By: Mojmir Kallus, ICEJ VP for International Affairs

With global travel at a standstill and countries in lockdown due to the Corona pandemic, it would seem the work of the ICEJ’s international department would be on hold. But the opposite is true, as we have been busier than ever over recent months.

The Christian Embassy was quick to launch online prayer meetings which reach thousands of people, and our offices around the world have played a key role. Our representatives invited local pastors and ministries to participate, which significantly raised awareness of our ministry in many parts of the world. It is fair to say the ICEJ has never had such a strong global presence, thanks to our dedicated network of more than 90 national offices on all continents. They form the backbone of strength for our ministry, and we are grateful for these faithful leaders from many backgrounds.

We also quickly discovered that online meetings are easily accessible even to people in poor and remote areas; instead of spending large sums for travel many cannot afford, they just join us by computer from home. A perfect example was ICEJ’s International Leadership Conference which was held in May, completely online, with more countries participating than ever before. The feedback suggests we accomplished our goal of informing, teaching and strengthening our bonds as a global family.

Such positive, productive experiences inspired us to start holding regional Zoom conferences. They have already been held for Northern Europe, South-Eastern Europe, South-East Asia, and our French, Spanish and Russian speaking branches, and more are to come. These regional Zoom conferences will supplement or replace regional conferences on the ground and enable more frequent exchange. They result in more corporate prayer, sharing of good practices and ideas, and coordination of events and projects between our offices. Dedicated Zoom licenses were procured for our global network so each regional leader can now schedule their own national or regional meetings.

I am convinced some online elements will remain an integral part of our ministry even after global travel is restored. The Lord has inspired us to pursue creative solutions which make our ministry even more efficient and relevant.