Three affinity groups, Transformation within the Body of Christ, Cultivating Christian Leaders of Integrity in Different Sectors of Society, and Grassroots Advocacy / Consultancy for Better Governance, added to the discussions that led to this summary. Each group addressed critical gaps within their respective domains: spiritual leadership, secular integrity, and governance reform. Key findings indicate a shared need for ethical leadership, accountability, and collaborative networks across sectors. This summary also offers strategic recommendations for each group and outlines actionable next steps.
Listening to the Current Reality
Transformation within the Body of Christ
Participants in this group were primarily church leaders, theologians, ethics experts, and individuals engaged in church ministry. They were motivated by a desire to strengthen the moral and ethical fabric of the church. Their primary focus was improving accountability, promoting spiritual integrity, and addressing corruption within religious institutions.
- Challenges: Participants shared their experiences with corruption and ethical challenges within the church. The lack of accountability in leadership was a recurring theme, with several participants sharing their experiences of trying to hold church leaders accountable only to face resistance or even punishment. Entrenched leadership structures and the absence of formal ethical review systems are also seen as major challenges. Participants emphasized the need for spiritual renewal and the implementation of accountability frameworks to restore trust in church leadership.
- Root Causes: Corruption within the church, denial of problems, fear of reprisal, lack of transparency and accountability frameworks.
Cultivating Christian Leaders of Integrity in Different Sectors of Society
This group comprised Christian leaders from various sectors, including business, politics, and education. They focused on maintaining integrity in secular environments where external pressures (eg financial incentives and political expediency) often compromise ethical decision-making. Participants discussed how Christian leaders face challenges like greed and political expediency, making it difficult to uphold ethical principles.
- Challenges: Balancing faith and professional demands, fear of consequences for ethical actions. Participants discussed the difficulty of maintaining Christian values in secular roles, where unethical practices such as corruption, greed, and political compromise were common. They shared stories of how standing up for ethical principles often led to professional setbacks.
- Root Causes: Societal greed, desire for personal gain, individualism, lack of ethical training in leadership development, and cultural acceptance of unethical behaviour.
Grassroots Advocacy / Consultancy for Better Governance
This group consisted of advocates, consultants, policy experts, and community leaders in governance reform and anti-corruption efforts. Their primary concern was addressing systemic corruption at the national and community levels, focusing on transparent governance and empowering citizens to hold leaders accountable.
- Challenges: Systemic corruption, lack of legal frameworks for transparency, resistance from powerful individuals and institutions, and lack of accountability at local and national levels. Participants discussed how systemic corruption undermines development and trust in governance, harming development and fostering inequality. They shared stories of community-level efforts to demand accountability and their challenges in overcoming entrenched power structures. Several participants also shared examples from their advocacy work, where officials benefitting from corrupt practices blocked attempts to promote transparency.
- Root Causes: Lack of accountability, systemic poverty, inequality, and deeply entrenched power dynamics—all key drivers of corruption.
Imagining a Preferred Reality
Transformation within the Body of Christ
In envisioning 2050, participants saw a future where churches are models of integrity, leading communities in ethical and moral behavior. The hope is for stronger leadership systems where confession and accountability are normalized practices
- Vision for 2050: Churches fully embody ethical leadership, holding leaders accountable through formal structures. They see a future where confession and repentance are part of normal church life, and where leaders are held accountable by transparent structures.
- Signs of God at Work: Participants pointed to global networks like the Lausanne Issue Network as positive examples of collaboration and leadership reform.
Cultivating Christian Leaders of Integrity in Different Sectors of Society
Envisioning 2050, Christian leaders across all sectors exemplify integrity, influencing just and ethical reforms in business, politics, and education. They believed that role models of integrity would inspire broader societal change.
- Vision for 2050: Christian leaders across all sectors are models of integrity, influencing societal norms toward ethical practices. This would lead to a society where ethical considerations balance profit and power.
- Signs of God at Work: Some businesses already embrace ethical practices, and Christian leaders promoting integrity in education and government demonstrate the potential for change.
Grassroots Advocacy / Consultancy for Better Governance
For 2050, communities are envisioned that are empowered to hold their leaders accountable, supported by transparent legal systems and governance frameworks that prioritize the common good.
