Several leading California-based Chinese mission groups unite in effort to hold a Mission & Prayer Conference in Los Angeles.

At least 150 people, including both believers and ministers from Chinese churches from mainly California, will be attending a Mission & Prayer Conference at the Mandarin Baptist Church of Pasadena in Arcadia, Los Angeles, on March 9-11.

Organized by USA Care Ministries International (CMI) for the last two years, this will be the first time CMI partners with the other Chinese mission organizations based in Southern California to organize the conference. The other groups involved are Chinese Coordination Center of World Evangelism (CCCOWE), Mission in China International (MICI), Global Life Enrichment Center, Gospel Operation International for Chinese Christians (Go Int’l), The Sowers international, Campus Evangelical Fellowship USA and others.

The aim of the conference is inform Christians more about the situation of world mission field, so that they are inspired to respond to God’s calling and to raise the prayer awareness for world mission. The slogan of the conference is "Do missions without forgetting prayers; pray without forgetting missions," reminding all Christians that missions and prayer cannot be separated.

Rev. & Mrs. Allen Swanson were invited as main speakers. They were missionaries in Taiwan for 27 years and experts in church growth. Rev Swanson will focus more on missions while Mrs Swanson will share more about prayers. The other keynote speakers include the CCCOWE executive director designate Rev Morley Lee, CCCOWE USA director Rev David Chi, Go Int’l USA chairman Rev. Jeffrey Lee and others.

Chinese churches in the United States are very active in sending missionaries overseas. In the recent years, short term missions have been increasing. However, one of the biggest challenges for North American churches is that many people are very busy. Even though many of them have the burden and have once responded to God’s calling, they may find it difficult to make determination to engage in long-term missions, according to Rev Lee from USA CMI.

As a result, mid-term missions have been introduced. Those who have the passion for world missions but could not afford the time for long-term position may try on a 3-month program each time. For the same mission field, two to three teams take turn to station there and the mission works can thus be sustained.

This is the very first time the major mission organizations in Southern California cooperate together to organize a mission and prayer conference, around 40 people have gathered to discuss and pray together. USA CMI wishes that many more opportunities may be opened in the future.