| | Mission of the Triune GodDr. Stanley John | Global Gathering 2025 |
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| Mission is not ours to own—it belongs to the Triune God. We are invited to join the sending Father, the sent Son, and the empowering Spirit by living faithfully and incarnationally in the world. |
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| Stanley grounds mission in a Trinitarian framework—rooted in the mission of the Father, embodied in the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Drawing from John 20:19–23 and the theme “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you”, he reminds listeners that mission is not a human invention but flows from the very heart of God. The sermon contrasts human-driven strategies with God-centered mission, warning against “boardroom missiology” or conquest-style thinking. Instead, mission must be understood as: The Father’s initiative (Missio Dei: God makes the first move in redemption). The Son’s incarnation (Mission embodied in Christ’s life, humility, and presence). The Spirit’s empowerment (Mission sustained through the Spirit’s presence, not human ingenuity).
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| | | What Missionaries Want You to Know |
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| Here are 5 key highlights from the article “What Missionaries Want You to Know” By Amy Young, Stacey Covell, and Christine Rollings |
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| A communication gap persists — Despite modern communication tools, missionaries (goers) and supporters (senders) still often misunderstand each other. Missionaries feel pressure to be “superhuman” — They sense they must hide struggles to avoid disappointing supporters or risking their placement. Ordinary struggles, higher stakes — Issues like finances, marriage, kids, and mental health are common to everyone, but for missionaries these can threaten their ministry, housing, or support. The “ministry pedestal” problem — Senders often elevate missionaries as heroes, while missionaries internalize that expectation, creating unhealthy pressure. Practical steps for senders — Recognize missionaries’ humanity, encourage rest, provide support for counseling/spiritual care, and ask directly how to best help.
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| Observations Only 1 in 174,463 Christians go as missionaries to the unreached. There are 57,053 evangelical Christians for every 1 unreached people group (UPG). The challenge is not a lack of resources but a lack of mobilization. Evangelicals could fund a church in every UPG with just 0.007% of their annual income. The Church has 14,000× the financial resources and 36,000× the manpower needed to finish the Great Commission. If every evangelical gave 1% of income to missions, it could support 10 million new missionaries.
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| | | Christians were a majority in 120 countries as of 2020 |
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| Drop in Christian-majority countries Rise of religiously unaffiliated majorities The count of countries with a religiously unaffiliated majority grew from 7 to 10 during the decade. Nations that became unaffiliated-majority include the Netherlands (54%) and New Zealand (51%), joining Uruguay (52%), along with regions like China, North Korea, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macao, and Japan
Countries that lost Christian-majority status Four notable countries—the United Kingdom (49%), Australia (47%), France (46%), and Uruguay (44%)—fell below the Christian-majority threshold, with religiously unaffiliated groups rising significantly
Christianity geographically widespread, but declining share globally Shift in global Christian population distribution
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| | | If Revival Comes—China’s Church on the Brink of a Fifth Cycle By James Wu |
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| A decade of decline following heightened repression: Beginning in 2013 with the removal of crosses in Zhejiang, Chinese Christianity has experienced increasing restrictions—church raids, arrests, and rising secularization. A 2023 Pew Research report confirmed this downward trend: after stagnating between 2010 and 2018, the number of Christians in China declined noticeably by 2021. An optimistic forecast based on historical cycles: Drawing from over 160 years of modern church history in China, the author argues that current struggles echo past patterns. Rather than viewing the present as a one-way decline, the author suggests that China may be on the cusp of a “fifth cycle” of revival—anticipating a new spiritual awakening. A call for redemptive awareness among believers: While acknowledging the hardship and discouragement within the church today—marked by waning zeal and evangelistic challenges—James Wu encourages pastors and believers to adopt a multi-dimensional perspective: one aware of historical ebb and flow, ready to see current signs as potential preparation for renewal.
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| | | Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Transform Cross-Cultural Missions |
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| | AI boosts missions: Enhances language learning, cultural insight, and Bible teaching. Faster language acquisition: Interactive AI tools allow missionaries to practice real ministry scenarios. Cultural adaptation: AI provides insights on local customs for deeper connections. Contextualized Bible education: Helps create materials that resonate culturally. Ethical mindfulness: AI supports, but doesn’t replace, human relationships. |
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| | | I N T E R - G E N E R A T I O N A LD I A S P O R A S E M I N A R |
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| Friday, September 26 | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (MDT) | Encompass Partnerships, Calgary |
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| | | | Global Advance Fund (GAF) Donation Update |
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| As of July 31, 2025:GAF Faith Goal for The Alliance Canada YTD = $14,732,000 GAF Donations from The Alliance Canada YTD = $8,186,424 (101.45% of January-May Faith Goal) |
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| | A Disciple's Lament (I Wish I'd Been There)Alliance Worship |
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