Article

Introducing Lausanne Global Classroom

Brent Burdick 06 Nov 2018

What would it be like if you could gather leaders, theologians, and experts from around the world to come present about crucial issues in a class you’re teaching, at your ministry team meetings, or in your home?

This is now possible through a new stream of content launched by the Lausanne Movement. Lausanne Global Classroom is a free resource focused on equipping emerging leaders in various settings to engage with pressing missional issues. Each episode provides cutting-edge information from leading global experts and aims to spark thoughtful discussion and action. The episodes consist of two parts:

  • 40-minute video, broken into 2-5 minute sections, where global leaders, theologians, and experts on an issue introduce the critical ideas, biblical foundations, and best practices for effective ministry and awareness
  • A fully adaptable User Guide containing discussion questions, suggested assignments, and syllabi for small group, individual, and academic settings; also includes an up-to-date bibliography and resources for digging deeper

To date, four episodes have been produced and are freely available on the Lausanne website: Diaspora, Wealth Creation, Ministry Fundraising, and Research and Strategic Information. Additional episodes scheduled for release in 2019 include Arts, Disability Concerns, International Student Ministry, Leadership Development, Creation Care, Nominalism, and North Korea.

As an educator myself, I have used several of the episodes for directed-study courses at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Students taking the courses are excited because nothing like it is currently offered in most seminaries. Global Classroom meets a need and addresses issues that regular classes typically don’t have time to address. Some students have gone on to share Global Classroom with their churches or ministries.

I invite you to explore this new resource and to use it for informing Christians in your context about these key global issues. Since this is a new stream of content from the Lausanne Movement, we are actively seeking feedback about how it can best serve your context. As you go through one or more episodes, please take time to give us your feedback through the follow-up survey. You can also contact me at classroom@lausanne.org.

Pray with us that God will use Lausanne Global Classroom to generate interest, ministry, connections, and action by the global church and emerging leaders in every one of the issue areas that are so important to our world today. May the Lord strengthen his church to fulfill his global mission.

Author's Bio

Brent Burdick

Director of Lausanne Global Classroom

Brent Burdick is the Director of Lausanne Global Classroom. He also serves as adjunct professor of missions at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina.