Singapore Statement Urges Mission Movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America to Reduce Foreign Dependence
About 100 leaders at the COALA 4.0 gathering called for locally sustained missions and partnership among churches of the Majority World. Regional meetings follow in 2027.
See where this is ›SINGAPORE —
A network of mission movements from Asia, Latin America and Africa has released the Singapore Statement, which calls on churches in those regions to build locally sustained missions and rely less on foreign funding, approval and training models, Christian Daily International reported Oct. 29. The network, Christ Over Asia, Latin America and Africa, or COALA, issued the statement from its fourth major gathering, COALA 4.0, held Oct. 5-7 in Singapore.
See where this is ›The Singapore Centre for Global Missions hosted the meeting under the theme “Sustainability and Training of Majority World missions.” A communique reported 76 participants from 25 Majority World countries, plus 24 local leaders from Singapore.
The statement sets out seven principles on sustainability, seven on training and four on South-South collaboration. It warns that Western influence can continue through financial dependence, encourages mutual partnership and accountability, and cautions against patron-client patterns in South-South networks. It also urges training that puts missional obedience and spiritual formation ahead of academic credentials.
See where this is ›Patrick Fung of OMF International gave the opening address. “We must present a global Christ, not a Western Christ,” Fung said. He added that the aim is not independence: “The goal should be interdependence.”
COALA Chairman Jonas Kang, general secretary of the Korea World Missions Association, described what he called “local-led partnership mission.” Allan Matamoros, a Costa Rican serving with COMIBAM from Spain, said, “In the past, we used to be a missions field, but then we began to pray to become a missions force.” Manik Corea leads the Singapore center, and Peter Oyugi of the Movement for African National Initiatives also took part.
Four memorandums of understanding were signed Oct. 7, involving the Singapore center, the Korean association, ALUSIA, the African movement and other mission bodies, and four focus groups were launched. International Secretary Paul Noh announced that COALA will hold regional and national meetings in 2027 instead of a global gathering, with meetings set for Jakarta, Indonesia; Fiji; and Taipei, Taiwan.
