The Lausanne Movement - Lausanne Global
Leadership Update – Calling the Whole Church to take the Whole Gospel to the
Whole World - November 2013
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Lausanne Convenes Global Consultation on
the Gospel and Media
The Global Consultation on the Gospel and
Media was held on 18-21 November 2013 in Los Angeles, California. 53 media
professionals gathered to discuss the church's engagement in media for the next
generation and the communication of the gospel using new media and
technologies.
Phil Cooke Craig Detweiler
Panel - Radio Theodore Asare
Phill Butler Panel - Social Media
Ruth Limkin Finny Philip
LAUSANNE MOVEMENT CONVENES GLOBAL
CONSULTATION ON GOSPEL AND MEDIA
Leaders Create Roadmap for Church’s
Engagement in Media for Next Generation
Leaders Create Roadmap for Church’s
Engagement in Media for Next Generation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles, California – 25 November
2013 – 53 Christian media professionals from around the world participated in
the Lausanne Global Consultation on the Gospel and Media from 18-21 November in
Los Angeles, California.
Participants came from traditional to new
media backgrounds, including radio, television, film, journalism, and social
media. ‘These leaders were chosen as participants because of their expertise in
media, their passion to use media for mission and evangelism, and their desire
to intentionally collaborate together’, says Naomi Frizzell, Participant
Selection Team Convener and Vice President of Global Media at RBC Ministries.
The consultation emerged from The Cape
Town Commitment’s call for ‘a renewed critical and creative engagement with media
and technology’. Wayne Pederson, Chair of the consultation and President of
HCJB Global, explains, ‘The goal of the consultation was to create a roadmap
for the effective use of media to reach the next generation around the world
with the gospel’. Lars Dahle, Lausanne Senior Associate for Media Engagement,
adds, ‘If the whole church is to take the whole gospel to the whole world,
media engagement becomes a highly significant issue’.
Phil Cooke, Co-Founder and President of
Cooke Pictures and internationally known writer, speaker, and blogger, led the
first evening plenary. He spoke on the inundation of information and media in
the world. As a result, ‘It’s not the best message that gets through anymore;
it’s actually the message that knows how to cut through all that clutter and
get on the radar and get noticed’. Highlighting case studies from global brands
like Nike and Starbucks, he explained the necessity and importance of branding
‘in a culture of unlimited choice’. He challenged participants: ‘Everything
communicates. How does your story cut through?’
Theodore Asare, Founder and CEO of
Theovision International in Ghana, and Finny Philip, Lausanne International
Deputy Director for South Asia, started each day with Bible expositions on the
theme of the gospel and media. The mornings continued with table discussions
and related plenary sessions. Phill Butler, Lausanne Senior Associate for
International Partnerships, expounded on the importance of partnerships in
media with individuals and churches. Craig Detweiler, Director of the Center
for Entertainment, Media, and Culture at Pepperdine University, discussed the
reality of media’s influence on personal lives: ‘Connected to the world, but
disconnected from each other … Our network lives allow us to hide from each
other even as we’re tethered to each other. We’d rather text than talk’. He
raised implications for gospel communication: ‘If we believe in an embodied
faith, then we might really need to get back to that. We might need a theology
of embodiment to battle a world of disembodied relationships. We may be the
last place of physical provisions, physical touch, physical contact, and if so,
become the countercultural revolutionaries for the 21st century’.
Task forces met in the afternoons, each
group focused on a specific media platform. ‘I was amazed and surprised at the
high level of engagement and passion of participants from around the world with
a common passion for media outreach’, remarks Wayne Pederson, ‘the high level
of interaction and energy was an inspiration and encouragement to those who
work faithfully to share God's love through the diverse media tools God has
given us today’.
In the final evening plenary,
participants were challenged by Ruth Limkin, Executive Officer to the Speaker of
Queensland Parliament, to leverage social media and create opportunities to
engage in public conversations that are ‘gracious’ and ‘brave’. Citing
compelling examples of positive blog posts that led to significant and tangible
change, she challenged participants to use media to call people to a positive
vision of what could be rather than simply criticizing people. ‘It’s more
effective to give people a bigger vision to say yes to, than focusing on what
we want them to say no to’.
