As bishops, clergy, and lay leaders processed into the sanctuary for the Opening Eucharist of G26 in Abuja, the congregation rose to sing Stand Up for Jesus. The hymn did not feel incidental. It set the tone for a gathering convened at a moment of decision for the Global Anglican Communion. The words echoed through the hall as both prayer and declaration, summoning the Church to renewed fidelity to the Lord who is confessed in the Scriptures, proclaimed in the creeds, and worshiped as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The 2026 Council differs from the regular GAFCON assemblies that have taken place at five-year intervals since 2008. This is a meeting of bishops and primates called to discern the future shape of the Global Anglican Communion in light of significant developments within the historic structures of Anglicanism, particularly following the appointment of a progressive Archbishop of Canterbury and the continued theological trajectory of the Church of England. Questions of identity, authority, and communion that have been discussed for years now require decisive articulation.
The Scripture readings framed the moment with clarity. From Joshua 24 came the familiar declaration, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The Epistle reading from 2 Corinthians 6 warned against being unequally yoked, while the Gospel from Matthew 6 reminded the congregation that one cannot serve both God and mammon. The coherence of these texts left little ambiguity. Allegiance lies at the heart of the Church’s present challenge.
Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, preached from the book of Joshua, highlighting the mercy of God in leading his people into the promised land and the necessity of faithfulness once there. The promised land, he observed, was not vacant territory but ground contested by rival powers. Victory, therefore, depended not on accommodation but on steadfast trust in God and obedience to his Word. He drew attention to five dimensions of Joshua’s final appeal. There was a call to decision, a decisive break with other gods, an urgency in choosing whom to serve, the imperative of wholehearted devotion, and, finally, the responsibility to lead one’s household in covenant faithfulness. Joshua did not speak as a private believer but as a leader accountable for a people. His declaration bound not only himself but his family.
The sermon also addressed contemporary distortions that threaten the Church’s witness. Archbishop Ndukuba spoke plainly about revisionist ideologies reshaping parts of the Western Church. He also warned against the prosperity gospel, which reduces faith to material gain and substitutes the love of money for the love of God. Though these errors differ in emphasis, both demand misplaced allegiance, and both press believers to serve something other than the Lord.
The Eucharist that followed anchored the gathering in the grace of Christ. Before questions of governance or structure were addressed, the assembly knelt together at the Table of the Lord. Celebrating the Word and Sacrament together reminded the Church that its unity is grounded first in Christ’s saving work, and only then is it expressed in institutional form.
For the American Anglican Council, this moment resonates deeply. Since its founding, the AAC has sought to speak with a prophetic voice when churches and leaders faced theological confusion, cultural pressure, and financial coercion. In seasons when clarity was costly, the Council encouraged faithfulness to Scripture and courage in the face of compromise. That calling continues today as the Anglican Church in North America matures, strengthens its identity, and navigates the persistent pressures of Western culture.
At G26, that prophetic note expanded beyond one province or region. It now resounds across continents. Archbishop Ndukuba reflected on the biblical pattern of prophetic witness. The prophets of Israel confronted unfaithfulness among their own people. The apostles exposed false teaching within the early Church. St. Paul proclaimed the truth of Christ with boldness, sometimes rebuking those who distorted the Gospel. Prophetic faithfulness has always been directed first toward the household of God. The gathering in Abuja signals that this kind of clarity is not limited to one national context. It is shared by provinces representing the majority of the world’s active Anglicans. The forthcoming election of a Chairman to serve as primus inter pares among the Global Primates Council underscores that this fellowship now understands itself not merely as a conference network but as a structured communion rooted in common confession.
For Anglicans in North America, the implications are significant. The ACNA did not emerge in isolation but as part of a broader realignment grounded in biblical conviction and historic Anglican doctrine. The maturation of the Global Anglican Communion provides both encouragement and accountability. It reminds us that faithfulness is never a regional concern but a global responsibility.
The hymn that opened the service therefore carried more than symbolic weight. To stand for Jesus is to affirm his lordship over doctrine, over mission, and over institutional life. It is to resist both the allure of cultural accommodation and the seduction of material success. It is to choose obedience even when such obedience entails sacrifice.
As the Council begins its deliberations, many are looking for clear articulation of how this renewed communion will express its identity in governance and partnership. The questions are practical as well as theological. How will leadership be exercised? How will provinces relate to one another? How will this communion sustain itself in integrity and mutual accountability?
Clarity, however, begins with confession. The Opening Eucharist made that plain. Before structures are revised or affirmed, the Church must answer Joshua’s ancient question. “Choose this day whom you will serve.” For the bishops and primates gathered in Abuja, and for Anglicans across North America and the world, that call remains as urgent now as it was in Israel’s day.
The American Anglican Council stands with those who answer that call with conviction. We remain committed to supporting biblically faithful leadership, encouraging courage where compromise tempts, and helping build a communion anchored in the authority of Scripture and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Abuja this evening, that commitment was sung, preached, and prayed. The days ahead will reveal how it is to be lived.