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LOME, Togo – The Mission Society has opened a new chapter in its commitment to global gospel outreach as it hosted the International Mobilization Conference Dec. 9-13, its first such gathering for French-speaking African nations, in Lome, Togo. The event focused on training church leaders to reach their own people groups in the socially and politically unstable region of West Africa.

“God is calling us to break our hearts for the lost,” said Michael Mozley, senior director of international mobilization of The Mission Society. “One of the things that we experience in the church is that when we begin to build a church, we focus inwardly, rather than understanding what God’s commission is and what God is really longing for.

"We forget that the whole purpose of the church is to have a place for believers to come as well as be trained to go out to reach others, to reach the lost,” Mozley said.

The International Mobilization Conference is part of The Mission Society’s continued efforts to train pastors and lay leaders in biblical truth and ignite a passion for missions. Non-Westerners being empowered and trained to take on the mantle of missions is of increasing importance as many of the world’s unreached areas are closing to Western Christian workers. International Mobilization Conferences, like this one in Togo, have previously been conducted in Brazil, Ghana, and India.

The event, which was taught in French, was held at the Presbyterian Retreat Center in Bagbe, 35 kilometers outside of Lome. It drew attendees from Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, and Cameroon.

This region of the globe is known for its instability. The overall social and political landscape is fragile, with new governments emerging in Benin and Nigeria, climate and food crises in Mali and Niger, and refugees of the ongoing conflict in Ghana seeking asylum in Togo. The region has also been bombarded with record natural disasters.

The Rev. Dr. Esaho Kipuke, a missionary with a vibrant ministry throughout the country, served as conference host.

“People love to go, but are they prepared to go?” Kipuke said. “This conference is about making them prepared with principles and practical steps to mobilize the church. When we take the message of the gospel cross-culturally, we must take the essence of the message and leave 'ourselves' behind.

"If we confuse the gospel with our culture, we will offend people culturally, and they will miss the life-changing message of Jesus Christ,” Kipuke said.