GLOBAL ASSEMBLY 2023

GOSPEL WITNESSES GATHER IN GLOBAL COLLABORATION

BY TIM ALLAN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

If Covid-19 has taught us just one thing, it is that we have a profound need for human contact.

Throughout those seemingly endless months of isolation in many parts of the world, we tried to make do with Zoom, FaceTime or other video messaging tools.

But, however good they may have been, we all knew they were no substitute for real, faceto-face contact. The truth is that no matter how well you come across on a screen, you cannot hug or be hugged; you cannot shake hands; you cannot put your arm around someone – or have an arm around you.

GLOBAL ASSEMBLY 2023

That is why it is such a joy to be on the verge of the first SIM Global Assembly since 2018 – a chance for at least some of us to get together. Of course, we’re sorry that more people cannot be with us. When GA was being planned we were still coming out of the pandemic and no-one could be sure what would be safe or wise for such an event.

We hope many of you will be able to join us virtually and everyone with a sim.org email address should already have received the Zoom links to do so.

One of the key themes for this year and for GA builds on our desire for connection. We want to build on the work we are already doing to create gospel collaborations.

The theme of GA is ‘Gospel Witnesses who are true to His name’ and what better way to demonstrate that by working together in partnership with others? That is precisely how the apostle Paul worked, building partnerships with individuals, families and churches.

JOYFUL UNITY

That desire for partnership is part of SIM’s DNA. We want to build multi-cultural teams made up of people from diverse backgrounds with diverse gifts who can work together to demonstrate their joyful unity in Christ.

As you look through Connect, you will see those partnerships in action. Our growing team in Central Asia, although spread across several countries, is working together and also collaborating with local partners to share the gospel (pages 8-9); Felicia would not have come to faith in Christ without the relationshipbuilding which allowed an SIM worker to join in prison ministry (page 7); Galmi Hospital in Niger would not have been awarded one

of the government’s highest honours without the partnerships that are inherent in any large institution (pages 10-11).

Of course, SIM’s unity in diversity is captured by our Purpose and Mission Statement. No matter where we come from, or what our background is, we are all convinced that no-one should live and die without hearing God’s good news. We also all believe that God has called us to make disciples in communities where Christ is least known.

The Biblical principles which underpin those statements is unpacked by the updated study series, Convinced! (page 15).

CONNECTED EMPOWERMENT

As our International Director, Joshua Bogunjoko, enters his final year in the role and prepares for his final GA, it is fitting that at the recent State of SIM meetings he picked out two key collaborative components of his leadership – learning and ‘connected empowerment’. You cannot learn alone

– no matter how good the books, or how slick the elearning module, you learn best from interacting with others, whether that is by talking to them or by watching them. That learning posture has been a critical part of Joshua’s leadership, displaying the deep humility which is the hallmark of a true disciple.

Joshua’s emphasis on ‘connected empowerment’ is also a key feature of his leadership of SIM. He hasn’t simply empowered his leadership team, but he has enabled them to be connected in that empowerment. That has allowed them to work together, without needing Joshua’s permission, to move SIM forward with pioneering new ministries. So, as we look forward to GA and to the year ahead, we pray there will be more opportunities to connect, more opportunities to build partnerships and more opportunities to collaborate as we see to share the gospel with people who do not know the Lord Jesus.

PLEASE PRAY

 For the Global Assembly participants to experience the joy of meeting together and praying together as they come face-to-face with friends and colleagues

 For the reality of ‘connected empowerment’ to become a hallmark of leadership in SIM, allowing all to flourish together in joyful collaboration

 For partnerships around the world to grow and develop in ways which help the gospel reach those people who have never heard of Jesus Christ

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