CDI Staff

2025 Asia Theological Association Triennial General Assembly

‘Disciple or die’: Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum closes with call to action for churches across Asia

The Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum concluded Friday evening in Seoul with a solemn and hopeful call to rededicate the Church in Asia to Jesus Christ and his commission to make disciples. The three-day gathering, held June 11–13 under the theme “Disciple or Die 2,” brought together evangelical leaders from across the continent for strategic collaboration on advancing disciple-making as the central focus of Christian mission.

‘We must not lose the generations’: Gwen De Rozario outlines family discipleship strategy at Asia evangelical forum

Gwen De Rozario, Executive Director of the Family & Children Commission of the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), presented a detailed strategy report at the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum in Seoul on Friday (June 13), calling on church leaders across the continent to prioritize family discipleship as a central method for long-term church growth and generational continuity.

‘Give us the 20, we will give you the 500,000’: Youth leaders propose bold discipleship strategy at Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum

At the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF) in Seoul this week, younger leaders outlined an ambitious strategy to mobilize and mentor a new generation of disciple-makers. As part of one of the four key thrusts of the forum—Youth Empowerment—two co-leaders presented their findings and vision to fellow delegates, arguing that young people are not only receptive to the gospel but are uniquely positioned to catalyze spiritual renewal in their communities.

‘Now is the time’: Evangelical media expert urges Church in Asia to harness AI for the Great Commission

In a sweeping keynote address on the morning of the second day of the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF), Mark McClendon, Regional Director for CBN Southeast Asia & South Korea, called on Christian leaders to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) not as a threat but as a God-given opportunity for the global Church to complete the Great Commission.

‘Disciple-making cannot be optional’: Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum urges churches to embrace Jesus’ final command

As church growth stagnates in many parts of the world, evangelical leaders at the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF) in Seoul issued a clear call to return to the core mandate of the Christian faith: making disciples.

‘He doesn’t call us to perform—he calls us to follow’: Sri Lankan leader challenges Asian evangelicals at Seoul forum

At the opening ceremony of the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF), Sri Lankan evangelical leader Jerome Yasodan Rasiah delivered a passionate and challenging address, calling on Asian church leaders to embrace the call of discipleship with radical obedience, daily renewal, and gospel-centered innovation.

Photos from opening day of Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum in Seoul

A selection of photos from the opening session of the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum on June 11 in Seoul, South Korea, on the theme “Disciple or Die 2.” The event, hosted by the Asia Evangelical Alliance, brought together about 100 leaders from over 20 countries for a three-day working forum focused on renewing the Church’s commitment to discipleship.

Asian evangelical leadership forum opens in Seoul with renewed call for discipleship: 'Every season, God creates a new movement'

With a clear and urgent call to renew commitment to discipleship amid a rapidly changing global landscape, the Asia Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF) officially opened Wednesday in Seoul, South Korea. Organized by the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), the three-day gathering brought together approximately 100 evangelical leaders from over 20 countries across Asia for prayer, strategy, and collaboration under the theme: “Disciple or Die 2.0.”

‘Christians must sing to the [communist] party before praising Jesus’: worship restrictions intensify in China

Churches affiliated with China’s state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement have effectively been required to sing a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) anthem before the closing benediction in Sunday worship services, according to recent reports. The mandate has sparked serious concern, as it is viewed not merely as a formal adjustment but as a deliberate shift intended to displace God from the center of worship and replace Him with loyalty to the Communist Party.

Asian Evangelical Leadership Forum themed ‘Disciple or Die 2.0’ to open in South Korea, renewing urgency for mission mobilization

Evangelical leaders from across Asia will gather in South Korea beginning Wednesday (June 11) for the Asian Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF), convened under the theme “Disciple or Die 2.0,” a continuation of the urgent call to discipleship and mission from earlier gatherings. Hosted at Antioch Center near Seoul, the three-day forum is organized by the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA) and will serve as a strategic platform for accelerating discipleship movements across the continent.

Digital Shadows: How terror groups in Nigeria and the Sahel leverage social media, AI, and drones

In April, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) - an offshoot of Boko Haram and an affiliate of the Islamic State in parts of Nigeria and the Sahel - deployed four armed drones carrying grenades in an attempted attack on a military base in Borno, northeast Nigeria. This was the first time the proscribed group was using drones for direct attacks, a step-up from surveillance and reconnaissance cases.