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“To make ready for the Lord a people prepared”
(Luke 1:17)
1. The Eighth Global South Conference took place online from 14th to 17th October 2021. The theme of the Conference was “To make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:17). A Pre-Conference Forum was held online from 29th to 30th September 2021 for substantive matters to be deliberated in advance and preparations for electronic voting.
2. The Conference was attended by 90 delegates from 16 provinces and 1 diocese. The delegates comprised primates, archbishops, bishops, clergy and laity.
3. The Most Revd Dr Justin Badi Arama, Chairperson of the Global South Primates Steering Committee, opened the Conference by welcoming fellow Primates who had been installed since the Seventh Global South Conference in October 2019. He also welcomed the invited guests to the Conference.
4. He expressed his thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby for his presence and his message of encouragement to the Conference.
5. Archbishop Badi specially thanked Archbishop Mouneer Anis, the immediate past Chairperson of the Global South Primates Steering Committee, for agreeing upon his retirement to continue serving as Honorary Adviser to the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA for short).
6. Archbishop Badi emphasized the four-fold purpose of the Global South Fellowship:
a. To guard the faith once delivered;
b. To unite in mission and ministry;
c. To work for the well-being of the Anglican Communion; and
d. To promote good leadership and accountability across member provinces.
7. He said the Global South, as an orthodox ecclesial grouping within the Anglican Communion, respects all the four Instruments of Communion and seeks to be like Christ: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5). He affirmed that each member province will make its own decision about attending Lambeth Conference 2022.
8. The Chairperson’s Opening Address2 was entitled “GSFA - A Global Light for God’s Holy Use”. He recalled the origin and calling of the Global South as an ecclesial grouping of orthodox provinces within the Anglican Communion with the aim of holding one another accountable across provinces to remain faithful to holy Scriptures in faith and practice.
9. The Windsor Continuation Group Report (2008) has identified the “ecclesial deficit” in the life of the Anglican Communion. The Global South Fellowship, in seeking to “enhance ecclesial responsibility” among its Churches and address the unchecked spread of revisionism in the Anglican Communion, endorsed the GSFA Covenantal Structure at its Seventh Conference in Cairo (2019)3. It mandated the Global South Primates Steering Committee and the Follow-up Committee to work towards its implementation.
10. Under this Covenantal Structure, the Global South Fellowship is transitioning from being a grouping based on geography to one based on orthodoxy while appropriately keeping our historical roots.
11. The Global South Fellowship is envisioned as a global body of orthodox Anglicans within the Anglican Communion. It retains its geographical anchorage in the provinces of the traditional “Global South”, nurtures its koinonia in the Gospel and expresses its life in mission and ministry to a broken and darkened world.
12. When our next Conference is convened in 2023 or 2024, membership in the Global South Fellowship will be based on assent to the Fundamental Declarations of the Covenantal Structure and agreement with the conciliar structures that bind us together as an ecclesial body.
13. The Global South Fellowship will continue to be “a voice” (Isa 40:3) calling the Anglican Communion to be faithful to the authority of Scripture and the historic faith handed down to us by our Anglican heritage. In the power of the Spirit, we will remain steadfast against compromise and pressures from the surrounding culture. In God’s grace, the Global South Fellowship will support and nurture Anglican provinces, dioceses and networks of churches that hold on to the orthodox teaching of holy Scripture across our worldwide Communion.
14. At the same time, the Global South Fellowship will major on Gospel mission and ministry in the world. God has called us to stand for the true Gospel witness, to maintain, practise and propagate true biblical teachings and practices. Jesus Christ Himself is the standard of our righteousness. We are called to trust Him, depend on Him, and work together with Him and with one another, “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:17).
15. The call to strengthen our oneness in Christ and our focus on the work of the Gospel is especially timely, in view of the abandonment of biblically orthodox teachings and traditions passed down to us by the early church fathers, including the teachings on human sexuality.
16. Other challenges to mission in the Global South include:
a. The COVID-19 pandemic which has disrupted life in church and society worldwide,
b. Political upheavals within nations and conflicts between nations which have destabilized the world and displaced populations,
c. Persecution of Christians in parts of the Global South such as Northern Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Sudan and elsewhere,
d. Effects of climate change causing much suffering due to drought, lack of safe drinking water, flooding, etc., and
e. Spread of secularism, liberalism, revisionist theology and prosperity gospel.