‘Our prayer is that years from now we
will look back at the consultation as a seminal moment in engaging the next
generation with the Good News. That we can be winsome, influential and
effective in sharing God's redemptive plan to a broken world’, Wayne Pederson
shares. ‘By the time we concluded, this diverse team of media professionals
uncovered strategies and tools, which will allow us to use media, especially
social media, to engage the culture and reach the hard to reach places where
Christ is not known’. These ideas and conclusions have been summarized in a
written statement with a Call to Action for the global church’s engagement in
media.
A Lausanne Occasional Paper (LOP) from
the consultation will be published in January. A media engagement network is
also being launched, comprised of media professionals who will collaborate on
further action plans.
END
The Call to Action, videos, and other
resources from this consultation are available at www.lausanne.org. Individuals
and ministries are also encouraged to join the conversation on media engagement
at www.lausanne.org/conversation.
BACKGROUND
Lausanne is a global movement that
mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization. It grew
out of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization convened in
Lausanne, Switzerland, by Rev Billy Graham and Bishop Jack Dain. The Third
Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (October 2010) in Cape Town, South
Africa, brought together 4,000 Christian leaders representing 198 countries.
The resulting Cape Town Commitment serves as the blueprint for the Movement's
activities.
Lausanne is convening several
consultations each year around the issues articulated in The Cape Town
Commitment. The next will be the Global Consultation on Prosperity Theology,
Poverty and the Gospel in Brazil. For more information, visit www.lausanne.org.
CONTACT
For interviews or more information,
contact Sarah Chang at media@lausanne.org.
---
A CALL TO ACTION FROM THE LAUSANNE GLOBAL
CONSULTATION ON MEDIA AND THE GOSPEL
Media and Mission in a Globalized World
Brea, California, USA, 18–21 November
2013
Introduction
The Lausanne Movement has identified
media engagement as a priority for the global church. The media shapes every
part of human experience, in every part of society, in every part of the world.
There is a need for appropriate ways of communicating key ideas, new
perspectives, and neglected stories. There is a need for fresh ways of engaging
people’s thinking and imagination.
The Lausanne Global Consultation on Media
and the Gospel met from 18–21 November 2013 in Brea, California, USA, to
explore implications of the section ‘Truth and the globalized media’ in The
Cape Town Commitment (IIA4). The consultation gathered media professionals
representing a variety of global arenas and contexts.
Major Needs Addressed
We echo the words of TheCape Town
Commitment: we love God’s world, we love God’s word, and we love God’s mission.
He is a God who communicates, and his character shapes our media engagement.
As professionals in the media, we share
the call to ‘bear witness to Jesus Christ and all his teaching in every nation
– in every sphere of society, and in the realm of ideas’ (The Cape Town
Commitment, Foreword). What we communicate, and the way we communicate, are
essential in our witness for Christ as we engage with truth and grace. So we
met to explore our Christian callings in (1) media analysis and education; (2)
mainstream media; and (3) specialist media ministries and churches.
As recommended in The Cape Town
Commitment, we focused on three crucial needs:
Media awareness
It is essential for Christians, as part
of discipleship, to evaluate their media usage and messages within the media,
and to recognize underlying worldviews. We therefore want to encourage and
equip people to develop biblical discernment for personal, family, church, and
educational contexts.
Media presence
It is essential for Christians to be in
mainstream media as salt and light, whether in news and commentary, creative
and entertainment media, or in public discourse. We therefore want to encourage
and equip people for discipleship in these contexts, so that a Christian worldview
is affirmed as plausible.
Media ministries
It is essential for churches and
specialist media ministries to communicate as engagingly as possible in
evangelism and church planting, in Bible teaching and disciple-making, and in
integral mission. We therefore want to encourage and equip churches and
specialist media ministries to make effective use of all appropriate media platforms,
genres, and formats.
Working in partnership with churches and
with other Christians in public life – whether locally, regionally, or globally
– we are committed to making the case for the truth of Christ with professionalism,
integrity, and courage.
