Chinese Mission Convention 2007 (CMC) was a powerful, life changing experience – one that exceeded AFC’s expectations, and all the praise and glory goes to God. With nearly double the number of participants over the last convention, we continue to receive reports about how CMC touched lives. “I believe CMC 2007 will have a lasting impact on the church and on individuals,” one church leader shared. “Years from now, many will point back to CMC 2007 in Greater Philadelphia as a turning point in their lives and in their commitment to Christ.”
Participation
Participation in CMC 2007 was overwhelming !
• four hotels were needed to accommodate CMC’s 2,300 participants
• 34 states and 8 countries were represented
• 84 pastors, 218 teens, and 215 children attended CMC
• 1,134 participated in the Chinese track, and 360 participated in the
English track
• more than 300 volunteers served onsite
• 76% participants surveyed were at CMC for the first time in 2007; 67% attended specifically to explore missions opportunities
Program
In addition to outstanding plenary speakers, CMC 2007 offered more than 60 workshops in four special mobilization tracks: Pastors and Church Leaders, Cross-Cultural, Missions in the Marketplace, and University and Campus Ministry. A special draw: the Robert Morrison Exhibition, which commemorated Morrison’s 1807 arrival in China as the first Protestant missionary and outlined the last 200 years of Christian missions work there.
Response
During the closing ceremony, Rev. Paul Shen preached God’s word and shared many of his precious ministry experiences. His testimony of selfless sacrifice and total submission to God moved more than 800 participants, many in tears, to come forward to dedicate themselves to live fully for God! That outpouring ranked among the most evident displays of the Holy Spirit’s movement he’d witnessed in his decades of ministry, the 90-year-old Rev. Shen told the assembly. “If God takes me today,” he added, “I’ll be fully satisfied.” In all, 298 people pledged themselves to Kingdom service, including 30 teens. Nearly 200 sought immediate onsite follow-up counseling, part of AFC’s intentional Next Step mentoring program. Next Step now continues as AFC has begun work to match mentors to those who dedicated themselves and provide support for committed individuals who do not have strong church homes. At CMC, participating pastors and ministry leaders acknowledged the staggering need to mobilize committed servants, and AFC is committed long-term to help in bringing together the Chinese Christian community to equip workers. With God’s help, we’re committed to sponsoring Next Step between conventions and combining concerted efforts between ministries to mobilize more Chinese for missions-with the goal of ultimately reaching more Chinese intellectuals for Christ. CMC is more than a convention. It is a ministry that inspires, informs and mobilizes Gods people in fulfilling The Great Commission. CMC 2007 is not over in fact, its impact on transforming thousands of lives is just the beginning of a great movement in the Kingdom of God.
"It is genuinely a life changing experience. . ."
"God used the speakers at CMC to grab my heart."
"I found CMC to be an excellent event . . ."
"The opportunities for fellowship and networking were excellent . . ."
Praise the Lord!
for He has blessed the ministry of the Chinese Mission Convention!
Ten-year-old Ruth was asked by her parents what she wants in 2005. She knew exactly what she wants. It's not the latest computer game, a starting spot on the softball team, or even her own DVD player. Ruth said at the Chinese Mission Convention (CMC) in December, 'I want to help three other people to know Jesus in 2005.'
Then there is also Judy, who participated in CMC's Chinese-speaking track, and she'll say she's already received her deepest wish for 2005. 'I'd been blocking my husband's call to fulltime ministry,' she said. 'But God used the speakers at CMC to grab my heart. The Lord changed me. I went forward and committed myself to His service. Now, my husband and I can be in ministry together – we're united. Praise God!'
Over and over at CMC 2004 we saw lives transformed – multiplied among 1500 participants the effect was overwhelming. We experienced God's powerful hand challenging us to move from complacency to action. We felt an outpouring of compassion for the tsunami victims in a moving time of prayer and received a collection of $20,223 for relief. We gave thanks as 70 young people committed their lives to Christ and rejoiced as 60 adults from the Chinese and English programs made life commitments to the Great Commission.
Our journey began Sunday evening. We came together in a powerful worship and Holy Communion service, coming before the throne, confessing our sin and receiving His grace. Over the next four days the Lord used Stuart Briscoe mightily along with all the plenary speakers, challenging our hearts to heed God's call to the Great Commission. With five programs, for the physically and spiritually young and old, God's word went forth, crossing the generations, showing us God's great love for the lost.
Thirty speakers – missionaries, pastors, tentmakers and full-time ministers – presented over 65 workshops equipping us with tools, techniques and teaching, exhorting each of us to seek how we can be used to proclaim Christ to the ends of the earth. Prayer for the Nations engaged us to be on our knees praying for all corners of the globe. The youth were impacted by the physical and spiritual needs of the lost when they ventured out to serve in the local area. And the children actively pursued what it means to be a soldier of Jesus Christ, serving Him in a lost world.
We also heard potent testimonies from missionaries, and other first hand witnesses of the Holy Spirit's work around the world. 50 mission agencies, organizations, and seminaries participated showing us how the Lord is working through them to call people to Himself.
The first Pastor's Program, designed specifically to deepen pastors' understanding of their strategic role in mission mobilization, was well received. The pastors joined with speaker Johnny Miller, while pastor's wives & women in ministry joined with Jill Briscoe for sessions of deep fellowship and refreshment.
CMC 2004 truly was an event of life transformation. Since 1983 each triennial gathering has increased significantly in size and impact. Since its beginning the Chinese Mission Convention has been attended by well over 9,500 people, among whom are pastors, elders, professionals, young people and children. By God's grace, the eighth triennial convention continued to empower and mobilize churches, organizations and individuals to rise up and become a vital missionary force for God's Kingdom.