Synopsis

This course examines some key issues in Christian mission which are critical for effective engagement in overseas cross-cultural settings. The course begins with the discernment of the call to mission, and ends with the challenge to respond to that missionary calling and commitment. We will address the dynamics of missionary sending which involves the local church, the sending agency as well as the host communities, and the mobilisation of the local church. Practical concerns include missionary support and missionary care as the sending church supports the person and his/ her ministry spiritually, socially, emotionally and financially. We will address issues in understanding local contexts especially in the cities of Asia in the urbanised 21^st century world, and building multicultural teams with different experience and expertise needed for the work. Finally the course will touch on practical issues faced by mission workers involving ethical and security issues, in the present world of social media and ongoing terror threat.

Biodata

Mr Lawrence Ko is founder-director of Asian Journeys Ltd, a social enterprise mobilising youth for urban and environmental engagement in Asia since 2002. He has contributed articles related to urbanism and environmentalism, and authored two books on creation care: Can the Desert Be Green? Planting Hope in the Wilderness (2014) and From the Desert to the City: Christians in Creation Care (2020). He has also written on and conducted corporate training in relation to cross-cultural skills and understanding. Lawrence served as national director of Singapore Centre for Global Missions (2012-2022) and as chair and later director of Asia Evangelical Alliance’s mission commission (2008-2020).  He has also served with the Asia Lausanne Committee since 2011 and continues to serve with the SEANET steering group and Lausanne Global Listening Team in preparation for the Lausanne IV conference in 2024.