An annual highlight of the General Assembly is ‘Listening to the Global Church’, where members of Assembly have the opportunity to hear from some of the Church’s overseas visitors. This year the theme was ‘From the smallest of seeds…’, which was taken from Matthew 13:32.
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Listening to the Global Church: 'From the smallest seeds...'
Helping the Church to listen to and learn from the experience of others, the speakers came from the Reformed Church of Spain, Presbyterian Church of East Africa, and the Compassion Protestant Society of National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon. Before hearing from representatives from churches and organisations in Spain, Syria and Lebanon, and Kenya, Rev Stephen McCracken, convener of the Council for Global Mission, set the context.
Mr McCracken said, “This year the theme is ‘from the smallest of seeds’, taken from Matthew 13:32. When Jesus said that, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
“A mustard seed is tiny—almost insignificant to the naked eye. If you drop it on the ground, you might lose it entirely. Yet, packed inside that microscopic speck is the genetic blueprint for something massive, sheltering, and life-giving.
“That is what Jesus’ Kingdom breaking into the world is like. It is easy to look at our own lives, our own resources, and our own small teams and think: What difference can we possibly make? But that is exactly why the church of Jesus is anchored by this promise ‘From the smallest of seeds.’”
Before the three speakers took to the platform, Mr McCracken called for the Assembly to allow ‘Listening to the Global Church’ to inspire it, stretch its vision, and remind it that a tiny seed, planted in faith, has the power to change the world. As well as hearing three brief presentations during the session, each one also included a minute of prayerful reflection.
The first presentation took the Assembly to Syria and Lebanon. Mr McCracken invited Amir Bitar, Executive Director of the Compassion Protestant Society, the humanitarian arm of the National Evangelical Church of Syria & Lebanon (NESSL), to join him on the platform for a Q&A session. NESSL, one of PCI partner churches consists of 38 congregations and 33 ministers. The General Assembly heard how difficult it is to be a Christian in the Middle East.
Setting the scene, Mr Bitar said, “In Syria there is a general sense of concern, often fear, and a feeling that there is no future for them. Christians seek to be treated equally, but feel like second class citizens.”
Mr Bitar went on to describe the situation in Lebanon, which, he said, can feel less gloomy, but there was also a sense of ‘being stuck’ in a conflict that has nothing to do with them, and yet Christians have to live with the consequences of the conflict.
Into this situation Mr Bitar highlighted what the church must do, “The church has to mirror the pain of the weakest of its members. Some congregations have been displaced, some three times. Hope is restored and then destroyed again. The role of the church is to cling to hope, but not in worldly terms. To be witness to joy and hope.”
He also spoke about the Compassion Protestant Society (CPS). He told the General Assembly that, “CPS was established in 2019 to show compassion, to reach out to those beyond the walls of the church. We try to meet practical needs by giving aid, especially in emergency situations, but we also want to be present with people, to listen to them and to show care and love – to give beyond material aid and ‘give presence’.” Mr Bitar concluded with three prayers for courage: courage to abide in hope, courage to build bridges and courage to offer what we already have.
The global focus of the session then shifted to Europe and specifically to Spain. The secretary to PCI’s Council for Global Mission (CGM), Rev Uel Marrs, described how over the past year CGM has been learning about the ministry and mission of the Reformed Church of Spain, and how he personally enjoyed the privilege of visiting with leadership in Madrid.
Introducing Rev Manuel Lopez, General Secretary of the Reformed Church of Spain (IRE), and pastor of the congregation in Almunecar, a town in southern Spain on the county’s Mediterranean coast. The General Assembly heard that the IRE, formed in the early 1970s, is a reformed, confessional and evangelical church.
Listening to the Global Church 2026
Elaborating, Mr Lopez said, “Today we consist of three congregations, a mission station and a new congregation made up of Cuban expats of Spanish origin that will be joining us in December this year. “The title ‘From the smallest of seeds’ fits us like a glove – we live and work in a country that has been an enemy of the gospel since the counter-reformation. A country that has Catholicism in its DNA. The great contradiction is that Spain is a largely secular country. Only 50% of the population considers itself Catholic and less than 20% attend mass every Sunday. But on the other hand, evangelical churches are growing, which is causing alarm in certain circles.”
Mr Lopez also asked, “How is Europe, Spain, the world, to change? How is the Kingdom to be brought in?” Turning to Luke 8:1-15, he highlighted three things: a time of planting, a period of growth and finally a time of reaping – when the Lord will finally return in glory.
He concluded by saying, “We are living in the day of small things – but the world is not going to change by an Act of Parliament, but rather, the world, our country and peoples’ lives, will be transformed by preaching the gospel of Christ.”
The General Assembly also heard from Rev John Mbae, Secretary General of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), another of PCI’s Global Mission Partners. Rev Uel Marrs welcomed Mr Mbae before interviewing him. Mr Mbae spoke of some new initiatives that PCEA have been undertaking, such as the huge decrease in vacancies in mission areas, down from 95% to 50%, due to the centralising of support for ministers. He also described the growing mission of serving the hearing impaired, with training for hearing impaired ministers at every level, and with interpreters in the university for five new students.
Mr Mbae also spoke of the challenge of alcoholism, “Alcoholism is a big challenge. We propose to ask churches to provide space within their buildings for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, to enable individuals to come and encourage each other to come out of alcoholism…It is easy to be tempted to think we can do nothing, but we must be encouraged and not despise the day of small things. To start with small seeds…”
Mr Mbae was attending the General Assembly on the 60th anniversary of the PCI-PCEA partnership in mission and described how, over 60 years, PCI had planted very small seeds which have now become big trees. He highlighted how 100,000 people have completed TEE – Theological Education by Extension, and how by serving in remote areas, global mission workers such as PCI’s Stephen and Angelina Cowan, and Gary and Mary Reid, have been doing great work for the Church and Kenya.
Before the Moderator, who for 11 years served as a missionary in Malawi, closed the session in prayer, Mr Mbae presented Dr Kerr with a banner marking “60 years of impactful partnership”.