April 01, 1999 by

International Evangelical Leaders Uniting for Global Evangelism in the 21st Century

"God showed up" when an International Committee of mission leaders met in Texas, seeking how they might coordinate globally. It was a follow- up to the Norway meeting (MF News 3-4/99).

Dallas, Texas, USA

Representatives of the major international evangelical networks met in Dallas, Texas, August 25-27, 1999 to complete the development of a new framework for cooperation into the new millennium. The meeting, a scheduled follow-on to a March 1999 consultation in Norway, was called by the AD2000 and Beyond Movement, the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, and the World Evangelical Fellowship.

Building on a previously agreed set of core values, the participants worked for three days in a community atmosphere of prayer. From an intense discussion of benefits and obstacles, they discovered several priority functions of a global movement focusing on discipling the nations. After much further deliberation, the proceedings came to a halt, as the conferees realized they needed to truly hear from God. They asked, "Where is the leading of the Holy Spirit?" An extended pause for prayer brought several words from the Lord, and a new spirit of unity. As one participant said, "God showed up. It's that simple."

The outcome of the meeting was the formation of a team with a two-year mandate to create a viable, servant-spirited, low profile entity serving the Church of Christ worldwide and facilitating the fulfillment of the Great Commission. This new body is committed to more intentional regional and functional network cooperation and collaboration. The team consists of a representative International Committee, with a smaller Facilitation Group.

Participants united in prayer, asking God for humility, faith, boldness, vision, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. They have requested prayer support and input from God's people around the world as they pursue this process. The Facilitation Group met for the first time on August 28, 1999 and set in motion the next development steps. AD2000

Youth With a Mission Appoints New President

Auckland, New Zealand

Frank Naea will accept the responsibility from Jim Stier in autumn of 2000 at YWAM's 40th anniversary celebration in Auckland, New Zealand. The president is a rotating position nominated by Loren Cunningham, founder and chairman of YWAM International.

A native of New Zealand, Naea is part Samoan and part Maori. He will be the first non-white person to lead YWAMquite fitting since YWAM is becoming increasingly non-Western in makeup. According to YWAMer magazine (10/98-1/99), they have more than 4,000 non-Western staff which make up 43 percent of their 10,622 long-term staff.

Naea spent about ten years working in YWAM's discipleship ministry. Over 35 percent of its ministry is focused on training, with the most notable project being the popular Discipleship Training School. In 1997 alone, YWAM attracted 32,000 students and short-term workers.

YWAM also has significant numbers involved in evangelism (18 percent), mercy ministry (12 percent) and church planting (10 percent). About 1,650 staff (16 percent of their workforce) are stationed in the 10/40 Window, an increase of 1,000 in six years.

"My focus," says Naea, "will probably be in three areas: the indigenous, women and the next generation."

Veteran U.S. Center Servant and Missionary to Japan Passes On

San Gabriel, California

Jane Buswell Foxwell, 80, veteran missionary to Japan and recent worker at the U.S. Center for World Mission, died on May 26, 1999 in San Gabriel, California after a short illness of 2 1/2 weeks.

Jane was the eldest daughter of Wheaton College's third president, Dr. J. Oliver Buswell Jr., and it was from Wheaton that Jane graduated in 1941 with a degree in Christian Education. She took nurse's training at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, and served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II.

After the war, Jane and her husband, Phil, served as missionaries to Japan for 31 years. In 1979, they returned from the field and served at the USCWM for the 20 succeeding years. Jane regularly assisted in the U.S. Center's Mission Resource Center and taught a weekly Bible class for Japanese women.

She was also known as "the lovely assistant to The Amazing Foxwell," since she faithfully helped her husband, a master magician, who has used his slight-of-hand in evangelistic and missions presentations for 50 years. Jane was a fervent intercessor for unreached peoples and an avid supporter of the Global Prayer Digest.

She is survived by her husband, Phil, three daughters and one son, two brothers and a sister, and 14 grandchildren.