The Antioch Summit is the annual conference organized by Antioch21. First and foremost, it is God’s appointment with us.
“See you at the Summit” is God’s invitation to us to gather and meet with Him.
The name Antioch is rich with biblical and missional significance. It was the city where God’s people learned about God’s heart for the nations: that the good news of Jesus is truly good news for all people (Jew and Gentile). The church at Antioch was the first recorded multi-ethnic church that devoted itself to Jesus through worship, prayer and fasting (Acts 13:1-3). This was also the church where the Holy Spirit said to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the work the Spirit had called them to. The Antioch church responded with fasting, prayer and the laying on of hands, and sent off the first missionary pair on the first mission journey into unreached peoples and places.
We are inspired by the Antioch church as a model for the church in Singapore and for the Antioch Summit.
The Summit denotes the top of a mountain. Jesus once went up a mountain, gathered to Himself those whom He desired, and He appointed 12 as His apostles (“the sent ones”) that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach (Mark 3:13-14). The Summit is that mountain-top where we gather to encounter Jesus and receive His call to GO into the nations for His glory.
These are our guiding scripture texts for the Summit program.
It begins with the Church. On Thursday 3 October morning and afternoon, we invite pastors, missions elders and leaders to a Leader’s Track to cast a biblical vision of an Antioch Church. Antioch21 will present strategic initiatives to help local churches launch a missions force to the least reached peoples and places.
The Opening night (Thursday 3 October) is an Antioch Prayer Assembly.
We will gather ‘up the mountain’ (at the summit) to be with Jesus: To behold His beauty, the beauty of His bride the Church, and the glory of what He is doing among the nations. Like the Antioch church, we will gather to worship our glorious King.
Friday (4 October) marks the full day of the Main Conference. At the morning plenary, we will embark on our vision-journey. We will learn about how God has been on the move, working through His church to spread the gospel of Jesus from Antioch to Antioch.
Our vision-journey will continue throughout the day from Antioch to the Nations, with four special features to explore
On Friday evening, we will assemble up the mountain once more for a time of Consecration, as the Spirit calls. For all who hear the voice of Jesus to get sent out, this will be the time to dedicate ourselves, and to pray for one another. We will do this while surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.
On Saturday (5 October) morning, we will have come down from the Summit with the presence of God, ready for the journey ahead. There will be time dedicated for you to share with others from the same church community what God has placed on your hearts. At the closing plenary, you’ll receive spiritual advice and concrete next steps that you can take for your missions journey into the nations.
See you at the Summit!