Catalyst noun: a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected; a person or thing that precipitates an event or change.

Student Missions Conference

English

简体中文

繁體中文

DATE

13th

16th

June, 2019

Venue

COCM

COST

Early-bird

(by 5th April)

Non-residential £60

Residential £85

Regular

(6th April - 31st May)

Non-residential £80

Residential £105

We used to live aimlessly – by going through the motions, pursuing our desires, and minding our own business when, all of a sudden, we encountered the Cross. Then everything changed.

New life. New purpose. New direction and goals.

The Bible says, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

Rather than chasing after prosperity and comfort like we used to, the “people of the Cross” now live for Jesus. The catalyst of the Cross constrains us to serve God through whatever station in life He calls us to – secular professions and vocational ministry alike.

- THEME-

Whom Shall I Send?

The prophet Isaiah encountered the Lord who said, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8)

At Catalyst we will examine the Great Commission of Jesus and consider its proper Christian response. Two concurrent tracks – Chinese and English – are designed to help university students and young adults discern God’s calling and respond by saying, “Here am I. Send me!”

The conference will feature daily Bible exposition, keynote messages, workshops, heartfelt worship, and small group discussions. In addition, representatives from various Christian organisations will be on site to connect conferencees to practical opportunities of service.

- SPEAKERS -

Bible Expositor

Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung

OMF International

Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung was born in Hong Kong and trained as a physician in Australia. Patrick and his wife, Jennie, previously served as medical missionaries in South Asia. Patrick is currently serving as the General Director of OMF International (formerly the China Inland Mission founded by Hudson Taylor). Patrick is actively involved in missionary training and preaching ministry. Patrick was the Bible expositor for Urbana 2015, plenary speaker for the Cape Town 2010 Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization and one of the Keswick Bible conference speakers in the UK in 2011 & 2015.

Keynote Speakers

Rev. Henry Lu

Chinese Overseas Christian Mission

Rev Henry Lu is a 5th generation Christian. His great grandfather first received the gospel of Jesus Christ through the work of early missionaries from UK. Henry was born and grew up in Xian, China. After studying Landscape Architecture at the University of Georgia and Harvard University, he taught Urban Design at the University of Massachusetts for many years. While he was teaching, Henry also served as an elder at Amherst Chinese Christian Church.

In 2003, Henry began to get involved in the mission work of COCM through short-term mission trips to the UK and Europe. He became captivated by COCM’s vision of “Reaching the Chinese to Reach Europe”. In 2007, Henry and his wife Ling moved to England with their two children to join COCM (Chinese Overseas Christian Mission) as long-term missionaries.

Over the past ten years, Henry and the COCM team have developed and implemented new mission strategies focusing on evangelising the Chinese students and the local born next generation Chinese. Henry is passionate in helping young Christians to mature in Christ and in mobilising them for mission. Henry received a MA in mission leadership from All Nations Christian College and is the current General Director of COCM.

Rev. Dr. Harding Ng

Toronto Chinese Community Church

Pastor Harding Ng joined Toronto Christian Community Church as a student and basically grew up together with the church. He graduated from University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1979 and was a medical doctor for 15 years until 1994 when God called him into pastoral ministry. He was ordained in 1996 and was installed as Senior Pastor of TCCC in 1998. He received his theological education from Tyndale University College & Seminary (formerly Ontario Theological Seminary) in Toronto, Canada and graduated with Master of Divinity in 1989. His passion is in evangelism reaching the unchurched with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is active in leading short-term missions teams to various countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Jamaica, Venezuela, Panama , Europe and different provinces of China engaging in evangelism, discipleship, theological training, medical missions and community development. In 2008, Harding graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Los Angeles, U.S.A. and was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree. Harding is married to Lok-Ping and the couple is blessed with two grown children, Clarence and Melodie.

Rev. Dr. Patrick Fung

OMF International

Mr. Peter Root

Africa Inland Mission International

Peter is the Personnel/HR Director for Africa Inland Mission International (AIM) based in Nottingham where he has lived and served since 2006.

Before undertaking a three year course of theological study in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Peter trained and worked in the legal profession in SW and South London for 10 years. After his graduation he spent valuable time gaining practical experience working alongside his sending church, and 2 years trying to learn Portuguese in Portugal prior to serving as a missionary in Mozambique, which was then known as the world’s poorest country.

In Mozambique he served in various capacities, not least as a Bible Institute lecturer, principal, and latterly as Field Leader for AIM overseeing the work of all AIM’s missionaries in that country.

Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Louisa Evans

All Nations Christian College

Richard joined the staff team at All Nations Christian College in 2013, and enjoys inspiring and educating en route students for mission. His previous experience in mission involves: Administrator/Elder of City Temple International Church (URC) in Central London (7 Years); Pastor/Mission Liaison Worker/Bible School Teacher/Church Planter/Migrant Worker Ministry Developer with Full Gospel Tabernacle Church, Malaysia (8 Years); Short-term mission involvement in Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

Before joining the staff team at All Nations Christian College in 2013 Louisa worked for 7 years as the Elder/Administrator at City Temple International, a cross-cultural church in central London. Louisa also worked in Malaysia with International Students from over 30 countries during her role as a College Students’ Pastor with Full Gospel Tabernacle. She has also pastored a church plant with internationals, and was involved in migrant workers ministry.

Rev. Ian Ma

Chinese Overseas Christian Mission

Pastor Ian Ma is a missionary with the Chinese Overseas Christian Mission and directs its Next Generation Ministry Department.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, his life changed drastically when he became a Christian at the age of eighteen. Ian moved to the United States shortly thereafter to study at the University of Hawaii. He worked as a graphic designer before sensing and pursuing God’s calling to minister the gospel to the younger generation. Ian graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in America and pastored Chinese-American youths for 20 years before moving to England in 2013.

Ian has a special burden to motivate young people for missions. He has led short-term missionary teams to serve in Great Britain, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, South Africa, Scandinavia, and East Asia.

Ian has been married to Wai for nearly 30 years. He enjoys travelling, trying new restaurants, and vegging out in front of the TV.

Worship Coordinator

Dr. Andre Ng

Leicester Chinese Christian Church

Andre has been serving as elder in the English Ministry congregation at the Leicester Chinese Christian Church since 2015. He came to the UK to study Medicine at Glasgow as an overseas student from Hong Kong. He accepted Christ at the Glasgow Chinese Christian Fellowship (now Church) and was baptised at the Birmingham Chinese Evangelical Church. He works as a cardiologist at Leicester and is married to Carmen - they have a daughter Lauren aged 9. Andre has been serving in worship ministry as pianist, choir conductor and leader, worship leader and in church leadership roles as student fellowship advisor, church council / committee member and lay preacher in English and Cantonese.

- WORKSHOPS -

Mr. & Mrs. Martin & Angela Symonds

OMF International

They served with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) in Taiwan for forty years. Angela led student Bible study groups, working with university student groups in partnership with Campus Evangelical Fellowship. Martin's major focus was on helping missionaries to Mainland China and Taiwan learn to speak Chinese, working with others to see that good Chinese language schools were established there. They have now returned to the UK for retirement

Mr. Franki Yip

WEC International

Franki Yip was trained and then worked as a town planner and transport planner since the 1990s, in South Wales. From 1997 to 2000, he was appointed by the Chartered Institute of Transport as its Honorary Education and Training Officer, and was responsible for the training and development of Transport Planners in the South Wales region.

In response to God’s calling, Franki left his job and, together with his wife Cindy, studied at Redcliffe College. While they were studying, God gave them the privilege of planting a church in Gloucestershire and working among Muslims (since 2000). After they finished their theological training in 2004 they joined WEC international and served in West Asia among Muslims. In 2012, Franki joined the UK Headquarters of WEC International as the UK Mobilisation Coordinator and the head of the UKHQ Network Office, mobilising and equipping churches for cross-cultural mission. Cindy is currently a member of WEC UK Acceptance Panel (accepting WEC missionaries in the UK) and the WEC UK Membercare Network (caring and developing WEC missionaries in the UK).

As part of the mobilisation effort, Franki started to collaborate with the Chinese Mission Mobilisation International (CMMI) and, since 2015, joined them as an international board member and involves himself in the development of its cross-cultural missionary training programme.

| Outreach among Muslims in West Asia – Challenges and Opportunities | Workshop leader: Mr. Franki Yip

Numbering approximately 90 million around the world, Muslims are by and large unreached, with less than 0.02% having become discipled believers despite many evangelistic efforts in the last 30 years. Thanks to globalisation, around 10 million of this people group live overseas, nearly half a million of whom in the UK. We have the privilege to meet Muslims from far and near. Jesus loves them, and we have to pray for and make an effort to share Jesus with them. In this workshop, we will look at the challenges and opportunities in reaching this people group. This workshop will help us to explore how, as part of the global church, to prepare ourselves (both as churches and as individuals) for this noble task.

Do you want to make a difference in God’s world so that those who have never heard the name of Christ may have a chance to hear? Then this workshop is for you!