Our Call to Action
We have formed a task force, under the
leadership of the Senior Associate for Media Engagement, to address these three
major needs over the next three years. We call on The Lausanne Movement,
evangelical leaders, organizations, educational institutions, and local
churches in all parts of the world, to engage with media in an informed and
intentional way, and to develop the next generation of media communicators. We
call for:
Media awareness
integrating media awareness into mission
and discipleship strategies
researching into the developments and
implications of digital technology and media messages
reflecting missiologically on digital
technology and media messages
creating resources for understanding and
evaluating media usage and media messages (media literacy and analysis) as part
of both mission and discipleship
Media presence
commending careers in mainstream media as
worthy callings
discipling, supporting, and networking
Christians in mainstream media
encouraging and equipping Christian
leaders and apologists to be intentionally present as salt and light in
mainstream media
encouraging and equipping of individual
Christians to be thoughtful and intentional in their use of social media,
including content creation
Media ministries
exploring innovative ways of communicating
the gospel in the context of a holistic biblical worldview, with a particular
focus on unreached and unengaged peoples
equipping of churches and individual
Christians to make best use of a variety of media in mission and discipleship
creating media content to the highest
possible standards, both creatively and technically
using technology, including social media,
in flexible and innovative ways
encouraging of partnerships between media
ministries, educational institutions, churches, and ministry networks
Our Call to Prayer
In view of the above call to action, we
need to acknowledge our past failures, and to pray for:
biblical discernment in our media usage,
and biblical insight into the media messages we encounter
professionalism, integrity, and courage
for Christians in mainstream media
creativity, innovation, and a spirit of
partnership for specialist media ministries, churches, and individuals
a new generation of Christian media
communicators, in every part of the world
Agreed together by the participants of
the Lausanne Global Consultation on Media and the Gospel, Brea, California,
USA, 21 November 2013.
Call to Action writing team:
Lars Dahle (Norway), Julia Cameron (UK),
Finny Philip (India), Tony Watkins (UK)
Consultation leadership team:
Wayne Pederson (Consultation chair),
Steve Woodworth (Communications Working Group chair), Arnold Enns (Programme
Team convener), Naomi Frizzell (Participant Selection and Planning Team
convener), Lars Dahle (Lausanne Senior Associate for Media Engagement, and
Statement and Lausanne Occasional Paper Team convener)
Consultation participants:
Theo Asare (Ghana), Seph Barnard (USA),
Dave Bennett (USA), Phill Butler (USA), Julia Cameron (UK), Ed Cannon (USA),
Phil Cooke (USA), Margunn Serigstad Dahle (Norway), Lars Dahle (Norway), Sandy
Day (South Africa), Samuel De Jesus (Puerto Rico), Craig Detweiler (USA), Allan
Dowthwaite (Australia), Arnold Enns (Paraguay), John Evans (USA), Jonathan
Frank (UK), Naomi Frizzell (USA), Mark Gallardo (USA), Jarle Haugland (Norway),
Hannu Haukka (Finland), Adam Jeske (USA), Jerry Jones (USA), Rudolf Kabutz
(South Africa), Grenville Kent (Australia), Bill Kinnon (Canada), Karsten
Kopjar (Germany), Brandon Myles Krause (Singapore), Henryk Krol (Poland),
Joanne Kwok (Singapore), Lauren Libby (USA), Ruth Limkin (Australia), Tom Lin
(USA), Christopher Lucey (USA), Inna Miller (USA), Irina Mitrofanova (Russia),
Vicky Mixson (USA), Iain Morris (UK), Kn Moy (USA), Jan-Erik Nyman (Tanzania), Richard Page (USA),
Wayne Pederson (USA), Doug Pennoyer (USA), Finny Philip (India), Larry Poland
(USA), Dave Raley (USA), Dmitry Shatrov (Russia), Keith Strugnell (South
Africa), Clyde Taber (USA), Jenny Taylor (UK), Kevin Thio (Singapore), Tony
Watkins (UK), Daniel Willis (Australia), Steve Woodworth (USA), Geoffrey Morin
(USA), Luke Cheng (USA), Ed Underwood (UK)
---
VIDEOS FROM THE LAUSANNE GLOBAL
CONSULTATION ON THE GOSPEL AND MEDIA
The Lausanne Global Consultation on the
Gospel and Media was held on 18-21 November 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
Monday 18 November
Evening Plenary: Leading Change - Phil
Cooke
Tuesday 19 November
Bible Study: Matthew 10:5-8 - Theodore
Asare
Morning Plenary: Engaging Our Digital
Generation - Craig Detweiler
Discussion Panel: Effective and
Innovative Use of Media in Sharing the Gospel Globally - Wayne Pederson, Lauren
Libby, Edward Cannon
Wednesday 20 November
Bible Study: John 9:5 - Finny Philip
Morning Plenary: Missiology and Strategic
Alliances for Global Outreach through the Media - Phill Butler
Discussion Panel: Effective Use of Social
Media in Sharing the Gospel: Focus on World Regions - Hannu Haukka, Samuel De
Jesus, Henryk Krol, Adam Jeske
Evening Plenary: Challenge and
Commissioning - Ruth Limkin
Thursday 21 November
Bible Study: Mark 2:1-12 - Theodore Asare
---
Los Angeles, California – 25 November
2013 – 53 Christian media professionals from around the world participated in
the Lausanne Global Consultation on the Gospel and Media from 18-21 November in
Los Angeles, California.
Participants came from traditional to new
media backgrounds, including radio, television, film, journalism, and social
media. ‘These leaders were chosen as participants because of their expertise in
media, their passion to use media for mission and evangelism, and their desire
to intentionally collaborate together’, says Naomi Frizzell, Participant
Selection Team Convener and Vice President of Global Media at RBC Ministries.
The consultation emerged from The Cape
Town Commitment’s call for ‘a renewed critical and creative engagement with
media and technology’. Wayne Pederson, Chair of the consultation and President
of HCJB Global, explains, ‘The goal of the consultation was to create a roadmap
for the effective use of media to reach the next generation around the world
with the gospel’. Lars Dahle, Lausanne Senior Associate for Media Engagement,
adds, ‘If the whole church is to take the whole gospel to the whole world,
media engagement becomes a highly significant issue’.
Phil Cooke, Co-Founder and President of
Cooke Pictures and internationally known writer, speaker, and blogger, led the
first evening plenary. He spoke on the inundation of information and media in
the world. As a result, ‘It’s not the best message that gets through anymore;
it’s actually the message that knows how to cut through all that clutter and
get on the radar and get noticed’. Highlighting case studies from global brands
like Nike and Starbucks, he explained the necessity and importance of branding
‘in a culture of unlimited choice’. He challenged participants: ‘Everything
communicates. How does your story cut through?’
Theodore Asare, Founder and CEO of
Theovision International in Ghana, and Finny Philip, Lausanne International
Deputy Director for South Asia, started each day with Bible expositions on the
theme of the gospel and media. The mornings continued with table discussions
and related plenary sessions. Phill Butler, Lausanne Senior Associate for
International Partnerships, expounded on the importance of partnerships in media
with individuals and churches. Craig Detweiler, Director of the Center for
Entertainment, Media, and Culture at Pepperdine University, discussed the
reality of media’s influence on personal lives: ‘Connected to the world, but
disconnected from each other … Our network lives allow us to hide from each
other even as we’re tethered to each other. We’d rather text than talk’. He
raised implications for gospel communication: ‘If we believe in an embodied
faith, then we might really need to get back to that. We might need a theology
of embodiment to battle a world of disembodied relationships. We may be the
last place of physical provisions, physical touch, physical contact, and if so,
become the countercultural revolutionaries for the 21st century’.
Task forces met in the afternoons, each
group focused on a specific media platform. ‘I was amazed and surprised at the
high level of engagement and passion of participants from around the world with
a common passion for media outreach’, remarks Wayne Pederson, ‘the high level
of interaction and energy was an inspiration and encouragement to those who
work faithfully to share God's love through the diverse media tools God has
given us today’.
In the final evening plenary,
participants were challenged by Ruth Limkin, Executive Officer to the Speaker
of Queensland Parliament, to leverage social media and create opportunities to
engage in public conversations that are ‘gracious’ and ‘brave’. Citing
compelling examples of positive blog posts that led to significant and tangible
change, she challenged participants to use media to call people to a positive
vision of what could be rather than simply criticizing people. ‘It’s more
effective to give people a bigger vision to say yes to, than focusing on what
we want them to say no to’.
‘Our prayer is that years from now we
will look back at the consultation as a seminal moment in engaging the next
generation with the Good News. That we can be winsome, influential and
effective in sharing God's redemptive plan to a broken world’, Wayne Pederson
shares. ‘By the time we concluded, this diverse team of media professionals
uncovered strategies and tools, which will allow us to use media, especially
social media, to engage the culture and reach the hard to reach places where
Christ is not known’. These ideas and conclusions have been summarized in a
written statement with a Call to Action for the global church’s engagement in
media.
A Lausanne Occasional Paper (LOP) from
the consultation will be published in January. A media engagement network is
also being launched, comprised of media professionals who will collaborate on
further action plans.
