Unity in Action: Advancing Mission and Collaboration in Africa

The AWF Africa Regional Conference focused on themes of Relief and Development, Missions, Women’s Ministries, and organizational updates, with an overarching emphasis on restoring broken relationships with God, each other, and creation, and fostering unity and collaboration within the Alliance family across Africa.

The AWF Africa Regional Conference convened in Monrovia, Liberia, November 8-13, 2023, uniting 80 representatives from ten countries in the region. It addressed diverse themes including Relief and Development, Missions, Women’s Ministries, and organizational updates. Discussions on development encompassed various perspectives, emphasizing the restoration of broken relationships with God, each other, and creation, with an emphasis on the centrality of God.

Rev. Serge Armand Yao’s three sermons provided deep insights into faith and mission. Attendees were challenged to deepen their faith, critically examine their mission practices, and prioritize unity and love within the church community. Additionally, updates from different countries highlighted statistics, missionary work, and ongoing projects, showcasing the diverse initiatives within the Alliance family. The conference also emphasized the importance of unity and collaboration across ministries, with plans for future congresses and activities aimed at youth, women’s, and men’s ministries. Through these discussions and presentations, attendees were encouraged to reflect on their roles in advancing the mission of the church and fostering unity within the Alliance family in Africa.

With the general theme of the AWF’s “Going Deeper in Christ, Going Beyond in Mission, Going Together as Family,” representatives of the African region looked back to their roots of belief and forward to their horizons of possibility. Yao invited the attendees to both strive and reflect. “One of the deep aspirations within the Alliance family,” he began, “is to know Christ intimately, to journey ever deeper with him. But this aspiration must be continually renewed, rooted in the source of all things: Jesus Christ himself.”

The attendees devoted time to rediscovering their joint identity and confronting the specter of nominalism that haunted century-old churches. In knowing who they are in Christ, they could chart a course for who they would become. By exploring and venturing beyond the familiar shores of tradition into the uncharted waters of mission, Yao spoke of gratitude for the Western missionaries who had sowed seeds of faith in African soil, often at great personal cost. Their legacy was both a blessing and a challenge, a reminder that the mission was far from over. Yao honored not only the past but fathers like Rev. Célestin Koffi, the AWF Africa regional coordinator – those who are investing in the younger generation.

Yao’s voice softened as he spoke. “We are not defined by the actions of a few, but by the love that binds us together as a family,” he said. In the silent moments that followed, the people’s hearts and minds were opened. It was a reminder of history and a reimagining of the future, a journey of healing and hope.

Rev. Jura Yanagihara, the president of the Alliance World Fellowship (AWF), played a significant role in the regional meeting. He shared valuable insights on being a member of the global Alliance family, highlighting how partnerships create opportunities for development and resilience while spreading the gospel in Africa.

The memory of history, combined with the aspirations of the present, created an atmosphere of purpose for those attending the conference. And they honored the past – not just the triumphs but also the scars, acknowledging the complexities of their shared journey.

At the conclusion of the conference, there was a feeling that transcended language and culture, of remembering that they were not just delegates or attendees, but members of a great family, heirs to a legacy of faith and brotherhood.

Amid colorful celebrations and costumes, joyful songs in their various mother tongues, our brothers and sisters reaffirmed their purpose and returned ready to carry the torch of the mission forward. They are not just the children of history; they are the architects of tomorrow, united by a common faith and a shared vision of hope.