The Asia-Pacific Region recently held a series of strategic meetings with Dr. Jerry D. Porter, jurisdictional general superintendent. “We participated in a number of inspiring conversations about the region and its work,” said Dr. Porter. “The Asia-Pacific Region is composed of a great team, and Verne Ward [regional director] is giving exceptional leadership.”

Seventy-nine leaders representing 18 nations gathered for the second Asia-Pacific Regional District Superintendents’ Conference with the theme “Servant Leadership: Developing Christlike Leaders in the Asian and Pacific Contexts.” Simultaneous translation was provided in five languages. Together Dr. Porter and his wife, Toni, led the participants in a concert of prayer. He also addressed them on the mission of the church, conducted a healing service, and served communion.

Six of the district superintendents from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and the Philippines shared inspirational messages, each of which was followed by all participants joining dialog groups to discuss the content of the presentation. They also met in field strategy groups to consider practical implementation of the concepts. “I was honored to lead one of the dialog groups,” Dr. Porter said. “It allowed me to interact in a small group with each of the district superintendents and other key leaders. The productivity was superb.”

Dr. Porter addressed the Asia-Pacific Region field strategy and regional office ministry coordinators and then conducted a visionary discussion. The next day he met again with the field strategy coordinators in conversation about integral ways Asia-Pacific is engaged in mission and about their participation in the World Evangelism Fund. The new Funding the Mission plan is based on all 24,000+ churches around the world participating in giving 5.5 percent of income less missions offerings to this lifeline of the church.

A special highlight of the week for Dr. and Mrs. Porter was spending an evening with the MKs (missionary kids). Having served a previous term as the jurisdictional general superintendent for Asia-Pacific, he discovered seven years later that the toddler and primary school MKs he had met before are now “star basketball players.” “We had a great, fun time together,” he said. Dr. Porter is an MK himself, the son of missionaries Bill and Juanita Porter, who served in Puerto Rico.

Along with the Asia-Pacific Regional Advisory Council, Dr. Porter witnessed the interview process for three regional missionary couples, two Korean and one American, who are currently serving in Tonga and the Philippines. He also held productive conversations with the Boards of Trustees of Nazarene Theological College in Brisbane, Australia, where he celebrated their innovative delivery systems to touch more students, and Myanmar Nazarene Theological College, where he also spoke in chapel. “I was deeply impressed with the very sharp, committed young ministerial students,” he said in Myanmar. Women compose about half of the student body there.

In addition to these regional meetings, Dr. Porter conducted district assemblies in Fiji, Australia, and Myanmar. In Myanmar the highlight was the Silver Jubilee Celebration of the work of the Church of the Nazarene there, which was commemorated by the unveiling of a ten-foot concrete and tile sign. The Porters met with pastors in Australia and Myanmar, leading concerts of prayer and challenging them to move from addition to multiplication in their churches, with each church starting a new church.

“I praise the Lord for this productive trip to the Asia-Pacific Region,” said Dr. Porter. “It is a delight to serve with the team there.”