Asian Evangelical Leadership Forum Opens in Seoul with a Renewed Call for Discipleship
The Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF) kicked off in Seoul, South Korea, with an emphatic appeal to revitalize the commitment to discipleship in today’s swiftly evolving global environment. This three-day meeting, organized by the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), convened around 100 Evangelical leaders from over 20 Asian countries, all uniting for a time of prayer, strategic planning, and cooperative action under the theme “Disciple or Die 2.0.”
The event, held from June 11 to 13 at the Antioch Center, follows earlier AEA gatherings and is seen as a continuation of a “discipleship journey” that began in 2019. In his opening remarks, AEA General Secretary Dr. Bambang Budijanto recounted the alliance’s theological, spiritual, and strategic evolution over the past six years as it shapes its vision for evangelism and mission.
Dr. Budijanto emphasized that the forum was meant to be dynamic rather than a passive conference. “This gathering is not just for listening—it is a working session. Every one of you is here for a purpose, not merely to observe but to actively help craft what the future will be,” he stated.
Designed to generate practical strategies to hasten the spread of the Great Commission across Asia, the forum set its sights on deepening discipleship. Rather than a routine conference, the meeting was presented as a moment for spiritual readjustment and collective guidance. In his opening address, Budijanto invoked the scripture from Exodus, urging participants to seek God’s glory as a call for renewed desire, not solely a ministerial duty but as a heartfelt pursuit of His presence in the lives and churches of the region.
He recalled the origins of AEA’s discipleship focus, which accelerated during the 2019 World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly when Asian leaders purposely prayed for and debated the direction of their mission. “We were struck by the clear call of the Holy Spirit, echoing the final command of Jesus to ‘Make disciples of all nations.’ That moment ignited what we now refer to as the ‘Decade of Discipleship,’ which began in 2020,” Budijanto explained.
During the 2020 online General Assembly—a response to the pandemic—the focus had shifted to the theme “Church in the New Landscape.” Leaders recognized that COVID-19 had sped up changes in how churches and missions functioned. Recalling a passage from Isaiah about God initiating new things, Budijanto noted that previous methods would not carry the church effectively into this century.
This critical reassessment led to the formation of seven task forces in anticipation of the AEA’s 40th anniversary in 2023, each tasked with understanding God’s work in Asia. At that milestone event, participants discussed the novel nature of the current landscape, comparing it to unchartered territory. In 2024, a subsequent assembly in Mongolia refined these efforts, reducing the strategic task forces from seven to four, and instilling among leaders a renewed urgency to achieve breakthrough growth in evangelism.
Continuing this trajectory in Seoul, delegates are revisiting those four strategic priorities through days filled with prayer and meaningful dialogue. Budijanto observed that, just as historical mission movements often signal pivotal shifts, contemporary Christian missions stand on the brink of a new era. “Every season brings about fresh movements from God. However, we cannot discern what lies ahead if we endlessly dwell on the past. Our challenge is to abandon outdated models and tune our hearts to what God is initiating now,” he asserted.
The forum’s schedule is designed around three meaningful prayers, each guiding a day of the event. The opening day is dedicated to the plea, “Show me Your glory,” which encourages both personal and collective spiritual renewal. Day two turns the focus to strategy with the prayer, “Show us Your way,” as leaders deliberate on innovative methods to meet the mission challenges unique to Asia. On the final day, participants center their reflections on the prayer, “Show us Your hand,” sharing stories of transformation and effective discipleship movements that testify to God’s current work.
Concluding the forum, the group pledged to continue their collaboration in pursuit of an ambitious 10-year vision aimed at accelerating discipleship movements across the region. “This is more than a strategic plan for our organization—it is a shared journey that demands our unity,” Budijanto remarked. “We must embrace this moment as sacred. With open hearts and a willingness to walk together, we can partner with God in ways beyond our imagination.”
The event will draw to a close on the evening of June 13 with a commitment ceremony and a final prayer session titled “Show Us Your Life,” marking the beginning of a renewed season of collaborative mission effort throughout Asia.
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