The topic for Friday at Cape Town 2010 was Priorities for World Evangelization. The Church faces many significant challenges around the globe. How do we determine what our focus should be as we share Christ? Through the plenary sessions and the Multiplexes, leaders explored this question and the many opportunities for expanding Christian witness in places desperately in need of the hope of Christ.
Vaughan Roberts (UK) gave the morning Bible exposition, focusing on the first part of Ephesians 4. Emphasizing the importance of the witness of Christian unity, Vaughan said,
“Our world should look to the diverse group of Christians in any local church, different personalities, different backgrounds, sometimes different races and say ‘wow, how those Christians love one another.’ And yet often we know far from being attracted by our unity, the world is repelled by the divisions within local churches and across local churches. It’s a tragedy.”
According to Vaughan, Ephesians points out that Christian unity requires two things – an outworking of God’s call and a proclamation of God’s word. Key to unity, he shared, is living a life of humility and gentleness,
“So often our divisions are not because of theological principle but pride, as we ignore those who are different; treat them as if they are beneath us; think ourselves as so important. We strut around expecting everyone to fit in with our preferences. We take offense quickly. We nurse grievances. And Paul says ‘no, bear with one another in love.’”
Watch his Bible exposition here:
- Bible Exposition: Ephesians 4:1-16 – Vaughan Roberts (Part 1 | Part 2)
Download a written Session Summary of this session as a PDF
In the next session that morning Alex Abraham, Operation Agape, reported on reaching unreached people groups in India – a nation of 1.2 billion people with 4,000-plus people groups, 400-plus languages, 5,000 urban areas and 600,000 villages. He explained how Christians in India are praying, doing research, and then equipping and mobilizing indigenous leaders to reach the unreached and unengaged people groups in their country.
Watch his presentation here:
- Priorities – India’s Unreached People, Alex Abraham
- Download a written Session Summary of this session as a PDF
In the final plenary session of the day the focus was on the next generation – ministry to and with children and youth. The plenary session included a cleverly developed video reminding us that an estimated 1/3 of the 2 billion children in the world have never heard of Jesus Christ. However, God is at work among the children of the world, “shaping children and shaping the world through them.”
Watch this session here:
- Priorities – Children – Celebrate What God is Doing
- Download a written Session Summary of this session as a PDF.
A complete list of videos from the Friday (22 October 2010) sessions of Cape Town 2010, including the Multiplexes, is available.
Communications
As a Movement, Lausanne seeks to do four things with regard to world evangelization (all conveniently beginning with “C”!):
- Connecting – linking like-minded leaders
- Convening – bringing thoughtful leaders together
- Communicating – providing timely, relevant information
- Catalyzing – moving from talk to action
In order to maximize communications resources, Lausanne is focusing on digital communications. While Lausanne provides a significant amount of resources online, we are also committed to providing resources that reach non-Internet connected leaders. Please be praying with us as the strategy and funding to meet this need is developed.
Our digital outreach includes the Lausanne website and a newly launched mobile version of the site, Lausanne Global Conversation and social media efforts on Facebook and Twitter. Since Cape Town 2010 over 200 videos from the Congress have been posted and all our digital communication has been updated and expanded to serve the Movement in this new season. Read More.
Lausanne is also increasing access to non-English content online through native-speaker translation, automated translation of materials and the development of regionally-hosted, language-specific Lausanne websites. Esther Brumme, who most recently served as Lausanne’s Multilingual Manager, says,
“The Lausanne Movement values the involvement, input and interaction of leaders worldwide. Not only from those who speak English, but also from those who do not.” Read More From Esther Brumme.
Important to Communications is reliable information. During 2012, the plan is to launch The Lausanne Global Analysis which we believe will become a very important tool for leaders as outlined in our mission statement:
“The Lausanne Global Analysis delivers strategic and credible information, commentary and insight from an international network of evangelical analysts so that global Christian leaders will be equipped to address the issues impacting world evangelization.”
Read More From Darrell Jackson.
Tomorrow, we’ll explore the development of the Global Executive Leadership Forum and take a look at the topic of Integrity, the focus of the Saturday sessions at Cape Town 2010.
As always, we welcome your input and comments.
Until tomorrow . . .