The Lausanne Blogger Network was recently interviewing one of next week’s Cape Town 2010 speakers – Ruth Padilla DeBorst (a Latin American theologian, activist and speaker) – about the challenges of engaging the “Whole Gospel.”
Ruth said many powerful things but one simple statement stood out. As we were wrapping up, she said, “We need to name the issues. We are so afraid of words.” What a significant statement and a dynamic challenge on the eve of the congress in Cape Town.
The great challenge before us as this congress convenes is exactly what Ruth said. We must courageously name the issues that are confronting the Global Church. But what Ruth did not say, but lives out as she serves the poor in Costa Rica, is that we must do so in humility.
Many of us evangelicals have stood up for our beliefs. Many more have served others selflessly in places that no one will ever visit or notice. But this dynamic unity of courage and humility is one of our greatest challenges. But it is one where we have an excellent mentor – Jesus Christ.
Will we have the courage this week to name the issues clearly and without equivocation but at the same time humbly submit to our fellow believers and learn together? Can we affirm the Truth we know while engaging together in the many things we are still learning?
The world may be occupied by recessions, wars, politics and the like. But for God’s Church, this is one of the main events for this week. Will we affirm the role of evangelism in the church? Will we name the issues of our day and stand up to say that the church has a role in addressing them? Will we stand in unity and humbly submit to each other as we engage the world with the Good News?
These questions are ready to be answered as we engage together at Cape Town, at the 600+ GlobaLink sites and at the global conversation online.
But the first question is this, “Will you invest yourself in this process?” I pray the answer is “YES!”