END
The Call to Action, videos, and other
resources from this consultation are available at www.lausanne.org. Individuals
and ministries are also encouraged to join the conversation on media engagement
at www.lausanne.org/conversation.
BACKGROUND
Lausanne is a global movement that
mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization. It grew
out of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization convened in
Lausanne, Switzerland, by Rev Billy Graham and Bishop Jack Dain. The Third
Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (October 2010) in Cape Town, South
Africa, brought together 4,000 Christian leaders representing 198 countries.
The resulting Cape Town Commitment serves as the blueprint for the Movement's
activities.
Lausanne is convening several
consultations each year around the issues articulated in The Cape Town
Commitment. The next will be the Global Consultation on Prosperity Theology,
Poverty and the Gospel in Brazil. For more information, visit www.lausanne.org.
CONTACT
For interviews or more information,
contact Sarah Chang at media@lausanne.org.
---
Strengthen and Expand the Impact of
Lausanne by Doug Birdsall, Lausanne Movement Honorary Co-Chair
Doug BirdsallIt is a pleasure to write on
behalf of my friend Michael Oh and all of our friends from the Lausanne global
family as they give leadership to the Movement.
These are exciting and challenging days for Lausanne. We are profoundly grateful to God for the way
in which he has blessed Lausanne through an infusion of energy and talent
represented by younger leaders with a fresh commitment to the vision of “the
whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.”
As you might imagine, it is particularly
gratifying to me on a personal level to witness the evidence of God’s hand of
blessing on Lausanne at this time. The
last few weeks and months have been challenging for Jeanie and me as we have
dealt with the challenge of the lung cancer surgeries in July and then with my
termination as President of the American Bible Society after such a short
tenure there. In two weeks, I am scheduled for another surgery as cancer has also
been detected on my thyroid.
In the midst of such situations, we are
made more aware of our limitations and our weaknesses in this fallen
world. At precisely the same point, we
are also made more aware of his greatness and his redemptive purposes in our
lives and in history. We are discovering
at an even deeper level the truths of his promises: “My grace is sufficient for you,” and “His
strength is made perfect in our weakness.”
As Honorary Co-Chair of The Lausanne
Movement, I ask you to come alongside Michael Oh, our Lausanne Executive
Director/CEO, in this new phase of the journey.
We are so grateful for the legacy that
Michael Oh inherits from people like Billy Graham, John Stott, Gottfried
Osei-Mensah, Leighton Ford and many others who helped to shape the ethos of a
movement for world evangelization in the “spirit of Lausanne.”
Next year we will celebrate the 40th
Anniversary of the epoch-making Lausanne ’74 Congress in Switzerland. Those ten
days in July of 1974 were greatly used of God to unite his people and to
energize the body of Christ for world evangelization. The congress produced three gifts for the
Church: 1) The Lausanne Covenant, whose
primary architect was John Stott; 2) A call to the global church to once again
take up the responsibility for holistic mission, which came through the
prophetic voices of Samuel Escobar and Rene Padilla; and 3) A breakthrough
mission paradigm which came through the great intellect and imagination of
Ralph Winter, the new understanding of ethne which gave birth to unreached
people group movements.
When the leaders of The Lausanne Movement
meet next year in Switzerland, they will not only be looking back 40 years,
they will also bring fresh assessment to the state of the church and the
advance of the gospel in our world. They will then be looking ahead to
anticipate the challenges and opportunities that are on the horizon. They will also connect with leaders of the
many new partnerships and fresh initiatives that issued forth from Cape Town
2010 and The Cape Town Commitment.
Lausanne is on the move – it continues to
be a dynamic and generative global movement of “reflective practitioners” from
every major stream of the church around the world. Your partnership and
investment have helped make that possible. The transition of leadership has
gone very, very well. I am so impressed with Michael Oh and the team he is
building. They provide vision and
strength that will help to set the course for the years and decades yet to
come.
A Call for Partnership
On behalf of my friend Michael and the
new leaders for Lausanne, I want to invite you to be part of a global company
of people who will strengthen and extend the impact of Lausanne through
generous financial support.
You will be encouraged to know that the
opportunity has come to be a part of a matching giving opportunity.
A wonderful friend of Lausanne has
provided a matching gift of $500,000.
Michael is praying and working toward the goal of enlisting 500 partners
who would be willing to make gifts, large and small, which would enable us to
broaden the base of support for Lausanne.
My hope and prayer is that you will
consider an end-of-the year pledge that will help us reach the goal of $500,000
in new gifts and pledges. Michael faces a big challenge and an even greater
opportunity. He is a man of faith and
vision. I ask you to join him. Your gift will be a great encouragement to
him. It will also be an investment in a
new generation as they build on a great legacy and help us move decisively into
the future.
Double Your GiftTo learn more about how
to make a financial commitment that will be doubled, please go to
www.lausanne.org/give.
Or you may make your commitment by mail.
Just send a check with your first gift and a note indicating your commitment
to:
The Lausanne Movement
P.O. Box 9020
San Dimas, CA 91773
USA
I believe with all of my heart that for
Lausanne and for the cause of world evangelization, “The future is as bright as
the promises of God!” Thank you for your
friendship and partnership in the work that God has entrusted to our care. God
bless you!
---
Regional Update on Typhoon Haiyan
The Philippines
On 8 November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan
(local name: Yolanda) hit the Philippines.
The most powerful tropical cyclone of the year barrelled through most of
the Visayas – six central Philippine islands including Leyte, Eastern Samar,
Iloilo, Palawan, and Northern Cebu – and left a trail of destruction in its
wake.
As of Sunday, 17 November (Day 9),
Yolanda, which cut off communication and power in almost the entire Eastern
Visayas region, has so far caused at least PHP 9,089 billion worth of damage to
agriculture and PHP 1,250 billion worth of damage to infrastructure, according
to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). The
Category 5 typhoon has left entire towns, including Tacloban City in Leyte and
Guiuan in Eastern Samar, in ruins, with at least 543,127 houses reported
partially or entirely damaged. This devastation has affected 2,182,312 families
or 10,174,296 persons in 10,312 barangays in 44 provinces, 574 municipalities,
and 57 cities. Meanwhile, the official death toll by day 10 rose to 3,976, with
18,175 people reported injured and 1,598 missing.
By day 10, aid agencies and humanitarian
groups have firmly established operational posts in the region’s largest city,
Tacloban. Aid distribution centers have also been set up to ensure a steady
supply of food and water, while mobile surgical units are providing emergency
care for the sick and injured. But the
overall situation remains critical, with the United Nations (UN) estimating
that up to 4.4 million people have been displaced and an estimated 2.5 million
people in 'urgent' need of food assistance.
The large geographical area of segregated islands makes access
difficult, particularly when roads leading further inland have been washed away
or strewn with debris. Survivors on small isolated islands near Guiuan are yet
to be reached – by boat.
On 17 November, the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA) reported that the country has received an estimated PHP 10.6
billion in delivered and pledged assistance from 43 governments and three
international government organizations, consisting of financial aid, relief
goods, equipment, humanitarian services, and transportation and logistics. The
amount does not include donations from NGOs. Meanwhile, the World Bank and Asian
Development Bank (ADB) have offered a total of USD 1 billion in loan pledges to
help in rebuilding and reconstruction in the aftermath.
However, apart from the physical
assistance, there are also the spiritual needs. Most of the millions [the
estimates differ from four to up to 14 million, depending on which source you
refer to] affected by the super typhoon have been traumatized by the horror of
the storm itself, as a result of losing family members, their worldly
possessions, and their livelihood. Trauma counselling and psychological support
will be needed for up to two years post-crisis. Local Filipinos will need to be
trained in counselling skills specific for this kind of situation.
Please pray:
For the on-going relief efforts and that
adequate supply of food, clean water, medicine, shelter, clothes, etc. will
reach the survivors quickly. Pray against lawlessness and mob looting as well
as for the people’s security as reports of hundreds of escaped convicts and
mass movements of people throughout Leyte province are causing increased levels
of tension and anxiety.
For those who are doing the grim task of
collecting decomposing corpses and ferrying them in trucks to the outdoor
morgue or mass graves in Tacloban. The long ten-hour days and mental toll as
they are confronted daily by stomach-turning sights are stressful and
traumatic.
Thank God for the pledges that foreign
governments have made. Uphold the NDRMMC led by Executive Director Eduardo del
Rosario, as it coordinates all government disaster response efforts. Pray that
corruption will not reduce the aid funds that will eventually reach and benefit
the intended recipients.
