Lausanne Philippines held its second missions congress last October 16-18, 2012, five years since it held its first in October 25-27, 2007. (View a Summary Video.) This time we aimed to update Filipino Christian leaders on the “Cape Town Commitment,” while encouraging us all to work for community, national and global evangelization and transformation. Though the attendance could have been better, the 150 delegates were appraised by a line-up of prominent speakers who spoke on important topics that concern the theme of “the whole Filipino Church for World Evangelization and Transformation.”
We considered this as a major Lausanne event as we received greetings from its Executive Chairman (Doug Birdsall) and the participation of its Deputy Director for Southeast Asia (Philip Chang from Malaysia) who brought a copy of the “Cape Town Commitment” for each delegate, gave the main message at the Youth Night and led a workshop. Also with him were three “Senior Associates”: on Marketplace Missions (Timothy Liu from Singapore), on International Students Ministry (Leiton Chinn from USA), and on Integrity and Anti-Corruption in the Church (Bishop Efraim Tendero from the Philippines, who also serves as the National Director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, PCEC).
There was a special focus on “Marketplace Missions” and “Business as Mission (BAM),” with four speakers who shared from their experiences. Besides Timothy Liu who gave the challenge during the opening night, there were three prominent church leaders who were pastors in the marketplace and businessmen at the same time: Wyden King on “Transforming Business for World Evangelization and Transformation,” Bishop Dante Veluz on “Entrepreneurial Leadership for World Evangelization and Transformation,” and Rev. Arthur Medina on “Resource Development for Missions.”
To put the congress in context, on the first day we were provided with updates on the “State of the Nation” by the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Rev. Rex Reyes, Jr.; “State of the National Economy” by the deputy of Deputy Gov. Diwa Gunigundo (Central Bank of the Philippines); “State of the Filipino Church” by the National Chairman of the Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM), Bishop Leo Alconga; and “State of Filipino (Cross-cultural) Missions” by the Executive Director of Philippine Missions Mobilization Movement (PM3), Rev. Nono Badoy. On the last day, Bishop Eddie Villanueva (Chairman Emeritus of PJM, and Chairman of Asia for Christ Movement) shared from his heart and about the “Vision and Mission of ‘Asia for Christ Movement’,” which was holding another major missions conference from November 13-14, 2012.
As Board Chairman of Lausanne Philippines, I delivered the keynote address on “The History, Theology and Missional Impact of Lausanne Congresses for World Evangelization.” The opening message “It’s Time, Let’s Go” was given by our Board member, Rev. Francis Nicolas, with morning devotional messages given by Bishop Bing Gadian and Bishop Jonel Milan. Other major addresses were: “Transforming Filipino Culture of World Evangelization and Transformation,” a video presentation by Rev. Ed Lapiz; “Orality and Language-based Church Planting Movement for World Evangelization and Transformation” by Rev. Alfred Mejerilla; “Preparing Filipino Missionaries (Career & Tentmaker) for World Evangelization and Transformation” by Rev. Nathaniel Ramos; “Mentoring and Training Christian Leaders of World Evangelization and Transformation” by Rev. Boyet Ongkiko; “Update on the Filipino Youth Missions Movement (FYMM)” by Ebet Nacion; and “Partnership with Chinese-Filipino Church for World Evangelization and Transformation” by Rev. Dr. Vicente Sia and Rev. Eugene Hao.
Participants also attended two out of the eight workshops that were offered. Besides the three Senior Associates holding sessions in their respective areas of expertise, there were also “Community Transformation” led by Rev. Herbie Carmona, “National Transformation” by Bishop Joe Dalino, “World Transformation” by Rev. Nono Badoy, “Prayer Network & March for Jesus” by Rev. Nanding Paunil and Bishop Bernie Malitao (our Secretary General), and “Theological Education for World Evangelization and Transformation” by Dr. Lizette Knight and Dr. Amor Ibanez.
Congress directors were Lausanne Philippines Board members: Rev. Herbie Carmona and Dr. Amor Ibanez, who were ably assisted by the staff of Philippines Missions Association.
At the end, all the participants had a prayer concert and the Lord’s Supper together. They also signed the “Makati Commitment” (as attached below), to mobilize for local, national and global transformation in the whole of society. Lausanne Philippines looks forward to spreading “the spirit of Lausanne” across our nation and among the Filipino global diaspora in the next two years.
The Makati Commitment
October 18, 2012
1. We affirm with joy and thanksgiving in our hearts that God brought all of us 150 participants from 71 churches and organizations in the Philippines from October 16-18, 2012 at Word for the World Christian Fellowship, Makati City, Metro Manila, to be updated and challenged on how to fulfil His mission in our generation.
2. We affirm that the Lausanne Covenant (1974), the Manila Manifesto (1989), the Manila Declaration (2007) and the Cape Town Commitment (2010) are excellent documents that represent our theology and practice of God’s mission, and commit to apply them in our ministries to the best of our understanding and capability.
3. We commit to mobilize the whole Filipino Church to be a significant member of the whole church in sharing the whole gospel effectively with the whole world by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. We commit to hold each other accountable to live and do mission according to the moral and spiritual standards of the Bible, which we believe to be the final authority of our faith and practice.
5. We commit to persistently invite people to trust and obey Jesus Christ, who alone is God incarnate, our sin bearer, the only mediator between God and humanity, as revealed in the Bible.
6. We commit to share this gospel of God’s reign of righteousness and peace (shalom) through works of mercy and of justice that demonstrates His love in His beautiful world which was created good but has become marred by sin with its manifestations in personal, natural, structural and spiritual evils.
7. We commit to train as many Filipino Christians in our land and overseas as possible, especially our young people and young professionals, to be equipped and mobilized for world evangelization and transformation.
8. We commit to turn our churches outward to share Jesus and his blessings in our neighborhoods and in the marketplace, and thus to disciple our members to do so with self-denying love marked by respect, trust, kindness and gentleness in humble service to all.
9. Having been providentially scattered in more than 200 countries worldwide, we commit to train and commission 1,000,000 outstanding Filipino witnesses by 2020 to become effective cross-cultural disciple-makers amongst the least reached peoples of the world.
10. We commit that in sharing Jesus we shall seek to disciple and empower local believers to redeem and transform their culture contextually, while also boldly rebuking syncretism and any form of triumphalism, manipulation and coercion.
11. Finally, we commit to pray and work together as members and partners of the Filipino Church for world evangelization and transformation faithfully, urgently and sacrificially until our Lord Jesus returns. So help us, Lord. Amen.