17. The Conference was immensely strengthened by the daily devotions:
a. “Ready to share the Gospel” (Luke 5:1-11). The Most Revd Dr Tito Zavala (Chile) encouraged the Conference with Christ’s example of being always ready to share the Good News wherever He went. God blesses those who are ready to follow Christ out of our churches to be “fishers of men” in all walks of life.
b. “Ready to suffer for the faith” (Luke 9:18-27). The Most Revd Henry Ndukuba (Nigeria) reminded us that following Christ includes suffering with Him and for Him. Suffering avails to us God’s grace. It deepens our faith and proves God’s faithfulness. It cannot be compared to our rewards, for Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33).
c. “Ready to serve the needy” (Luke 10:25-37). The Most Revd Dr Mouneer Anis (Alexandria) reminded us that Christ preached the Kingdom and served the needy (Luke 4). Christ calls His church to do likewise (Matt 25). When ministry is holistic, people will experience the Kingdom of God, and the church will grow (Acts 4:32-35).
d. “Ready to stand before the Returning King” (Luke 21:25-36). The Most Revd Melter Tais (South East Asia) reminded us to focus on the glory of Christ instead of the manner of His return. In view of his glorious resurrection and promised return, we should stand firm in prayer and share the Gospel faithfully, for “in the Lord (our) labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).
18. The Conference also experienced the joy of worship, sharing and praying in small groups across provinces and nations, as a fresh and concrete expression of koinonia amongst Global South provinces.
19. The Conference resolved to constitute the pro tem4 Board of the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) in keeping with a conciliar structure.
20. In consultation with the Global South Primates Steering Committee, the pro tem Board shall implement the Covenantal Structure, focusing on membership applications into the GSFA and preparations for the first General Assembly in 2023 or 2024. Upon the conclusion of the first General Assembly, the Board of the GSFA elected at the Assembly shall take over from the pro tem Board to continue the work of the GSFA.
21. The Conference resolved that the pro tem Board shall consist of four (4) office bearers and nominated Primates of the Global South Primates Steering Committee, two (2) bishops, two (2) clergy and four (4) lay persons.
22. The duly nominated and elected members of the pro tem Board are:
Chairman:
The Most Revd Dr Justin Badi Arama (South Sudan)
Vice Chairman:
The Most Revd Dr Hector (Tito) Zavala (Chile)
Primates:
The Most Revd Dr Foley Beach (North America)
The Most Revd Dr James Wong (Indian Ocean)
Bishops:
The Rt Revd Dr Steven Abarrow (South East Asia)
The Rt Revd Darlington Bendankeha (Tanzania)
Clergy:
The Venerable Emad Basilios (Alexandria)
The Revd Dr Paul Myint Htet Htin Ya (Myanmar)
Lay Persons:
Mr Elisama Daniel (South Sudan)
Mr D. Raja Singam (South East Asia)
Ms Naw Sar Kabaw Htoo (Myanmar)
Mrs Hilda Yerriah (Indian Ocean)
23. The Global South Fellowship will develop its communal “one anotherness” through prayer, resource sharing and joint ministry. Four areas of our common life identified in the Covenantal Structure Paper are:
a. Mission and Evangelism
b. Worship and Liturgy
c. Discipleship and Ministerial Formation
d. Economic Empowerment and Community Services
24. These relational commitments to one another will be actualised through specific Track Committees which will work with other doctrinally orthodox global bodies in the Anglican Communion and mission agencies.
25. The Conference affirmed the Global South Primates Steering Committee to appoint Chairpersons to form and lead these Track Committees. Each Track is empowered to define its Terms of Reference in accordance with the Covenantal Structure Paper, and to mobilize such resources as necessary to operationalize its work accordingly.
26. The Economic Empowerment Track, chaired by Mr Keith Chua (Singapore), was launched at this Conference to assist churches and economic projects facing financial constraints by providing catalytic support, appropriate funding and strategic networking.
27. The Missions Partnership Track, chaired by Bishop John Yeo (Sabah), was launched to spur, equip, renew and connect member provinces and dioceses to proclaim the Gospel, plant churches and send cross-cultural workers into the mission fields of the world.
