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More than 700 leaders from mission agencies, churches, denominations, and schools of world missions met in Haines City, Fla., September 20-23 under the theme, “Gods mission. commUNITY 2001.” The gathering was described as the largest of its kind in more than 40 years in North America. Conveners called the meeting “to listen to God in community” and to find new ways to collaborate in their global ministries.

Their theme was amply explicated in plenary sessions and small-group forums. It was thoroughly mulled over in informal meetings and conversations. And, that theme was given added urgency by the terrorist acts of September 11.

Despite some calls to postpone the gathering, the planning committee decided to go ahead, but with additional security around the conference grounds. Special optional sessions about security matters and evangelization of Muslims were added to the program.

Plenary speakers departed from their prepared notes to discuss how the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by hijacked commercial airliners will affect both US and Canadian mission senders and the strategies of agencies and churches in the days to come.

Leaders of agencies that focus on the Muslim world expressed concern that their work could be severely hampered. Agencies had already pulled their people from Pakistan before the conference began. Leaders agreed that fear among their workers is their prime problem, exacerbated by the fears of their families at home.

They also urged their constituencies to quench the flames of anti-Muslim feelings in the United States. Representatives of the 17 sponsoring associations issued “a prayer response” to the terrorist attacks, calling “upon all our constituents in North America and our 40,000 international workers, more than ever, to pray with humility and diligence for a godly response, while actively demonstrating and proclaiming God’s love and forgiveness for all people everywhere.”

Sponsors were Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment, Association of Evangelical Relief and Development Organizations, Alliance for Missions Advancement, Accelerating International Missions Strategies, Antioch Network, Artists in Christian Testimony, Billy Graham Center of Wheaton College, Coalition of Supporting Indigenous Ministries, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies, Evangelical Missiological Society, International Christian Technologists Association, Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association, Intent, North American Council for South Asian Christians, World Evangelical Fellowship, and Willow Creek Association. The call to pray was not an officially endorsed statement by these organizations.

Small group forums focused on local church mission programs, overseas partnerships, the AIDS epidemic in Africa, wholistic mission, technology, music ministries, mission in China, and developments in mission-church partnerships. Luis Bush, Todd Johnson and Jonathan Bonk gave presentations for the missiological group. Patrick Johnstone, whose 2001 edition of Operation World was introduced at the conference, offered a global report. Plenary speakers included Tom Houston and Patrick McDonald from the United Kingdom, Peter Chao from Singapore, Michael Cassidy from South Africa, Landa Cope from the US, and Valdir Steuernagel from Brazil. Robert Klamser of Crisis Consulting International gave the security briefing. He strongly urged agencies not to send short-term teams in the foreseeable future.

Two themes emerged in the plenary sessions: the need to listen to God’s voice afresh, and the need to do a better job of discipleship training of converts so Christians will live like Kingdom people and be an influence for good in their communities and nations.

Peter Chao said that the “new realities (terrorist attacks) will change our methods and strategies.” He and others called for mutual dependence. Michael Cassidy said we face a “new age of peril and perplexity.” Referring to King Uzziah’s death in Isaiah 6:1, he said, “King Security and Safety died. There is no place to turn; no place to hide . . . . Therefore, churches and agencies must hear God’s voice. We cannot do business as usual.”

Valdir Steuernagel emphasized the same theme: “We must listen to God in community. We cannot grow tired of listening to God’s word. . . . We are more comfortable doing than listening . . . . . There is no mission without God’s word.”

Landa Cope developed her Bible studies around the theme, “What does it mean to disciple a nation? What does it look like? How do we do it?”

The gathering will be remembered for the pervasive discussions in the aftermath of September 11, the strong bonds of relationships built through conversations, prayer, and worship, and the new ideas gained from the thought-provoking plenary and focus sessions.

October 26, 2001