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AMCF world conferences have been held every decade during years ending in "4" since 1984. Since that year, gatherings of military Christians have been held twice in South Korea, and once each in the U.S. and South Africa. The most recent world conference, held in Cape Town in 2014, saw almost 600 military and spouses from some 86 countries gather together for prayer, worship, and teaching.
This past October, the fourteen vice presidents of the Association of Military Christian Fellowships (AMCF) met with the AMCF president in a "Quinquennial" meeting to discuss ministry issues and pray for one another. After meeting with the three Principal Supporting Organizations and a representative of the AMCF vice presidents, the president announced plans for an AMCF world conference to be held in 2024. The AMCF vice president for South America offered to organize the event, which is scheduled to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
AMCF world conferences are times of great encouragement that bring together military men and women from every corner of the world who trust and worship Jesus Christ as Savior. Under the banner, "All one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28), active and retired military bridge the gaps that often divide nations and cultures, and they visibly and powerfully demonstrate the unity for which Christ prayed the night before He suffered for us. (Jn 17:20-23). There is nothing quite like hearing the Lord's Prayer humbly lifted up in 100 languages!
Since October, there have been several Pray and Plan meetings for the 2024 conference with representatives from 8 nations, requiring interpretation in Portuguese, Spanish, and Korean. These sessions have involved extensive prayer for a number of important needs surrounding the conference including:
- Unity in the Holy Spirit, thankfulness, guidance, discernment, and wisdom;
- Help to claim God's promises in Scripture;
- Control of the COVID 19 Pandemic before the 2024 conference;
- Help for world economies to recover and post-pandemic travel policies that will enable MCF members to attend;
- Inspiration and vision among MCFs to encourage one another as they plan for the conference;
- Empowerment for Brazil's MCF to plan effectively in the midst of the pandemic; and
- Guidance in the formation of partnerships to accomplish the work.
Prayer groups have already been organized across South America. In addition, the AMCF president has tasked his AMCF vice presidents to share the vision for the conference with their MCFs, to identify key future leaders within their MCFs and begin raising financial support so that they can participate. The next Pray and Plan session is set for late September, and the frequency of such sessions will increase as we approach 2024.
Please pray with military Christians around the world that God's grace will guide the Pray and Plan team groups as they focus on the many details involved in preparing for such a conference. Pray that God's goals for the gathering will be clear, that they will be accomplished, and that effective, lasting partnerships will be forged to continue His work after the conference.
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