A week-long annual conference for Chinese church ministers in North America focusing on mission has kicked-off.

The conference "Today's Challenge" is organized by the Great Commission Center International (GCCI) chaired by the respectable Chinese Christian leader Rev Dr Thomas Wang. Beginning in the evening of Dec. 26, it will close on Dec. 31 morning. The schedule is tightly-packed with bible studies, panel discussions, workshops, prayers and pastoral visits to local churches in San Francisco Bay Area.

As the venue of the Conference is set at the First Baptist Church of Menlo Park, California, it is expected to attract many Chinese chuch ministers from the West Coast.

Among all the programs in the Conference, the highlight will be the three-night renewal meetings led by Rev Thomas Wang. The meetings are opened to all people. All those who are interested can get a ticket for free at the venue and walk-in every evening on Dec. 27-29.

In the first night on Tuesday, Wang will speak on the theme "The Teachings of the History," followed by "The Past, Present and Future of Israel" in the second evening. Lastly, Wang will discuss about "Before the Second Coming of Christ" on Thursday. The language used will be Mandarin, but simultaneous translation to Cantonese is available.

This year, the Gospel Operation International for Chinese Christians, the Chinese Evangelistic Mission, Partners International, Overseas Campus Magazine, Oversea Chinese Mission, Global Life Enrichment Center and other leading Chinese mission organizations, have participated in organizing the Conference.

The Conference focuses on today's challenge in world mission as well as participation. GCCI believes that the conference will pay great contribution in mobilizing world mission initiative among the Chinese Churches in North America.

Each morning from Tuesday to Friday, participants are going to spend time for a prayer meeting to begin to day. Then they will have bible study, looking into the book of Acts led by Rev Johann Lai. A series of introduction on four different types of missionary services will be conducted by four different lectures as well.

Before lunch everyday, missionaries from South America, Africa, Asia and many other Gentile lands are invited to share their experiences so that participants may understand clearly what is today's challenge in world mission.

Programs in the afternoon will be more interactive, aiming to mobilize everyone into mission actions. On Wednesday, participants will go on prayer walks around the bay area in San Francisco. On Friday, senior pastors will lead the participants to go down to local organizations for "urban mission."

For further details of the Conference, please visit the website http://www.gcciusa.org.