1 June 2013 by James Hoh CM-
It was just a little question but a weighty one that was asked about three years ago that set the ball rolling for the setting up of a centre for the retraining missionaries in Asia.
The former Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia, Rev Dr Hwa Yung asked Dr Tan Kang San the Executive Director of AsiaCMS and Head of Mission in Redcliffe College, “Why don't you come back and initiate a missions training program rather than the Malaysian churches and agencies sending missionary candidates to the UK for training?"
Dr. Tan considered for a while and decided to return in the later part of 2010 to set up Asia Gateway which facilitates the training programme for everyone including missionary candidates from Asia, inclusive of Pakistan, India, Korea and Malaysia.
AsiaCMS initiated Asia Gateway in early 2013 which include partners like the Methodist Church, the Anglican Church and five other mission agencies namely, Operation Mobilization, OMF International, Wycliff and Interserve to run the training programmes.
Pastor Mark Lim as the Programme Director of Asia Gateway, helped put together a two months in-house missions training for senders, missionary candidates and interested parties. "We will be running missions classes for churches and value-added courses for furlough servants from the field." He added.
Asia Gateway missions training programme primarily caters to the evangelicals and it is open to all missionaries in Southeast Asia. But Asia Gateway is primarily focused on training Malaysian missionary candidates but is kingdom-minded to open this to Asia and beyond." Pastor Lim added. Pastor Lim spent eight years as a missionary to Thailand before taking up this assignment.
“The programme is suitable for missionaries who return to Malaysia after a few years because the training they received prior to the mission trip is insufficient.
We will also take them to see the many faceted ministries that are in Kuala Lumpur, such as the migrant and feeding the poor ministries, as well as others,” Pastor Lim said.
However, he added, they were still looking for premises for this programme which will have a conference room, library and dormitory for the student-missionaries. "Prayerfully, this will be an added-value course for the home-assignment missionary to enhance their field ministry.
The programme is meant for missionaries who would like to be retrained for more effective mission works. Asia Gateway is also inviting churches to contact them because it want to complement what they are doing in terms of mission and work with them accordingly.” said Pastor Lim.
What is AsiaCMS
With 80% of the world’s non-Christians, Asia remains the largest mission field. AsiaCMS is passionate about training and equipping leaders for mission. We are forming partnerships and networks across Asia to better train, support and engage in cross-cultural ministry. Our focus is Asia and there is plenty of work to be done.
AsiaCMS has been founded as an Asian led mission organization to:
§ Train and equip Asians for mission
§ To co-send mission partners with regional partners
§ Engage with other Asian faiths and change worldviews through Christ
Interested individuals and parties could contact Pastor Mark Lim at (603)79319843 or email us at the following address: asiagatewaymissions@gmail.com
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