A Reflection on Gafcon IV
Blog post by Collin Alexander (19), student at Georgia State University. Posted with permission.
Anglican Diocese of the South (ADOTS) attendees at Gafcon IV
At Gafcon IV, I was the youth delegate from the ACNA’s Diocese of the South, representing 53 churches. To serve this end, I made it my top priority to learn all that I could from fellow, global Christians in order to bring this learning back with me. I can say that what took place at Gafcon far exceeded my expectations. I had an idea in my mind, but the reality of global fellowship was awe-inspiring. Though we did not all know each other, being in the same building with 1,300 dedicated Christians created a sense of home and belonging. It was easy for people to introduce themselves to one another because we were all gathered as family, brothers and sisters in Christ. I met and created connections with Christians from all over the globe, as did many, many of our fellow attendees.
The Rev. Cn. Dr. Ashley Null and Collin at Gafcon
For me personally, I felt the Lord was working every day. Discussions with fellow attendees and learnings from seminar speakers provided me with a deeper, richer, and more mature understanding of what it means to be a Christian. The Rev. Canon Dr. Ashley Null, one of the speakers there, introduced me during a discussion we had to a verse of Scripture that has become my personal favorite, John 15:2. He, like everyone there, was not attending as a person acting as lofty as his credentials. Gafcon was where we all, laity to leadership, came together and joined in fellowship. I am immensely grateful to have been invited as a delegate, and I know that for me, Gafcon IV was a true blessing.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” — John 15:1-2
I was also touched by the harrowing stories of violent persecution against Christians across the globe. Archbishop Ben Kwashi’s telling of his personal experience with violence was tinged with humor, but the reality was very serious. In 1987, his home of Jos was struck by riots. He was warned that there was a threat against his life, and both his home and his church were destroyed by Muslim extremists in the same day, blown up by explosive devices. More recent stories of violence and even death were shared, reminders that Christians in many parts of the world risk everything to know Christ. These also serve as reminders of the dedication, faith, and strength of those Christians that grow the faith in such terrible conditions.
Collin with other young Gafcon attendees
Some attendees that I talked to came from places where their mere presence at Gafcon IV would put them in danger if discovered. It is in such places that I see a hitherto unknown desire for global work for the church. I met people that have put their lives at risk, and I see in their lives the greatest tests that a Christian can face. To love a person, who has killed your friends or your family members simply because they are Christians, is to be like Jesus. Ten minutes of conversation with the Christians that I met from places where such situations are reality, not theory, would give one the knowledge that these are people that love as Christ loves us. I respect such Christians, and I am inspired by such Christians. Before Gafcon IV, I had not seriously considered global service, but some things are not clear until they are right in front of you.
Jenny Noyes and Collin at Gafcon
–Collin Alexander (19),
Student at Georgia State University