From October 16–19, 2025, the conference “Called to Collaborate” took place on the Spanish coast in the city of Cullera (Valencia province), focusing on cooperation between churches and mission organizations in Europe.
The main question was: when we proclaim Christ together and serve jointly, what does this look like in practice? What obstacles arise (such as disagreements or unequal partnerships), and how can we focus on constructive, Christ-centered collaboration?
The Estonian delegation of three members included the seminary’s PR representative Kaire Lotamõis and alumnus and EMC pastor Kaupo Kant.
Topics and goals addressed at the conference:
- The primary focus was collaboration in the context of mission and church: what true joint action means and how to build partnerships that are more than just words.
- As part of the proposal “May the church declare and display Christ together”—the slogan of the previous Lausanne Congress in Seoul—the emphasis was now on the “together” aspect: proclaiming and acting together.
- The importance of churches listening to one another and fostering mutual respect and humility in leadership: leadership as service, not power.
- The dimension of reconciliation was highlighted: collaboration can stall due to disagreements and prejudices—discussions focused on how reconciliation can move us toward a shared mission.
- European context: the conference addressed the unique challenges of churches operating as minorities or in highly secularized societies amid economic and political uncertainty.
- Organizers stressed that terms like “partnership,” “networking,” and “collaboration” are sometimes overused or misapplied; the goal was to deepen understanding. The final keynote urged participants to keep their eyes on Christ and recognize that unity and cooperation stem from being called as one body under Christ—not from having the best mission strategy.