This month will mark the first anniversary of a most historic and successful gathering of the global Church which took place on African soil – The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization: Cape Town 2010. This gathering was hosted by the Church in Africa through our brothers and sisters in South Africa who did a superb job and made Africa proud. To God be all the glory!!!
I am writing this update personally and on behalf of Dr. Daniel Bourdanné and the Most Revd Henry L. Orombi, the Archbishop of Uganda and Chairman of the Host Planning Team for Cape Town 2010.
I would like to share a few updates:
- Lausanne Leadership Change in EPSA IDD Role. I assumed the role of International Deputy Director (IDD) for English, Portuguese and Spanish Speaking Africa (EPSA) in February 2007. At the time, I was also serving as IFES Associate Regional Secretary for West Africa, covering seven countries. In July 2008 I was appointed and assumed full responsibilities as Regional Secretary for IFES-EPSA covering 23 countries, with pioneer work in four other countries. My workload increased significantly. Since Cape Town 2010 was only two years away, I decided to prayerfully give it my best shot in preparing and mobilizing Africa. At the same time, I identified three younger leaders with the aim of handing over the IDD position to one of them, or whoever the leadership of Lausanne may decide, post Cape Town 2010. It has pleased the Lord that today we have a new IDD who will replace me. He is Nana Yaw Offei Awuku, Director of Field Ministries, Scripture Union Ghana and a Member of the Scripture Union Ghana Senior Management Team, Lausanne Country Secretary for Ghana and Co-ordinator of the Lausanne Younger Leaders for West Africa.
- Lausanne Leadership Change in Francophone IDD Role. When Daniel Bourdanné assumed the role of International Deputy Director for Francophone Africa in October 2004, he was Francophone IFES Regional Secretary. He was then appointed IFES International General Secretary and assumed those duties fully in 2007. The closeness of Cape Town 2010 made it necessary for Daniel to continue as IDD with a commitment to hand over the role to a younger person after 2010. This desire came to pass when in February 2011 Emmanuel Ndikumana from Burundi, who leads a Bible College and Leadership Development Training in Burundi, was appointed to this position.
- Lausanne Leadership Meeting in Boston, USA, June 2011. In the last week of June during the Lausanne Leadership Meeting in the USA, Nana and Emmanuel along with other newly appointed IDDs where commissioned in prayer. Their appointments were announced by Lindsay Brown, Lausanne’s International Director, and presented to the global Lausanne family in Boston. I also introduced, presented and commended the two of them to the African leaders present at the same Boston meeting. Both are already “in the saddle” leading us and the process of hand over is almost completed.
- Regional Consultations in the Works. These Consultations are part of the post Cape Town 2010 follow-up. The Global Lausanne Leadership has approved Africa to host two of the consultations. EPSA will host one and Francophone the other.
- Christian Politician’s Retreat Consultation (2012): This is a carefully designed gathering to bring together very senior evangelical Christian politicians in government across Africa. The consultation aims to connect them with each other, provide pastoral care and encourage them in the pursuit of a biblical agenda which promotes national transformation through good governance that reflects kingdom values.
- Ethnic Identity and Ethno-Religious Crisis and Their Implication for Christian Mission (2013): Ethnic Identity and Ethno-Religious crises have rocked Africa and the world. What are the implications for Christian mission especially for the global Church and Africa in particular? There have been major crises and eruptions in Africa – Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya – and in Sudan and Nigeria the ethno-religious element has come in so strong. Then we see Cote d‘Voire and Egypt and similar situations in other parts of the world such as Latin America and Asia. This consultation will deal with issues far beyond Africa.
- MANI 2011. As agreed by the African participants in Cape Town during our second regional meeting at the Congress, Lausanne had a strong presence at MANI 2011. Held in Abuja, MANI included over 650 participants from nearly 60 countries in Africa and fraternal delegates from other parts of the world: The Middle East, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America. Nearly half of those who attended MANI 2011 were at Cape Town 2010. The echoes of Cape Town were felt in some of the issues raised and the design of table groups throughout the MANI consultation. MANI focused on the issues with strong afro-centric lenses. In Cape Town we had agreed that Lausanne will also work with special continental bodies to pursue follow-up of the Congress such as IFES, Scripture Union, MANI, AEA, Campus Crusade for Christ, Navigator’s, etc. There are also other special bodies within each country with whom Lausanne must work. Lausanne is a Movement and not an organization, a facilitating Movement and not a “take-over outfit.”
Many thanks and may His Kingdom continue to expand across Africa and the world.
Learn more about the new African IDDs through the Lausanne Global Conversation:
Revd Gideon Para-Mallam is the outgoing International Deputy Director for The Lausanne Movement EPSA region. He currently serves as Regional Secretary, IFES-EPSA in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. This update was prepared on behalf of Dr. Daniel Bourdanné and Archbishop Henry L. Orombi.