Reflections from Lausanne 4
I spent the last week of September in Incheon, Korea attending the Fourth Congress on World Evangelization popularly known as Lausanne 4. This was a historic gathering that marked 50 years since the birth of the Lausanne movement. The first congress in 1974 in Lausanne, Switzerland gave the movement its name and brought together 2700 delegates from over 150 countries. They affirmed their conviction that the whole church must take the whole gospel to the whole world in the first document – the Lausanne Covenant. Lausanne 4 brought together more than 5200 leaders from nearly every country in the world with the clarion call, “Let the church declare and display Christ Together.”
Lausanne has had an impact over the years in rallying the church to accelerate global evangelization, resulting in millions in previously unreached regions embracing the gospel. Lausanne 4 marked a significant moment in the global Christian community's ongoing commitment to evangelism and mission work. Here are some reflections:
A Bold Vision
The clarion call of Lausanne 4 was, "Let the church declare and display Christ Together." This encapsulated the congress’s vision of the Christians in a polycentric world working together collaboratively to fulfill the Great Commission. This seems to have come from a realization that there are diverse people, cultures, ministry expressions - and even theological differences - yet everybody influenced by the wider Lausanne movement would agree on the primacy of evangelism and that the best way to do this is by working together. I found the call noble in its intention and grand in its ambition. If well pursued, it would lead to greater impact as there would be less and less duplication of effort. Yet therein lies the greatest challenge – how to actually make it happen. Towards the end of the event, participants were invited to sign a Collaborative Action Commitment so as to build deeper relationships and explore opportunities for synergy and collaboration. I found that effort helpful, especially in making the commitment personal and calling the leaders to intentionally respond to the Great Commission by filling gaps and seizing opportunities towards its fulfillment. I was challenged to remove duplication and silos by celebrating others and collaborating with them to address challenges facing the global church.
A Broad Vision
With participants from nearly every country on earth, the congress showcased the rich tapestry of global Christianity. This diversity fostered cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration, allowing attendees to share unique insights and strategies relevant to their contexts. The movement had stated that the congress will be “catalytic in advancing the Movement’s fourfold vision — the gospel for every person, disciple-making churches for every people and place, Christ-like leaders for every church and sector, and kingdom impact in every sphere of society.” Indeed, true to that vision there were many issues at hand for discussion. Lausanne had identified 28 “gaps” including creation care, church planting, polycentric resource mobilization, children at risk, etc. All these are good and indeed worthy of attention by the global Christian community. However, one wonders if it is possible to hit all those balls in one conference or by one movement. Maybe, like the body with many parts, some will be drawn to certain aspects of mission and others by different ones. Lausanne helped me to be generous in my attitude towards those particularly keen on areas to which I might be paying less attention.
A Monumental Task
The size of the congress and the variety of issues pointed to one reality: the task ahead is big and we are small. It almost appeared as if the more we work, the more the work increases. Yet Lausanne had done a thorough job in releasing “The State of Great Commission Report,” which outlined the key gaps in mission that need to be addressed urgently. Some of these include the next generation (Gen Z), use and stewardship of technology, issues of justice and poverty, persecution, workplace ministry, and many more. The congress helped to show that we are living in a complex world that is constantly changing and yet the unchanging gospel message needs to be communicated and heard by all. This led me to think that the advance of the gospel will call for recognition of our weakness, smallness, and vulnerability. This would in turn inspire us to prayer, collaboration, and faithful stewardship.
Whereas it was beautiful to see the global church gathered and so many cultural expressions of worship, the reality of the task ahead was not lost on us. Throughout the congress, there were times for prayer and reflection integrated into the program. Participants were encouraged to seek God’s guidance for their ministries and the global church's mission. These moments of prayer were special in highlighting the importance of relying on God in His mission.
Conclusion
The Lausanne 4 Congress on World Evangelization served as a critical gathering for the global church, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in mission. At a time when the global church is divided on so many issues, it was refreshing to hear that clarion call towards unity and collaboration. I appreciated being together with more than five thousand others, all united under one great story – the gospel. That in itself was really encouraging and challenging at the same time. I appreciated the call to build bridges of collaboration rather than silos of isolation – I needed the reminder that my theological or ecclesiastical tribe is not the gospel and that there are others out there serving the Lord, albeit somewhat differently from me.
I was humbled by the call on the very first night of the congress towards repentance; I was rebuked of the pride in thinking that “I don’t need you;” I was invited to extend a right hand of fellowship to others; and I was challenged to do the hard work of building bridges. I appreciated the clear portrait of the world we live in that was painted at the congress – that there are many areas to which I might not be paying sufficient attention, and yet those might be critical points of mission. There are certainly issues that I wish were given more prominence - such as the primacy of the local church - and perhaps there could have been more clarity on the gospel itself, but, for what it is worth, Lausanne 4 was a good wake up call for the body of Christ to declare and display Christ together.
—Harrison Mungai Macharia
Harrison Mungai serves as Nairobi Convener (Preaching Catalyst) for the Neopolis Regional Team of East Africa.
