Global Great Commission Network - Network Update.

Global Great Commission Network Update
July 2019  Newsletter # 24
Greetings  

The year 2020 will mark the 10th year anniversary of the Tokyo 2010 Global Mission Consultation.  From May 11-14, 2010, a  total of 967 Delegates representing 73 countries attended the Tokyo 2010 Global Mission Consultation.  They were joined by another 927 Observers from Japan and served by approximately 550 Japanese volunteers.  Using a definition of 'Non-Western' as any place other than the USA, Canada, Western Europe, New Zealand and Australia, the non-Western representation was approximately 70%.

In response to the Tokyo 2010 call and vision of "Making Disciples of All Peoples In Our Generation", the Tokyo Declaration was adopted in Tokyo and as a common pledge of Tokyo 2010 delegates by the signature of representatives of 34 regional associations and networks

The Global Great Commission Network (GGCN) was birthed out of that consultation with the mandate to carry that global task forward.  Beginning with this newsletter, and including other publications over the coming year, GGCN will be very proactive in reminding us of the pledges and commitments of Tokyo 2010 to help cast a vision for the next decade and beyond.  We live in exciting times as we work together toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Also, continuing bi-monthly over the next year, we will be bringing you some important updates.  Those will include two series of articles:  

The first series, by Marvin Newell, principle author of the Tokyo Declaration, reminds us of the joint commitment made in Tokyo and updates us on the current status of the task.  We encourage you to take advantage of this update AND to read or reread the Tokyo Declaration itself.

The second series identifies what the GGCN Global Steering Team has recognized over the last 10 years as key values of a functioning, global network.  We start with "We value the Global Church in all its God honoring expression."

Revisiting the Tokyo Declaration:  Part 1 of 4
by Marvin Newell, GGCN Steering Committee Member and Tokyo Declaration Principle Author
 
We are approaching ten years since t he Tokyo 2010 Global Mission Consultation took place in May of 2010.  That consultation was not intended to be an end in itself, but the beginning of a movement to see all peoples discipled in our generation.  The Global Great Commission Network was birthed out of that consultation with the mandate to carry that global task forward.
 
The bedrock of this important network is the Tokyo Declaration.  That declaration was the fruit of the consultation and subsequently affirmed by the attendees.  It has been intended that this Declaration not be a stagnant document, but remain dynamic as the basis upon which partnerships and Great Commission activities can take place.  Thus, it is appropriate that this foundational document be revisited and highlighted as we approach the consultation's 10th anniversary.
 
One of the initial statements found in the Declaration is that the Great Commission has been the on-going responsibility of the Church for 2000 years.  That responsibility is so large and complex that no one church, agency, national missions movement or regional mission block can take it on alone or independently.  We call on Christ-followers everywhere to whole-heartedly embrace and engage in "making disciples of every people in our generation."
 
One may question why that task is so important so as to extend a clarion call of "making disciples" to Christ followers everywhere in the world.  The answer to that question is boiled down to two realities.
 
The first is the reality of mankind's universal need.  All people, everywhere, are lost apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Sadly, every individual is a sinner by nature, choice, and practice.  The tragic result of man's sin is his alienation from God.  That alienation leads to everlasting death (Rom. 6:23).  But not only that as tragic as it is, creation itself is in bondage to corruption and subject to futility (Rom. 8:18-21).  Consequently, both mankind and the world he inhabits is in a desperate spiritual plight.
 
But God, in His grace, has provided a remedy, and this is the second reality.  Out of love, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to reconcile the world to Himself (John 3:16).  Through Jesus' vicarious death on a cross and victorious resurrection from a grave, mankind is brought into a restored relationship with God. God's justice for the penalty of sin was satisfied by Jesus's work on mankind's behalf.  And here is the really amazing part: God offers forgiveness of sin and salvation to anyone who repents and believes on this redemptive work of Christ. (Rom. 1:5,16,17; 3:21-26).
 
Therefore the message of the Great Commission is clear. It states that: 1) salvation is found in none other (Acts 4:12) nor in any other way (John 14:6), than through Jesus Christ, and 2) this message is to be proclaimed to all peoples everywhere (Luke 24:47).
 
Thus the opening paragraphs of the Tokyo Declaration focus on mankind's spiritual need along with our Divinely-given message.  But Jesus did not leave us this message to share without also giving a methodology to follow as we proclaim it.  That will be the topic of the next installment of revisiting the Tokyo Declaration.
Global Great Commission Network Core Value Number 1 :
 
We value the Global Church in all its God-honoring expressions
 
We acknowledge that God is on mission, drawing all peoples unto Himself.  The Global Great Commission Network exists to champion the redemptive cause of Christ and the means by which  His followers participate----making disciples .  We seek a high level of working together and honoring each other even as we celebrate our differences.
Closing

Look for further updates focusing on the vision of Tokyo 2010 from GGCN with newsletters in September and November, 2019 and January and March 2020.  We do encourage you to revisit the Tokyo Declaration during this time.  If you haven't "signed" the Tokyo Declaration yourself, please consider doing that here.  That is a first step for further involvement with GGCN and opens doors for partnership including connecting to local, grassroots expressions of GGCN that are emerging in various regions around the world.  

If you are a member of our online community, Connect, please consider providing your insights and thoughts, especially to these updates of the Tokyo Declaration provided by Marvin Newell.  We will post these articles there and ask for comments and feedback.  If you are not registered on Connect you can do so at www. connect.ggcn.org.  Or, simply send us an email with your thoughts and input and we'll share them on Connect and elsewhere as we can.

Many Blessings!

David Hupp, for the GGCN Global Steering Team
Global Great Commission Network | info@ggcn.org | www.ggcn.org
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