A LETTER FROM RWANDA
Report back on GAFCON from our Presiding Bishop, Glen Lyons:
Two weeks ago our Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of Southern Africa and George Whitefield College delegations were able to join together with 1,300 bishops, clergy and laity in a united stand on the unchanging Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The event was GAFCON IV, the fourth gathering of the Global Anglican Future Conference.
Beginning in 2008, this movement has grown to represent more than 75% of the Anglican world. Gafcon and its 5 yearly GAFCON conferences have become a home for Anglicans who hold to the “faith once for all committed to the saint” and provides a platform for us to express our united opposition to the ongoing revisionist agenda of liberal Anglican leaders. The most recent example being the failure of the Church of England General Synod, who voted (with a disturbingly overwhelming majority from the house of bishops) to authorize same sex blessings in churches.
This latest canonization of sin has only served to galvanize the faithful in their resolve to stand firm on the Scriptures. God’s Word and not public opinion is our directive in the outworking of the Gospel of Grace.
Our REACH and GWC teams were overwhelmed by the warmth of welcome and happy interest in the work of our churches and college in South Africa. Many good friendships were formed.
Providentially, some of our ministers were even given a slot to share on their ministries during the conference. There was a very encouraging response to our ministries in Southern Africa.
The weeklong conference culminated in the Kigali Commitment, which has sent a strong message of our uncompromising Biblical orthodoxy to the rest of the Anglican world. We are glad to be part of a global body of churches who hold to the Authority of Scripture, the Supremacy of Christ and the Reformation foundations of our Anglican faith.
One final highlight for us was the GAFCON leadership officially recognizing REACH -Southern Africa as an authentically Anglican “province”. This will have good implications for our global partnerships and widen the reach of GWC in student recruitment. It will also mean that our Presiding Bishop will have a seat at the Primates Council and serve as part of the leadership of GAFCON.
It is true that GAFCON member churches span the three strands of orthodox Anglicanism, namely, Charismatic, Evangelical and High Church. Although there are secondary differences between us, we have found good fellowship with those who hold to our common Reformation faith and doctrines.
May the Lord increase our Gospel voice to the nations and grow His church through these turbulent and testing times.
