Through a comprehensive world-wide research effort, thirty one specific issues were identified as roadblocks to evangelism to be addressed at the 2004 Forum.
Based on these issues, teams of 30 to 70 people (called Issue Groups-IGs) were formed through a careful selection of participants from online applications submitted by international Church leaders.
IGs worked to define their issue, conduct research, collect information on ministries engaging the issue and then prepare an implementation action plan for the church to address the concern. Coming out of the Forum IGs were asked to prepare a paper concerning their issue that will include a strategic action plan for addressing the concern.
Following is a listing of the 31 Issue Groups (IGs) from the 2004 Forum. Click on the link following each IG for additional information and related documents.
You can also learn more about How the Various Issue Groups Were Chosen or view a listing of all Documents Related to the 2004 Forum, including each IGs final report (LOP) as they become available.
1. GLOBALIZATION: Opportunities and threats to the Gospel generated by globalization. (Click for more information.)
2. UNIQUENESS OF CHRIST IN A POSTMODERN WORLD: a continuing challenge for the worldwide church in the context of post modernity and world religions. (Click for more information.)
3. THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: Faith under fire: Concern for the growing persecution of Christians. The why, how, and when of Christians/church intervention in human rights issues and political change which prohibits or limits evangelization. (Click for more information.)
4. HOLISTIC MISSION: The imperative of caring as well as proclaiming—the importance of holistic mission including AIDS, rural poverty and the consequences of natural disasters. (Click for more information.)
5. AT RISK PEOPLE: Reaching marginalized people—applying the Gospel to refugees, prostitutes, victims of crime and of abuse, children at risk and the oppressed. (Click for more information.)
6. HIDDEN AND FORGOTTEN PEOPLE: Including those who have never heard the name of Jesus. (Click for more information.)
7. NON-TRADITIONAL FAMILIES: The wisdom needed to share the gospel within diverse family structures. (Click for more information.)
8. TRANSFORMATION OF CITIES: Transformation of the city and the new slums: the challenge of urban mission. (Click for more information.)
9. PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION: Working together to further the gospel: partnerships, networking, alliances as well as relationships with non-evangelicals. (Click for more information.)
10a. THE LOCAL CHURCH AND GREAT COMMISSION-GENERAL: Ways in which we can enable our own denomination/local church to be transformed to become more Great Commission oriented, taking the gospel to both the local community and to the world. (Click for more information.)
10b. THE LOCAL CHURCH AND GREAT COMMISSION-TENTMAKING: Ways to enable the local church to be transformed to become more evangelistically Great Commission oriented, taking the gospel to both the local community and to the world with special focus on re-engaging the laity through tentmaking. (Click for more information.)
11. MARKETPLACE MINISTRY: Helping the people of God to recover the calling, equipping and mobilization of every believer into ministry in their work place to practise and demonstrate service, witness and righteousness of the Kingdom of God in their relationships, responsibilities and leadership. (Click for more information.)
12. FUTURE LEADERSHIP: Developing future leadership for world evangelization—motivating leadership for evangelism, equipping, mentoring and training. (Click for more information.)
13. PRAYER IN EVANGELISM: The role of prayer in evangelism—how can we mobilize the church to pray for world mission as well as God’s miraculous intervention in bringing the gospel to closed people. (Click for more information.)
14. THE REALITIES OF CHANGING EXPRESSIONS OF CHURCH: The different patterns for church planting aiming at different sections of the community and the effectiveness of this in reaching the unreached with the gospel. (Click for more information.)
15. THE TWO-THIRDS WORLD CHURCH: Consider the growth of the church in Latin America, Africa and Asia and identify reasons for growth and causes of blockages in evangelism in these continents. (Click for more information.)
16. RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS SPIRITUALITY IN THE POST-MODERN WORLD (Click for more information.)
17. REDEEMING THE ARTS: The arts provide creative opportunities for evangelism and are not being fully recognized and utilised by the church. (Click for more information.)
18. EVANGELIZATION OF CHILDREN: The evangelization and discipleship of children as a primary responsibility of and privilege for the church. (Click for more information.)
19. MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY: The uses and abuses in spreading the gospel. (Click for more information.)
20. UNDERSTANDING AND MINISTRY AMONG MUSLIMS (Click for more information.)
21. THE IMPACT ON GLOBAL MISSION OF RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM AND POST-9/11 REALITIES: How can the proclamation of the gospel circumvent the requirements and pressure of ethnic identity and in what ways can we respond with the gospel to those who have been affected by 9/11 and the consequent war on terrorism? (Click for more information.)
22. CONFRONTING RACIAL, TRIBAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICT WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Seeking reconciliation and transformation. (Click for more information.)
23. REACHING THE YOUTH GENERATION: Youth (aged18 to 29) need to be reached with the gospel and to be effectively discipled. (Click for more information.)
24. EMPOWERING WOMEN AND MEN TO UTILIZE THEIR GIFTS TOGETHER FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL: The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not gender related, so men and women need to empower one another to serve the Kingdom. (Click for more information.)
25. MAKING DISCIPLES OF ORAL LEARNERS: Reaching the visual and oral learners of the world. (Click for more information.)
26. REACHING AND MOBILIZING THE DIASPORA PRESENT IN OUR OWN LANDS: There are immigrant communities and international students in many countries. Their presence in our home country offers an opportunity to reach these people with the gospel especially as many of these communities come form countries where there is no freedom to share the gospel or to convert to Christianity. (Click for more information.)
27. FUNDING FOR EVANGELISM AND MISSION: One of the major blockages in evangelistic effort is the lack of funding. We need to identify ways in which funds can be tapped and what procedures need to be followed. (Click for more information.)
28. EFFECTIVE EDUCATION FOR EVANGELIZATION: Educational strategies need to be developed which impact on values and attitudes as well as knowledge and skills if Christian families are to function as Christian faith communities. A stream to focus on theological education with a view to understanding what effective educational strategies for a Christian community are and to ensure that theological education is missional in intention. (Click for more information.)
29. BIOETHICS: OBSTACLE OR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GOSPEL?: Identify how Christians may confront contemporary medical ethical issues in such a way that the gospel is not invalidated. (Click for more information.)
30. BUSINESS AS MISSION: Unreached peoples, name of Jesus rarely heard or understood, the poorest of poor, rampant unemployment, billions of new jobseekers in the 10/40 window and beyond in the next 20 years. What shall we do and how? (Click for more information.)
31. REACHING JEWS WITH THE GOSPEL: Lausanne Consultation on Jewish Evangelism (LCJE) has since its beginning, dating back to the LCWE consultation in Pattaya, 1980, been a very active network. Based on the Lausanne Covenant LCJE’s aim has been to bring together people and organization who seek to reach the Jewish people with the Gospel. (Click for more information.)