On 15 and 16 May, Lisbon hosted the Iberian Forum on Missionary Cooperation, a gathering organised by the Ibero-American Missionary Cooperation (COMIBAM).

The event brought together leaders, pastors, missionaries and representatives of Christian organisations from Spain and Portugal to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing mission work on the
Iberian Peninsula.

Conceived as a space for reflection, dialogue and collaboration, the Forum focused on an issue that is redefining the missionary landscape in both countries: migration and the diaspora as driving forces for transformation and renewal within the church.

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Far from being a peripheral phenomenon, migratory movements are reshaping the identity of Iberian Christianity and opening new doors for mission work.

Understanding the times to respond with hope

The Iberian Forum organised a programme of plenary sessions, panel discussions and TED talks, which addressed the reality of missionary work from biblical, sociological and strategic standpoints.

On Friday 15 May, there were two plenary sessions and a panel discussion.

The first plenary session was 'Understanding the times and responding to the call', led by Jim Memory. He analysed the cultural and spiritual changes taking place in Europe, and how the Church can respond with discernment.

The panel discussion, entitled 'How is Iberia today?', featuring Máximo Álvarez (Spain) and Pedro Silva (Portugal), was an honest dialogue about the challenges and opportunities facing churches in both countries.

The second plenary session, 'Diaspora and the Changing Identity of the Church', by Jaume Llenas, focused on how the growing presence of migrant communities is revitalising mission work and the church.

The following day, there was another plenary session and two TED talks.

Jaume Llenas led the third plenary session, titled 'Hope for the Church in Iberia', in which he stressed that Christian hope is not an escape, but a driving force for missionary action.

The first TED talk, “Mobilising the local church” by Josué da Ponte, highlighted practical models for engaging congregations in mission work. The second was “Beyond strategy: Collaboration as a calling', by Jim Memory, which invited attendees to overcome fragmentation and work from a place of unity.

Furthermore, several organisations representing evangelical cooperation in the region attended and supported the forum, including the Spanish and Portuguese Evangelical Alliances, the Federation of Evangelical Religious Organisations of Spain (FEREDE), the Lausanne Movement Europe, the Spanish Missions Platform and the Intercultural Evangelical Mission.

Their attendance underlined the spirit of unity that COMIBAM seeks to foster throughout Latin America.

COMIBAM: a movement serving global missions

The Ibero-American Missionary Cooperation (COMIBAM) brings together the National Missionary Cooperations of 25 countries, including Spain, Portugal and Hispanic communities in the United States and Canada, as well as the Latin American diaspora in other regions of the world.

The recent Iberian Forum was a pivotal event for the evangelical community in Spain and Portugal.

Jorge Manuel Pérez, coordinator of COMIBAM Spain, described the experience as a “precious gathering”, in which it becomes clear that by joining forces on the journey, God's work and power become evident.

According to Pérez, the Church of Jesus Christ on the Iberian Peninsula is strongly awakening to the mission, and this forum is a strategic tool for uniting congregations from both countries.

“What has been interesting is that nobody has wanted to wave their own flags; rather, we have sought to collaborate and help one another, which has been wonderful”, he added.

The meeting concluded with a call to continue building bridges, sharing resources, and discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit together on the peninsula.