- Vision for 2050: Communities actively hold leaders accountable, and corruption is no longer normalized in governance. Advocacy groups and policy reforms will create transparent and just governance structures.
- Signs of God at Work: The rise of anti-corruption movements and initiatives to educate citizens on governance were named as promising developments.
Creating a Way to Close the Gap
Transformation within the Body of Christ
Participants identified key priorities for closing the gap, focusing on training church leaders, creating accountability frameworks, and fostering spiritual renewal through confession and repentance.
Strategies needed to achieve this transformation include:
- Ethical Leadership Training: Develop structured programs to train church leaders in integrity and accountability.
- Accountability Structures: Implement formal accountability systems within the Church, such as oversight boards.
- Spiritual Renewal: Foster spiritual renewal practices like confession and ethical discussions to encourage transparency and integrity.
Next steps proposed are:
- Implement leadership training programs focused on ethics within the next three months.
- Collaborate with international church networks to support ethical leadership and accountability initiatives.
Cultivating Christian Leaders of Integrity in Different Sectors of Society
Mentorship and role models are essential for cultivating integrity in leadership in secular environments. The importance of developing support systems to help leaders maintain ethical behavior under pressure is emphasized.
Strategies needed to achieve this transformation include:
- Mentorship Programs: Establish networks where Christian leaders can mentor others and provide peer accountability.
- Ethical Leadership Development: Introduce ethical training in educational and professional development programs.
- Role Models: Promote and celebrate leaders who exemplify Christian ethics.
Next steps proposed are:
- Create mentorship programs and ethical leadership development courses within the next six months.
- Collaborate with educational institutions and professional organizations to foster cross-sector networks reinforcing Christian ethics.
Grassroots Advocacy / Consultancy for Better Governance
Participants found hope in the growing number of citizens committed to fighting corruption. They emphasized the importance of building long-term grassroots networks to sustain reform efforts.
Strategies needed to achieve this transformation include:
- Grassroots Advocacy Networks: Build and strengthen networks that advocate for transparency and accountability.
- Policy Reforms: Work with policymakers to introduce legal frameworks that promote transparency and prevent corruption.
- Community Education: Empower citizens through education on governance and their rights.
Next steps proposed are:
- Strengthen advocacy networks and promote governance reforms within the next year.
- Collaborate with international anti-corruption organizations to increase transparency in governance and educate communities.
Conclusion
Across all three affinity groups, there was a shared commitment to fostering integrity, accountability, and ethical leadership. While the focus areas differed—church, secular leadership, and governance—the common themes of leadership development, collaboration, and the need for systemic change were evident. The next steps outlined provide a roadmap for addressing the identified gaps and moving toward the shared vision of ethical transformation by 2050.
Authors
Efraim Tendero | bishopef@gmail.com
Efraim Tendero was born in the Philippines, is an Evangelical leader, an ambassador as well as former Secretary-General of the World Evangelical Alliance. Prior to this position, he was National Director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches for 22 years. He was also executive director of the Philippine Relief and Development Services (PHILRADS) and executive editor of the periodical Evangelicals Today. Tendero is a Catalyst of the Integrity & Anti-Corruption network of the Lausanne Movement.
Lazarus Phiri | lazarus.phiri@icloud.com | Catalyst for Integrity and Anti-Corruption
Lazarus currently serves as missiologist-at-large with Pioneers, a mission organization, and is the acting president (vice chancellor) of the Evangelical University (formerly Theological College of Central Africa) in Ndola, Zambia. He attended the Second Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Manila in 1989 as a young leader, and later attended the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town in 2010 as one of the senior leaders.
Manfred Kohl | MKohl@mesaglobal.co
Dr Manfred Kohl has served in many senior roles in theological education and has personally visited a total of 495 theological institutions. In his academic capacity, he has published over 120 books and articles. During the course of his ministry he established the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision in several European countries and founded Re-Forma, an institution that has set a global standard for non-formal theological education. He also founded the Galilean Movement, which calls for an additional one million women and men for biblical ministry each year. Kohl is catalyst for the Global Integrity Network (GIN), an issue network of the Lausanne Movement and the World Evangelical Alliance.