28. The Right Rev Rennis Ponniah, Honorary Director of the GSFA Secretariat, reflected on the immense challenges of COVID-19. He urged the Conference to see COVID-19 in biblical terms as a “pestilence” (2 Chron 7:12-14) calling both Church and society to repentance and return to God. It is part of the “birth pangs” before Christ’s return (Matt 24:8, NASB). The good news is that God’s judgment and salvation go hand in time. Bishop Rennis urged the Conference to seek the face of God with a voice of humility (2 Chron 20:12) for His mercy, deliverance and revival.
29. The Most Rev Dr Foley Beach, Primate of the Anglican Church in North America, reminded the Conference that the Church has faced serious crises of many kinds throughout her history—famines, wars, pandemics, persecution, immorality, heresy, schisms, etc. Through it all, the Church can be confident because (a) it is God’s Church, (b) it will not be overcome, (c) it is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ Himself as the Cornerstone, and (d) God is faithful to accomplish His purpose of calling sinners to repentance and eternal life (Matt 16:18; Eph 2:19-22). Ultimately, Christ is the source of our confidence (Rom 8:35-38).
30. The spirit of the Conference was to consecrate ourselves, repent of our own sins and be renewed in the Holy Spirit to be God’s servant community in the world.
31. Responding to the call of holy Scripture heard throughout this Conference, and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit (Zech 4:6), the participants of the Conference strongly resolved to take these practical actions:
a. Proclaim the Gospel in word, deed and lifestyle to our households, neighbours and the diverse communities in our nations;
b. Call people to “repentance and personal faith in Jesus Christ” for forgiveness of sins and newness of life;
c. Brace ourselves for the suffering that may come our way, by holding steadfastly to the Lord;
d. Guard the truth of God’s Word and be a strong “voice” for “the faith once delivered” in our communities, the Anglican Communion and the world;
e. Care for one another across provinces and dioceses through the sharing of economic resources and expertise, facilitated by the work of the Economic Empowerment Track;
f. Form mission partnerships across provinces and dioceses to strengthen one another in evangelism, discipleship and church planting, facilitated by the work of the Missions Partnership Track;
g. Address the challenges of COVID-19 together and make the time of adversity a time of Kingdom advance: when the dynamic reign of the Lord our God is experienced by our respective nations as we minister to human needs, work toward social justice and righteousness, and share with people our living hope in Jesus Christ;
h. Pray steadfastly for the Church and for the world through our participation in the Global Digital House of Prayer using the INTERSEED Prayer Application and forming small Intercession Bands (IB) across the provinces, supported by our website www.thegsfa.org; and
i. Pursue diligently the full implementation of the GSFA Covenantal Structure so that God can use the GSFA as His light to shine forth the transforming “grace and truth” of Christ Jesus (John 1:14, 17) for such a time as this.
32. The Eighth Global South Conference 2021 has sounded its clear trumpet call for the Church of Jesus Christ to hold fast “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) and for the Gospel of “repentance for the forgiveness of sins (to) be proclaimed in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:44-49).
That this 8th Global South Conference (Trumpet) accepts and adopts the document presented by the Ven Wong Tak Meng and the Drafting Team as the Communique from our Conference held online from 14th - 17th October 2021.
Proposer: The Most Revd James Wong
Seconder: The Most Revd Stephen Than
Results:
For: 95% (57 Votes)
Against: Nil
Abstain: 5% (3 votes)
Archbishop Mouneer Anis proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair (The Most Revd Dr Justin Badi) for leading the Conference so wonderfully as well as to the Conference Secretariat Team (Rt Revd Rennis Ponniah, Revd William Mok, Mrs Deborah Mok, Dr Stanley Lai, Mr Keith Chua, Diocese of Singapore Admin staff plus the Worship Ministry team & IT Staff of Church of Our Saviour), and the Communique Drafting team (Ven Wong Tak Meng, Ven Emad Basilios, Canon Joseph Bilal) for all their hard work in making the online Conference a success. The Motion was seconded by Archbishop Hector (Tito) Zavala, and overwhelmingly supported by the delegates.
