Introduction to Covenant

The Lausanne Covenant is a very solemn personal commitment. It com­mits us to concrete and sacrificial action. It can be signed with integrity only after careful thought and prayer. Some of you may need longer in which to consider it and will send in your signed card within the next few days after you’ve left. Others may not feel able to sign it at all. Each of us must make his own conscientious decision before God and each who signs it signs not in any representative capacity but as an individual member of the body of Christ. Nevertheless, it expresses; so far as we have been able to secure, the consensus of the Congress. it is, therefore, now my privilege to invite you, indeed to encourage you, if the Holy Spirit so directs your conscience, to add your signature to the Lausanne Cov­enant which binds us to pray together, to plan together, to work together for the evangelization of the whole world. And first, Dr. Billy Graham as honorary chairman of the Congress and Bishop Jack Dain as chair­man of the planning committee, who have themselves reached a con­scientious decision in this matter, will affix their signatures to the Covenant.

In that same spirit, we now invite those of you who have your Cov­enants with you and who wish to, to sign and we will maintain silence for one minute for this purpose.

I would now pray in the closing words of the Covenant in the con­clusion that God may help us, each one, by his grace and for his glory to be faithful to this, our Covenant. Amen. Alleluia.