Global South Mission Leaders Advocate for Collaborative Missionary Networks

At the COALA 4.0 conference held in Singapore from October 5-7, 2026, mission leaders from Asia, Africa, and Latin America discussed the shifting landscape of global evangelism. The Rev. Jonas Kang, chairman of the COALA network, reported that missionaries from the Global South now account for approximately 61% of the global total, numbering roughly 277,000 compared to 178,000 from the Global North. Kang argued that these churches should establish independent frameworks to host and oversee one another's missionaries, noting that many nations now function simultaneously as both mission fields and mission-sending forces.

During his address, Kang emphasized that mission work should be centered on the local church and empowered by the Holy Spirit rather than financial resources. He utilized the metaphor of a midwife to describe the missionary’s role, suggesting they should assist local churches rather than act as the primary source of spiritual growth. The conference, which concluded with the release of the Singapore Statement, highlighted a growing focus on reaching unengaged people groups, aligning with the movement's foundational principles established at its 2024 launch in Bangkok.