Since Jesus calls Christians to make disciples of all nations, in this blog we'll consider how we might better share the gospel to the world around us.
In 1934, representatives of Germany’s Protestant churches gathered in Wuppertal, Barmen, and wrote a letter to the German people on the unity of the church and its freedom in Jesus Christ. We remember this modest text because of its situation — it accused the official church of Nazi Germany, the Reichskirche, of error.
The Theological Declaration Concerning the Present Situation of the German Church, without naming the Nazis, holds that the Fuhrerprinzip is incompatible with Christianity (Book of Confessions, 8.12). It avers that the Church does not orient itself based on “prevailing ideologies and political convictions” (8.18). At its most forceful, it says: “We reject the false doctrine, as though the State, over and beyond its special commission, should and could become the single and totalitarian order of human life, thus fulfilling the Church's vocation as well” (8.23).
Few German Protestants opposed the Nazis — only about 10% of German ministers were members of the Confessing Church. And the drafters made clear that Barmen was a theological document, not a political one. Wilhelm Niemöller, whose brother Martin was amongst the Barmen drafters, wrote in 1956: “The confessing Church has never, neither during Hitler’s reign nor afterwards, made a point of being understood as a ‘resistance movement,’ or as an ‘opposition,’ or as a ‘front.’ It wanted to witness the one Word in our world and time.”
In preparing a new Book of Confessions for the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. in 1965 and 1966, the General Assembly’s Committee of Fifteen selected the Barmen declaration to represent modern Christendom. One member of the committee preached in his own congregation that in Barmen’s vision of life, “the church may not willingly become the victim of state power.”
The banner representing Barmen was designed by the duo Avery and Marsh, better known for their musical theater and hymns. It shows the swastika struck through and the cross rising.
McKenna Britton, Communications, Presbyterian Historical Society
Let us join in prayer for:
Teresa Bidart, Mission Specialist, Self-Development of People, Presbyterian Life & Witness Ricky Blade, Customer Service Representative, Constituent Ministry, Presbyterian Life & Witness
Let us pray:
Creator God, guide us as we seek to remain faithful to the way of Jesus Christ. Give us wisdom to recognize when faith is shaped by forces that diminish the dignity and freedom of others. Open our hearts to truth, deepen our compassion, and give us courage to follow Christ’s call with humility and love. Amen.
Mr. Dag Hammarskjold (Provided by Presbyterian Ministry at the U.N.)
Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, famously said the U.N. “was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell.”
United Nations began as a great experiment, a new hope, to save future generations from war and to maintain peace and security, to build a better world and to respect human rights. But Hammarskjöld understood that it would take great effort to overcome human frailty.
“The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and its errors, its successes and its setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned.”
Hammarskjöld lived out his commitment to God through service to the world, who saw his diplomatic mission as a calling. He was a fiercely private man who did not use his public platform to promote his views on religion. It was only after his death that his views were known in his private journal, “Markings.”
Hammarskjöld pioneered quiet diplomacy and preventive diplomacy through his understanding of human nature to overcome biases, egos and public posturing of the world leaders. In this way, he was able to diffuse major crises of his day, such as the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis.
When he was asked to step down by the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev, during the Congo Crisis, he refused, stating that the U.N.’s mandate was to protect smaller, more vulnerable countries from the predatory self-interest of the superpowers.
Tragically, Hammarskjöld died in a plane crash on Sept. 18, 1961, on his way to negotiate a ceasefire in what is now Zambia. He was a man of faith who saw his diplomatic mission as a deeply moral and spiritual calling.
“Our work for peace must begin within the private world of each one of us. To build for man a world without fear, we must be without fear. To build a world of justice, we must be just. And how can we fight for liberty if we are not free in our own minds? How can we ask others to sacrifice if we are not ready to do so?”
The United Nations will elect its 10th secretary-general this year. May she or he have the courage of conviction and vision to serve the world as our second SG (as we fondly call them).
Sue Rheem, Representative to the U.N.; Manager, Presbyterian Ministry at the U.N.; Presbyterian Life & Witness
Let us join in prayer for:
Barbara Betts, Manager, Presbyterian Distribution Services, Administrative Services Group Beverly Bewley, Customer Service Representative, Operations, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Let us pray:
Dear God, we pray that you may grant the new secretary-general a new vision and to lead the United Nations with wisdom and courage, and may we work for your justice and peace in the world. Amen.
Staff representing global programs across Presbyterian Life & Witness meet with a partner in Villa El Sol, Peru. (Photo courtesy of Jed Koball)
Global Ecumenical Liaisons (GELs) the Rev. Jed Koball and Cindy Corell recently met virtually with members of Baltimore’s Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, offering what Koball called the most important message of their presentation: “If you hear nothing else today from us, may you hear the words, ‘thank you.’”
Koball and Corell — two of the GELs serving in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s new office of Global Ecumenical Partnerships (GEP) — outlined a reimagined model of global engagement created in the wake of the closure of the PC(USA)’s World Mission in March 2025. That painful closure, Koball explained, came after “significant staff reductions” were announced in November 2024. “The money was no longer there to sustain this model of mission," he said, noting that the denomination acted when it did “in order to be able to provide those severance packages for mission co-workers.”
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Indigenous women from the Andes Mountains in Peru. (Photo courtesy of Milagros Samillan, Lima, Peru)
“We needed to begin imagining a new model of how we’re going to engage the world and be in partnership,” Koball said. While acknowledging the pain caused by that transition and the gratitude for all who served under the previous model, Koball played a short video introducing Global Ecumenical Partnerships before Koball and Corell shared examples of the work of global ecumenical liaisons (GELs) and how this work is rooted in partnerships.
Corell, a U.S.-facing GEL, described the new office — part of the denomination’s Presbyterian Life & Witness — as staffed by 20 liaisons: 10 international-facing and 10 U.S.-facing. “All that we do continues to be rooted in partnerships,” she said, adding that Presbyterians pursue mission “with congregations, presbyteries, synods, ecumenical networks, NGOs and community-based movements.” Of the U.S.-facing GELs, several work closely with the 16 synods of the PC(USA) to connect mid councils, congregations and mission networks to the partnerships and resources of Global Ecumenical Partnerships, while others support churches and leaders within African, Middle Eastern, Latino/a/é, Native American/Indigenous, African American, Korean and Asian churches within the PC(USA). Four international-based Young Adult Volunteers, including Koball's wife, Jenny Valles, are closely aligned with the work of global partnerships.
Early in the meeting, Brown Memorial church members shared their commitments to El Salvador, Cameroon, Cuba, the Lakota people, and local ministries that aligned closely with the priorities of the GEP program. “It’s incredibly encouraging and inspiring,” Koball told the congregation. “Very helpful for us, too, as we consider how we might grow our relationship with you.”
Among several examples of global partnership, Koball highlighted work in the Andes Mountains of Peru, where PC(USA) offices collaborated to support Indigenous communities affected by climate change. He described a shared visit to the Andes with presbytery leaders and a General Assembly Co-Moderator and staff from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance,, the Presbyterian Hunger Program and the office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations.
The group traveled to “learn from indigenous peoples, particularly how climate change is impacting them and how they are responding,” Koball said. The work reflects the denomination’s goal of centering “historically marginalized voices to generate solidarity,” but it also demonstrated the collaborative way that what is now PL&W is coming together in global partnerships.
Corell lifted up work along the U.S.–Mexico border with immigrants. Joseph Russ, a U.S.-facing GEL, is one of several staff members who tell the stories of migration and advocate on immigration issues. Corell also described the work of former Intercultural Congregational Associates who now work as GELs in the U.S. She pointed to the ministry of the Rev. Irvin Porter, who serves Indigenous Presbyterian churches. “He serves in these communities … to bring the support that the Presbyterian Church can offer, but also to be there in connection and in solidarity,” she said.
Koball lifted up collaboration with the Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam and the Center for the Repair of Historic Harms. Among other initiatives, the PC(USA) is helping build a Pan-African network by connecting Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Caribbean and African American leaders demanding reparative justice. In Peru, the Center supported a conference for Afro-descendant women from across Latin America. “Our office and the Center for the Repair for Historic Harms helped make that happen,” he said.
Jon Baxter, Chief Engineer, Building Services, Administrative Services Group, A Corporation Serrita Bell, Directory of Communications and Marketing, Presbyterian Foundation
Let us pray:
Good and gracious God, thank you for the gift of life. Grant us the freedom to embrace the new thing that you are doing in our midst and employ our influence for the good of those that have none. Amen.
Advent doesn’t arrive after we’ve figured everything out.
We enter Advent carrying grief, uncertainty, strained relationships, exhaustion and questions we may not know how to answer.
That’s where the Outlook’s 2026 Advent devotional begins.
Dear Pastor: Advent Letters draws inspiration from the real questions people bring to pastors and church leaders. Through letters and thoughtful responses from a variety of voices, the devotional explores how the familiar Advent promises of hope, peace, joy and love speak into the complicated realities of our lives.
It’s an Advent devotional for people who don’t need easy answers — but do want space to listen, reflect and look for Christ in the midst of real life.
Preorders are open now. Get your copy and start planning how you’ll journey through Advent with your congregation, small group or on your own.
The WEA has recently launched Call33, an initiative grounded in local discernment and intentional cross-border collaboration.
Join us for our upcoming webinar, Collaborating Together for the Call, as we explore these two key themes and how they can strengthen our shared mission.
Join the Conversation
We will hear from Bishop Noel Pantoja, Secretary General of the Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches, who will share insights into the discernment process behind the development of the National Disciple Making Campaign for the Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches.
We will also be joined by Michael Kaspar from Vision Synergy, who will explore biblical perspectives and key principles for effective collaboration, highlighting how working together can help us fulfil our shared calling.
Wednesday, 11 November 2026
8:00 AM ET | 8:00 PM PHT | 2:00 PM CET
This gathering will be an opportunity to learn, reflect, and be inspired to strengthen partnerships and embrace collaboration as we work together to see disciples made and communities transformed.
Join us on 11 November 2026 as we explore what it means to collaborate together for the call!
We encourage you to share this invitation with your church, colleagues and ministry networks as we seek to strengthen collaboration across the global evangelical family.
Over two billion Christians in the world today are represented by three world church bodies. The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is one of those, serving more than 650 million evangelicals belonging to churches that are part of 163 national Evangelical Alliances in 9 regions. Launched in London in 1846, the WEA unites evangelicals across denominations for prayer, evangelism, mission, theological education, religious freedom, human rights advocacy, relief, and engagement in a wide range of social issues. It speaks with one voice to United Nations, governments, and media in public or through behind-the-scenes diplomacy on issues of common concern to the Church. For more information, visit worldea.org WEA has been a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1980. WEA is audited annually by an independent public accounting firm. WEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In the United States, your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
