Throughout the four-day Arise Leadership Summit in Indonesia, participants were met not only with words, worship, and cultural performances—but also with a visual tapestry capturing the event’s flow in real time. Behind this artwork stood Wendy, a professional visual scribe from Singapore, who brought her distinct listening and illustration skills to bear in service of the global Church.
For decades the global missions community has talked about deeper collaboration with local ministry leaders as partners. But self-perception can misread reality. The post-COVID political shifts in China are a reality check, according to a long-term expatriate living through changes that are shattering the illusion that he knew better than the locals about how to advance the gospel in a foreign context. It is a new era for missions, demanding a new depth of humility.
The rise of Artificial General Intelligence is now unstoppable. It is not an overstatement to say that it is transforming life on earth as humans know it. No sphere of human interaction is immune, least of all the religious sector. Now, more than ever, we need to be spiritually discerning about AI/AGI use in our faith walk. Let us take care not put our trust in something that has neither heart nor soul.
India’s famed Emperor Ashoka was an ancient convert from Hinduism to Buddhism. He demonstrated that a person is NOT forced by others to convert from one religion to another. Today, “religious conversions are forced,” is the flawed premise of all anti-conversion laws of India. Who could have forced mighty Emperor Ashoka to change his religion? The Emperor’s famous religious conversion was his choice.
In a perfect world, where legal systems hold political power to account and protect minorities against human rights abuses we might expect an end to persecution. But we do not live in a perfect world. People with power continue to act with impunity against those who think and live differently to them. Christians have a way to cope with this reality and a real and living hope for a future free of persecution.
The father of one of 20 pastors ambushed in eastern India last month was soaked in blood from the attack as he told his son, “I don’t think I will make it. I just want you to know that I will be with my Maker, and you should not worry for me.”
Summit in Indonesia, Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung, Chair of Arise Asia and former General Director of OMF International, delivered a message that challenged participants to embrace the biblical vision of intergenerational mentorship, learn through failure, and trust in God’s grace as they follow His call to missions.
The opening ceremony of the Arise Leadership Summit 2025 in Indonesia featured a vibrant display of unity and cultural diversity, with representatives from 22 nations participating in a flag procession, traditional dance performances, worship, and welcoming remarks from Indonesian church leaders. The evening concluded with a keynote address by Rev. Dr. David Ro, co-founder of Arise Asia, and national Arise leaders sharing testimonies.
The Arise Leadership Summit opened Monday with a keynote address from Rev. Dr. David Ro, co-founder and executive director of Arise Asia, who urged participants to cultivate both public leadership and private spiritual integrity as Asia increasingly shifts from a mission field to a mission force.
The Arise Leadership Summit, a four-day gathering aimed at mobilizing a new generation of Asian Christian leaders for global missions, opened Monday in Indonesia with vibrant cultural celebrations, worship, and a keynote address focused on Asia’s emerging role as a mission force.
The Christ Over Asia, Latin America and Africa (COALA) movement has released the official communiqué and partnership statement from its third global gathering, COALA 3.0, which convened in Panama from April 27 to 29, 2025. The event brought together 63 key church and mission leaders from 18 Majority World nations to strengthen collaboration and deepen theological unity across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Filming has begun in London, England, for the much-anticipated adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, in a Netflix movie written and directed by Greta Gerwig. Gerwig, known for directing the 2023 fantasy comedy “Barbie,” is bringing the Narnia prequel to the big screen, with the movie set for release in late 2026. The film will debut in IMAX theaters for four weeks starting on Thanksgiving Day.
