August 2005
The Croydon Declaration
Mission Leaders Express Regret
Representatives of more than 20 mission agencies, meeting at the Missions Interlink Connextions conference in Sydney July 12-14, have released the following statement:
“We declare that our role is to affirm the churches’ primary responsibility in mission ministry and to assist the churches in their fulfilment of the great commission.
“We acknowledge that there have been many instances in which mission agencies have assumed a role in regard to the approval, equipping, sending and pastoral care of missionaries that biblically belongs to the home church. There have been times when agencies have ignored the opinions of and neglected to seek the counsel of churches whose members have applied to join one of our agencies.
“We express our sincere regret for the tendency of many mission agencies in past years to ignore or supplant the rights of churches in regard to mission efforts.
“We commit to work together, in partnership with local churches and each other, to support the church in reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Supported by the following agencies represented at the conference:
Australian Indigenous Ministries Australian Missionary Fellowship
AZTEM Inc CWCI
Global Training Ministries Global Recordings Network Australia
INF Australia International Teams
IN Network Australia (International Needs) Interserve Australia Inc
Jews for Jesus Middle East Christian Outreach
Mission Partners - the Australian Presbyterian World Mission
New Tribes Mission – Australia OMF International Australia
SIM Australia Steer Incorporated
The Leprosy Mission Australia WEC Australia
Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia