Conference Statements

GAFCON: Global Anglicans

GAFCON I Statement - Jerusalem 2008

The historic first conference was held in the city of Jerusalem in 2008. At this conference, Gafcon was inaugurated as a worldwide movement of bible-believing orthodox Anglicans committed to guard and proclaim the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ in a changing world. 

The participants expressed their:

i. loyalty as disciples to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus;  

ii. joyful embrace of his command to proclaim the reality of his kingdom which he first announced in this land;

iii. acknowledgement that the gospel of the kingdom is the good news of salvation, liberation and transformation for all;  

And, in light of the above, they agreed to chart a way forward together that promotes and protects the biblical gospel and mission to the world, solemnly declaring the tenets of orthodoxy which underpin our Anglican identity.

GAFCON II Statement - Nairobi 2013

Gafcon 2013 in Nairobi involved a number of delegates meeting to discuss the theme of ‘Gospel and Culture’. At the end of this mini-conference, they produced a document identifying the need to reach the ‘West’ with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Recognising our unity in the gospel, partnerships between churches in the ‘West’ and in the Global South are identified as vital for this task as are prayer, godly living, courage and a reliance on the Spirit of God to work through the Word of God.

GAFCON III Statement - Jerusalem 2018 ​

The third Gafcon conference was held in Jerusalem in June 2018, a decade after the inaugural Gafcon in 2008. Gafcon 2018, one of the largest global Anglican gatherings, brought together 1,950 representatives from 50 countries, including 316 bishops, 669 other clergy and 965 laity. A unanimity of spirit was reflected throughout the Conference as we met with God in the presence of friends from afar. We celebrated joyful worship, engaged in small group prayer and were inspired by presentations, networks and seminars.

We met together around the theme of “Proclaiming Christ Faithfully to the Nations”. Each day began with common prayer and Bible exposition from Luke 22-24, followed by plenary sessions on God’s Gospel, God’s Church and God’s World.

GAFCON IV Statement - Kigali 2023

Gafcon 2023 met in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together 1,302 delegates from 52 countries, including 315 bishops, 456 other clergy and 531 laity.

Our conference theme for 2023 ‘To Whom Shall We Go?’ (John 6:68), along with our Bible studies in the Letter to the Colossians, focused our attention on Jesus, the one in whom all the fullness of God dwells in bodily form, the Lord of all creation and the head of his body, the church (Colossians 1:15-19; 2:9). 

We were reminded that the purpose and mission of the church is to make known to a lost world the glorious riches of the gospel by proclaiming Christ crucified and risen, and living faithfully together as his disciples. 

Our Mission is to guard the unchanging, transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ and to proclaim Him to the world. 

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