From March 17th to 20th, 2016, was held in Dugan Khad Resort the first Lay Congress in Mongolia Mission (MM). Around 150 attendees came from all over the country to be trained, share their experiences, receive spiritual encouragement and to overcome together by faith their local missionary challenges.
The Bible says that “all the believers were ONE in heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). With the theme “Нэгдмэл Нэгж” (Negdmel Negj), which literally means “United units”, with the idea of “Become One Body”, the biggest aim of this meeting was gather leaders (pastors/elders) and church lay members in order to training and empowering them to accomplish their ministry whole-hearted and totally fulfill God’s Mission.
“With this Lay Congress, we are emphasizing Small Group Ministries in MM. I am convinced by the Bible that Small Groups are the key for Church Growth, Outreach, Fellowship and Discipleship”, said Pr. Bold Batsukh, the MM Executive Secretary.
All departments of the church were fully engaged as well, presenting relevant seminars/workshops for distinct groups, 8 in total. Despite of the variety of spiritual gifts and ministries, each one of us have been served the same Lord, we have only one purpose and only one mission, namely, preach the gospel and make disciples according to the Great Commission in Mathew 28:19-20. That’s why MM fully believes we must put “Mission First in All Activities to Reach the World”, and we made it during this training.
The church members and local leaders also had the opportunity to participate in a Forum, asking some questions to the pastors and also expressing their own point of views, based on the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, about some relevant theological, ecclesiastical and missiological issues.
“The Lay Congress was remarkable for me. I learned that when we share the gospel with our ‘neighbor’, our faith also revived, because the more you give the more you receive to share. So, be a witness to the truth, as Jesus has commanded us, must be our lifestyle”, said Otgoo, a Mongolian youngster who was recently baptized on August, 2015, in SDA Maranatha Church, in Ulaanbaatar.
“One of the biggest challenges the Church has faced nowadays is how to move from a stagnant membership model to a ‘new paradigm’, which actually comes from the Early Church, the ‘discipleship model’, said Pr. Yure Gramacho, who is in charge of MM Sabbath School/Personal Ministries. Our church members must realize that their duty doesn’t end in church attendance at all. We really need the power of the Holy Spirit as well as 100% of engagement in order to SEEK the “lost sheep”, the “lost coin” and the “lost son”.
Discipleship, this is what Total Member Involvement is all about; this is what we are looking for as our main goal in Mongolia Mission!
By Yure Gramacho – MM Sabbath School & Personal Ministries Director