the Church, a transition we believe is being orchestrated by the work of the Holy Spirit.
The COALA Movement emerged in this context, shaping the vision and mission of Majority World missions. Over the past three years, through continuous consultations with increasing representation from church and mission leaders in the MW, the COALA Movement has gained clarity. Seeds were sown at the NCOWE Conference of KWMA in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022, and further refined during the formation of the COALA Movement at COALA2 in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2023. Ongoing prayerful deliberations continued through COALA 2.5 in Busan, South Korea, in 2024, culminating in the present COALA3 gathering in Panama in April 2025. Through these God-driven consultations and declarations from 2022 to 2025, the COALA Movement has been strengthened, guided by a clear conviction that this is a missional movement for polycentric mission, from everywhere to everywhere.
In light of this awareness and conviction, the missional community, including church leaders, mission alliances, and missio-theological educators from the MW, will gather for the third assembly of the COALA Movement in Panama from April 27-29, 2025. This assembly aims to affirm the enhanced vision of COALA: “to be a coalition of regional and national majority world mission movements.” This COALA3 Panama Declaration reflects the collective perspectives of the movement, building consensus on its future direction and international cooperation with the local church and its leadership.
We affirm, by the instructions of our Lord Jesus (e.g., Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8) and the example of the Apostles in the New Testament—especially in the book of Acts—that missionaries must go out under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, as acknowledged by Christ, the Head of the Church and its leadership. It is primarily the work of the Holy Spirit that makes mission possible and fruitful.
Resolution (Action Steps and Commitment)
A. Our Common Ground in Christ
(Ephesians 4:4-6 – “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”)
We declare that the Church of Jesus Christ is, in its essence, one body beyond regions and cultures. Embracing one another’s strengths in humility, we urge all churches and mission communities that resonate with this Panama Declaration to put locally led global missions into practice. Let us raise up the next generation of mission leaders to carry this vision forward. As we work together in unity, we are confident that the vision of locally led missions for the glory of God’s kingdom will bear abundant fruit in Latin America and worldwide.
B. Building Mutual Partnerships in Mission
(1 Corinthians 3:9 – “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”)
We urge sending churches and mission agencies worldwide to move beyond Western-centric strategies and embrace authentic partnerships with local churches. All decisions related to mission must respect the voices of the local church and plans must be co-created with shared responsibility between sending and local churches. We resolve to create synergies by sharing resources and gifts, faithfully fulfilling God’s mission together.
C. Advancing Global Mission Collaboration and COALA Partnerships
(Philippians 1:5 – “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”)
We affirm that all churches worldwide are called to God’s mission and actively promote international mission cooperation. Through platforms such as the COALA Movement, we will foster regular communication and collaboration among churches in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as with the global Church. We commit to establishing and executing global mission strategies through these partnerships.
Therefore, we, as the participants of the COALA 3 movement, hereby declare our vision and convictions of this Panama Declaration and resolve to take concrete actions to accelerate mission engagement in and through the local church.
APPENDIX:
We in COALA affirm and hold to the following:
1. The Lordship of Jesus Christ Across Continents and Creation:
We confess that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord over all the earth, reigning as the Head of the Church and the Ruler of all creation. His authority extends across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and every corner of the world. In obedience to His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), we affirm our commitment to proclaiming the gospel of salvation to every nation, tribe, and tongue, recognizing that His Lordship is proclaimed through the mission of the Church.
2. A New Era of Majority World Missions: A Global Christian Awakening:
We recognize that the heart of global Christianity has shifted, with the Majority World—Asia, Africa, and Latin America—now playing a central role in God’s mission. Missions are no longer centered in the West but are now a global movement of the Church, with believers from every region reaching out to all peoples. Our conviction is that this is a new era where the Church’s mission is no longer “from the West to the rest,” but “from everywhere to everywhere.” We celebrate the growing leadership of churches in the Majority World, who now serve as sending churches in the global missionary movement.
3. Empowered by the Holy Spirit and Sustained by Prayer:
We confess that the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit are the foundation of all mission work (Acts 16:9-10). Just as the early church depended on the leading and empowerment of the Spirit in its mission (Acts 1:8), we believe that today’s mission must be rooted in the same dependence on the Holy Spirit. Prayer, spiritual discernment, and full reliance on God are central to the fulfillment of the Missio Dei, the mission of God in the world. We commit ourselves to seeking the Spirit’s guidance, empowerment, and direction in all our mission endeavors.
4. United in Purpose: One Body, One Mission:
We emphasize the importance of the global Church working together as one in Christ. No single denomination or cultural group should dominate the mission of God; rather, all churches—regardless of their backgrounds—are called to be equal partners in God’s mission. We pursue authentic partnerships, built on mutual humility and respect, with a commitment to unity among local churches, mission agencies, and global church networks. We believe that in Christ, there is one body, one mission, and one purpose: the glory of God and the proclamation of the gospel to all nations.
5. Empowered Locally, Reaching Globally: Sustainable Growth through Local Missions:
We believe that missions led by local churches are the key to sustainable, culturally relevant growth. Local congregations have been uniquely called and gifted to carry the gospel within their specific cultural, social, and historical contexts. We are convinced that locally led mission strategies will bear the most enduring fruit, and we commit to establishing missional theology and practices that prioritize the empowerment of the local church in reaching both their communities and the world. As the Body of Christ, we seek to cultivate deep partnerships that encourage the holistic, Spirit-led transformation of individuals and societies through locally driven mission efforts.