Empowered21 closed its four-day Asia Regional Congress Friday morning at the Sentul International Convention Center with more than 13,000 delegates from 45 nations in a celebration of praise and worship, as thousands of next generation Spirit-empowered leaders were commissioned to go into their nations with a burning passion to reach the lost and equip the body of Christ.
Niko Njotorahardjo, senior pastor of Gereja Bethel Indonesia and co-chair of the Empowered21 Asia Cabinet, challenged those at the packed altar to “live a life for Christ worth dying for. You have the keys to the harvest of souls in your hands. Do it.”
“Dream God-sized dreams,” said Lawrence Khong, senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church in Singapore and co-chair of Empowered21 Asia as he challenged the crowd: “You will have to release faith to do something only God can do though your life.”
The delegates came from all across the world. Some of the largest groups of attendees were from the nations of Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and the Philippines.
Khong and Njotorahardjo have spearheaded the Empowered21 movement in Asia, stewarding the growth and expanding its influence since its inception. Together they have led the Empowered21 Asia Cabinet of 46 interdenominational and ministry leaders and have produced seven historic Empowered21 events in Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.
“It was fitting to present the Empowered21 Excellence in Global Leadership Award to pastors Khong and Njotorahardjo in front of the largest audience at an Empowered21 event in its eight-year history,” said Dr. Billy Wilson, Oral Roberts University President and Empowered21 Global Co-chair. “The Asian cabinet has been one of the leaders in the Empowered21 movement, and a lot of that growth and impact can be attributed to these men and their excellent leadership.”
Throughout the congress, there were multiple significant highlights. The worship was particularly excellent and left room for the work of the Holy Spirit to permeate the arena while setting the stage for much of the work the Lord intended. Worship leaders included Mark Harris and Gateway Worship from Dallas, Texas; Lee University Campus Choir from Cleveland, Tennessee; Nicholas Sarasta and Symphony Worship from Jakarta; the Gereja Bethel Indonesia Choir; and Scott Brenner and Levites from the Lord’s Church in Seoul, South Korea.
Between the morning and evening main sessions, delegates could choose from several training sessions for Spirit-empowered ministry focused on the family, worship, the next generation, prophetic prayer, transformational ministry (including benevolence care and vocational training), discipleship, leadership and apostolic ministry. These ministry tracks were taught by some of the region’s best-known ministry leaders, as well as those from around the world. Each day, all nine ministry track sessions were standing room only and packed to overflowing.
“What a privilege it was to be able to share ministry knowledge with so many who seemed to hang on every word,” said Mark McClendon, CEO of CBN Southeast Asia. “Clearly, this was a time of impartation.”
At one point in the ministry track on apostolic ministry, Empowered21 leaders, including Njotorahardjo, Wilson and Tim Hill, general overseer of the Church of God and Empowered21 Global Council member, prayed for thousands in the large auditorium, one by one.
The main sessions were filled with powerful delivery of the Word of God by some of the best-known speakers in the Spirit-empowered world.
Some of those joining Wilson, Khong and Njotorahardjo as keynote speakers included Russell Evans, senior pastor of Planetshakers Church in Melbourne, Australia and Empowered21 Oceania Co-chair; Daniel Kolenda, president of Christ for All Nations and co-chair of the E21 Global Evangelist Alliance; Cindy Jacobs, co-founder of Generals International and Empowered21 Global Council member; Scott Wilson, senior pastor at the Oaks in Dallas, Texas, and co-chair of the Empowered21 USA cabinet; and Dennis Balcombe, founder of Revival Chinese Ministries International in Hong Kong and member of the Empowered21 Asia cabinet.
Evans reminded delegates why God wants to pour out his Holy Spirit on all people, including teens and young adults. “God is releasing the fire throughout the earth to bring people closer to Himself and to release His power,” said Evans.
“This generation is the generation that can finish the Great Commission. This generation has the skills, the technology and the anointing,” said Hill.
Kolenda reminded those in attendance that “to be great and have significant impact, we must have an authentic experience with the Holy Spirit.”
“The historic gathering of the body here in Jakarta will bring about the greatest outpouring of the Spirit the world has ever seen,” said Jacobs. “Greater authority is coming to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Great faith, great authority and greater outpouring.”
Scott Wilson emphasized to the crowd that “to be a part of the third Pentecost, you don’t have to be talented or rich. Just wake up every day asking the Lord, ‘What would you like me to do? Where would you like me to go?’ Be faithful and He will make you fruitful.”
“Our message is to preach the gospel to every ethnic group on the planet to usher in the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ,” said Balcombe.
A strong voice from the Philippines, Jerome Ocampo, Pastor of Jesus’ Flock Gateway Church in the Philippines and member of the Asia cabinet, focused on the fact that “our greatest challenge is not church growth, preaching, nor teaching, but to wake up the sleeping giant of the next generation, the greatest generation.”
It was clear, observing the altar call in the final service, that new ministries were born which have the potential to transform Asia and the world.
“After eight years of Empowered21 meetings around the world, this 2018 Asia Congress is the largest in our history and will have kingdom impact far beyond our years, said Dr. Billy Wilson. “I would like to take this opportunity to invite the entire Spirit-empowered community to join us in Jerusalem, May 31 to June 3, 2020 for the Empowered21 Global Congress: Experience Pentecost in the Land of Pentecost.”
The next Empowered21 regional event is set for June 5 to 7, 2019 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. For information on all Empowered21 events, please go to Empowered21.com.
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