James Krabill with students at STAKWW (Sekolah Tinggi Agama Kristen Wiyata) in Pati, Indonesia.
About the Mission Commission
The Mission Commission provides MWC member churches with resources and a forum for dialogue on global witness and service. The commission brings together the Global Anabaptist Service Network (GASN) and the Global Mission Fellowship (GMF) and enables dialogue and direction around pressing issues and opportunities in global witness and service.
For mission agencies and churches, the Mission Commission hopes to stimulate global, continent, regional and local partnerships in outreach, focusing on places where people have not yet had the opportunity to know Jesus.
For service agencies, the Mission Commission seeks to enable both dialogue and inter-agency collaboration in response to the pressing needs of God’s people and our communities.
The June 2023 meeting in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, was essential to promote and consolidate the sense and spirit of teamwork. Some 60 GASN and GMF members were able to gather.
In addition, over the past years, the use of online meetings has been helpful to the work of the Mission Commission, especially in coordination with our two current networks. These webinars gave members an opportunity to learn together, share knowledge and experience, and ask questions and pray together.
In 2024, the Mission Commission held the following webinars:
- February: “Sharing best practices of ‘Good Dear Child’ and ‘Youth development Project’”
- Presenters: Dejene Gurmessa (Ethiopia), Abdi Dubela (Ethiopia)
- Organized by GASN
- June: “The hope of Christian witness/mission in a polarized world”
- Presenter: J. Nelson Kraybill (USA)
- Organized by GMF
- September: “Impact of making disciples in the life of individuals, society and church through Little Flock Discipleship School”
- Presenters: Asit Basumata (India), Gyan Mochary (India)
- Organized by GASN
- October: “Succession in service: preparing the next wave of mission leaders”
- Presenters: Ebenezer Mondez (Phillippines), Tigist Tesfaye (Ethiopia), C. Daniel Soto (Argentina), Galen B (USA)
- Organized by GMF
Currently, the Mission Commission is revising “Anabaptism and Mission”. This online bibliography lists Anabaptist writing on mission produced from 1859 to 2011. Revisions and updates to the present are projected for release at the May meeting in 2025.
A “Martyr Synod” tour of Ausburg for GASN and GMF members is being planned for the 2025 gathering in Germany. This responds to feedback the Mission Commission has received about having a field trip option with in-person meetings.
Conversations continue with the emerging Global Anabaptist Health Network.
- James R. Krabill (USA), chair
- Rafael Zaracho (Paraguay), secretary
- Nelson Okanya (USA), GMF steering committee chair
- Barbara Hege-Galle (Germany), GASN steering committee chair
- Eladio Mondez (Philippines)
- Hyacinth Stevens (USA)
- Simon Okoth (Uganda)
- Felo Gracia (DR Congo)
Barbara Hege-Galle, James R. Krabill, Nelson Okanya, Simon Okoth, Hyacinth Stevens