Fourteen thousand people from 49 nations convened in Asia for a single purpose: to unite the Spirit-filled movement across Asia in order to focus resources on the harvest.
Now that the dust has settled on the Empowered21 Asia Congress, a four-day event that ended on Oct. 29, Christian leaders are speaking out about what they experienced in Jakarta, Indonesia last week and what it means for the global church.
“I believe those who were present received the fire of revival and will bring that fire to the nations,” said Empower21 Asia host Pastor Niko Njotorahardjo, senior pastor of Gereja Bethel Indonesia and co-chair of the Empowered21 Asia Cabinet. “This fire of revival was initiated by prayer, praise and worship and unity over the past four days.”
Marilyn Hickey, who recently celebrated her 80th birthday, also made the trip to Jakarta. She called the event “wonderful.”
“Its vision and passion has really touched my heart. I feel this is a destiny time,” Hickey said. “I see all of these people from all over Asia and I know they are going to go back home with a fresh anointing and in ‘attack mode.’”
Kong Hee, pastor of City Harvest Church Singapore, said the church needs to stay relevant to our culture. But, he added, more than ever we need the power of the Holy Spirit. And David Mohan, pastor of New Life Assembly of God in Chennai, India, said “Empowered21 Asia is a unifying tool in the hands of God that is bringing together Christian leaders from all over Asia to see the move of God in the 21st Century.”
Beyond pastors, media leaders were at the event both to report and to get empowered. Mark McClendon, who serves as president of CBN in Indonesia said, “Empowered21 Asia shows me that Asia, and Indonesia in particular, has a huge role to play in the end time harvest.”
Marketplace influencers were also on hand at Empower21 Asia. Mart Green, CEO of Mardel Christian and Education stores in the U.S., revealed that the conference changed his perspective on business.
“Before Empowered21 I saw Asia through a business lens and it was only a place where we came to buy merchandise for our stores but now my eyes have been opened and I see the Holy Spirit at work in Asia,” Green said.
Ricardo Sanchez, international worship leader and Christian recording artist compared Empower21 Asia to a transfer zone of cultures and generations—and noted that the transfer zone is the place where the baton is passed in a relay.
“The danger in a relay is not running with the baton but rather the transfer of the baton in the transfer zone,” Sanchez said. “That is where the baton sometime gets dropped and that is the most dangerous and yet most successful place.”
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