What is the real challenge of being a cross-cultural missionary?

Firstly, becoming accepted (-- from ‘outsider’ to ‘insider’).

Secondly – which is the really big challenge – how to share the Gospel in a foreign culture so others will more readily understand.

So what preparation will you need to be able to accomplish this?

Come and be educated, inspired and challenged!

If you would like to get to know is before the workshop, see 天涯傳愛 - 石明理、石安莉 on Youtube (Good TV)

| The Challenge of Crossing Cultures for the Gospel | Workshop leader: Mr. & Mrs. Martin & Angela Symonds

| Please Lord not me .…sharing is scary! | Workshop leader: "MM"

Have you ever felt scared when you were about to share the Gospel with someone? We often pray for divine appointments but when they arrive we panic. We start praying ‘Please Lord, not me, not now, I’m not ready’. Our irrational fear of being ridiculed, labelled a weirdo, rejected or – even worse – persecuted, paralyses us. Don’t give up! Yes, it’s hard but there is no such thing as a silent witness. If you want to be encouraged and emboldened, then this workshop is for you. You will practice how to present your testimony and the Gospel, and how to engage with those from other faiths (the dos and don’ts). There will also be an opportunity to discussion mission work in the Middle East. You will be gifted with a selection of tracts and ‘conversation starter’ cards to use in the future.

Mrs. Emma Dipper

Release International

Emma trained as a Nurse and Midwife. She and her husband with their three daughters lived in Afghanistan and have been back in the UK for 12 years enjoying the challenges of life in local church alongside her ministry around the globe. She thanks God for her ridiculous sense of humour and sense of joy that keeps her going through the most harrowing of times both personally and in ministering to those facing suffering and persecution.

Mr. Tim Li

Chinese Overseas Christian Mission

Tim Li grew up in a house church in Hebei, China. Tim was influenced by the fervent worship and prayer of his home church as well as their passion for evangelism. Tim graduated from University of Glasgow (UK) with MSc. Media Management. After graduation, he worked as a COCM volunteer for a year, participating in the student ministry at Glasgow Chinese Christian Church. In 2013, God called him into full time ministry, so he joined COCM MIP (Missionary in Preparation) programme and entered London School of Theology for a three-year study of theology. In October 2016, Tim joined COCM as a full-time missionary. Currently, Tim’s responsibilities include coordinating the Mandarin volunteer programme, leading LSE Chinese campus fellowship, supporting Chinese Church in London SOC congregation with their Sunday service and Bible study. Additionally, Tim also coordinates COCM Mandarin student ministry forum, supports COCM Gospel team, COCM camps and other ministries. Tim is married to Lu Peng, who is also a COCM missionary staff. Tim and Lu are expecting a baby coming in April 2019. Tim and Lu love reading and music.

| “Persecution is Biblically Normal” | Workshop leader: Mrs. Emma Dipper

We will explore the issues and see how the theology and lifestyle in the west has caused many to see persecution as extreme and unusual. When persecuted, some Christians even think they might have done something wrong as they expected success, comfort and all the blessings they ‘deserve’.

The workshop will provide a Biblical framework and information on the situation in China and other nations to help us understand persecution. It will ready participants for challenges and persecution even in the UK, and give pointers on how to prepare our disciples to face them.

Many Chinese Christians do not know much about the history of the Chinese Church, and therefore are prone to neglect the amazing work God has done in China over the past generations. As Israelites celebrate Passover as a commemoration of the exodus, overseas students returning to China should learn about God's work there so as to embrace their spiritual heritage, to understand the current opportunities and challenges from a historical perspective, and to learn to be missional in their everyday life context. This workshop will feature a brief overview of Chinese church history, an examination of the current situation of churches in mainland China, and an exploration of the responsibility of Christians and the Church to society – including how to be effective “transmitters of the gospel”.

| God's work in China | Workshop leader: Mr. Tim Li

"MM"

Nurse serving in the Middle East

MM is a nurse passionate about (and also saved through) marketplace ministry. She believes the Holy Spirit helps us all to become missionaries in the work place and this is part of the ‘normal Christian life’. For over a decade, prior to each shift she prays for the ability to be intentional and filled with joy to sow spiritual seed with at least 3 people. A decade ago challenged by God she moved to the Middle East (ME), started learning Arabic and began sharing Jesus with her patients and colleagues in Muslim majority/ hostile anti-Christian environments. Despite the challenges she discovered that being a Chinese Christian opened many doors because we are anomalies and don’t fit their religious stereotyping.