Investing in younger generations, partnering with younger generations, and integration between generations is a noticeable gap in the global church. In preparation for the Fourth Lausanne Congress in 2024, Lausanne’s Generations department was invited to organise a gathering that would bring together different generations for the Lausanne Generations Conversation in 2023 (LGC23). LGC23 aimed to provide insight, models, and best practices for intentional intergenerational connecting, convening, communities, and collaboration for global missions throughout the Movement in the coming decades.
LGC 2023 Takeaways
As part of the Lausanne 4 journey, LGC23 was a unique on-site gathering of 106 Christian leaders from across generations (ages 18—81), geographies (41 countries), and missional interests. Conversations at LGC23 explored insights, models, and best practices for intentional intergenerational connecting, convening, communities, and collaboration for global mission throughout the Movement in the coming decades.
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God’s Purpose in Intergenerational Leadership
Intergenerational friendship goes beyond mentorship. While mentorship generally takes a top-down approach with the goal of building up the younger partner, true intergenerational leadership emphasizes missional friendships, which are side-by-side, facing outwards by engaging common interests towards a common goal.
There is a need to continue to invest in younger leaders, and at the same time, work on generations integration. The Lausanne Movement continues its commitment to investing in younger leaders through a 10-year journey called YLGen, special Younger Leaders Gatherings (YLG), and ongoing opportunities for connection online. We strive for intergenerational collaboration as we plan, prepare, and engage in all we do.
Under the leadership of Nana Yaw Offei Awuku, Global Director for Generations, Lausanne’s vision is to expand and enhance its investment in young leaders while promoting generational integration through strategic integration, evaluation, and alignment.
Integrate
Generations integration is a primary driver and core value in each of our existing initiatives and as a Movement-wide strategy for intergenerational leadership development towards 2050.
Evaluate
We regularly review what has been most fruitful in our first YLGen cohort (2016-2026) in order to evaluate best practices we want to pass on to the second YLGen cohort (2027+).
Align
Align with Lausanne’s collaborative efforts to actively involve younger leaders in achieving the 2050 vision. Ensure a smooth transition between the first and second cohorts of YLGen leaders.
