The theme of GAFCON III is ‘Proclaiming Christ faithfully to the Nations’. Amidst all the differences between the fifty nations represented at GAFCON there is a universal recognition that in every place there can always be a drift away from faithfulness, departing from the faith once for all delivered to the saints. 

Delegates have been reminded repeatedly that there can be no effectiveness in reaching the nations if it is not the Christ of the Bible who is proclaimed. It is foundational to GAFCON that all:

“…rejoice in the gospel of God through which we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because God first loved us, we love him and as believers bring forth fruits of love, ongoing repentance, lively hope and thanksgiving to God in all things.”

“…gladly proclaim and submit to the unique and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, humanity’s only Saviour from sin, judgement and hell, who lived the life we could not live and died the death that we deserve. By his atoning death and glorious resurrection, he secured the redemption of all who come to him in repentance and faith.”

“…rejoice at the prospect of Jesus’ coming again in glory…”

A great gift of God to the present and future generations from GAFCON I in 2008 was the Jerusalem Declaration (JD). It is the basis of the unity in diversity which is GAFCON and is also constant reminder of the components of Anglicanism that will keep all faithful.

Alongside rejoicing in and gladly proclaiming the gospel the JD sets out that remaining faithful to that gospel will mean being:

• biblical- upholding the sufficiency & authority of scripture (para 2) .
• historical- in upholding the four Ecumenical Councils & three Creeds (para 3).
• doctrinal- in upholding the Thirty-nine Articles (para 4).
• sacramental & liturgical- upholding the standard of the 1662 BCP (para 6).
• episcopal- upholding the standards of the Anglican Ordinal (para 7).
• moral- upholding the creation order, the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage & caring for the world (para 8 & 10).
• missional- upholding the Great Commission (para 9).
• ecumenical- upholding the unity of all those who know & love Christ (para 11).
• global- upholding objective truth where necessary & respecting diversity where possible (para 12). 

If Anglicanism like this and which specifically rejects, “…the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord” gladdens your heart why not affirm the Jerusalem Declaration here.