Thank God also for the aid that is coming
through international and national NGOs as donors respond to the immense needs
from all over the world. Please pray for the Philippine Relief and Development
Services (PHILRADS), the relief arm of the Philippine Council of Evangelical
Churches (PCEC), and other Christian NGOs as they mobilize Christians and
volunteers on the ground and coordinate relief and rebuilding efforts in the
short and longer term.
For inner healing for the survivors even
as they outwardly rebuild their lives.
For up-to-date information on Typhoon
Yolanda and the on-going relief work, please visit www.rappler.com and/or
www.inquirer.net.
To extend a helping hand towards the
extensive post-Haiyan relief projects through PHILRADS, the relief arm of the
Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), please visit the website for
funds transfer details.
To direct your financial assistance
through the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), funds
transfer details are as follows:
National Council of Churches in the
Philippines
Bank of the Philippine Islands
West Triangle Branch
1587 Quezon Avenue Extension, Quezon
City, Philippines
Phil. Peso Account No. 3051-0063-04
US Dollar Account No. 3054-0162-89
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM
Other international NGOs that are also
involved in providing relief aid may be found in these articles at The
Huffington Post and USA Today.
The Global Member Care Network (GMCN) has
put out an appeal to Christians in the psychological support sector through a
special Philippines-focus newsletter.
[Sources of information: www.rappler.com;
www.inquirer.net; www.channelnewsasia.com; BBC; USAToday; CNN; Global Member
Care Network.]
---
In This Edition:
Ezra Jin
A Landmark Encounter: The Significance of
the ACLF for the Church in China
This article is a part of the November
2013 issue of the Lausanne Global Analysis. Access other articles from this
issue or download the full issue as a free PDF download
Some events only happen after an
extraordinary long wait — and during such a wait, many people persevere through
failures and frustrations and keep praying in the midst of hardships, making
great efforts to see things happen. The Asian Church Leaders Forum (ACLF) held
in Seoul in June 2013 was such an event.
It seemed at first like any other
international conference. However, for the representatives of the house
churches in China, it was a conference of far-reaching significance. The deep
sorrow felt by Chinese representatives at not being able to attend the Third
Lausanne Congress at Cape Town in 2010 was greatly relieved. Their presence at
ACLF symbolically fulfilled the mission of attending Cape Town 2010, and ACLF
partly fulfilled the purpose of Cape Town 2010 for them.
When Chinese representatives were
preparing to attend Cape Town 2010, they aimed to fulfil three purposes:
1. Fellowship with the Global Church in
unity
Since 1949, when foreign missionaries
were expelled, the church in China has been isolated from other churches in the
world. Though the connection was partly restored after China’s reform and
opening up, the church in China still hopes to see a deeper, comprehensive, and
more open fellowship with the Global Church.
The existence of the church in China is
the fruit of Gospel seeds sown by countless missionaries in the past 200 years
with blood and tears, and is the evidence of the mission work of God’s Spirit
throughout the church. Chinese representatives hoped to restore the fellowship
and connection of the church in China and the Global Church in the body of
Christ, to inherit the history of the Universal Church, and to strengthen the
mutual understanding of the church in China and in other parts of the world.
2. World mission
They sought to mobilise the church in
China to participate in world mission. They wanted to learn what churches
throughout the world are doing about world mission, and to see how churches can
all partner together to advance the work of the Gospel of Christ. Growing in
maturity
They also wanted to help the church in
China grow in maturity. Dietrich Bonheoffer once said that God’s people are
scattered in this hostile world. This is especially true in China’s context. He
then said that when we meet and gather in the name of Christ, it should be a
foretaste of God’s eschatological gifts. Hence, Chinese representatives also
desired to see different networks and different parts of the body in China
become connected through this whole process, to be a witness together as a
loving body in Chinese society, and to partner together in evangelisation and
world mission.
ACLF basically fulfilled these purposes:
It was a significant gathering of
Christian leaders. Representatives from different regions and organisations
around the world, including 200 church leaders from Asia and the global church,
and more than 100 representatives from churches in Mainland China, gathered
together. Although not all of the 200 Chinese representatives invited to Cape
Town were able to attend for various reasons, the basic constituency of
participants remained the same. They were from the traditional Chinese house
church; mainly rural networks that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s; emerging
urban house churches; vibrant Christian communities in education, culture, and
business; and mission organisations in China.
ACLF was highly strategic. The history,
current status and challenges of global mission movements, especially in an
Asian context, were presented. To meet the needs of churches in China, ACLF
also arranged workshops on church planting and pastoring in an urban context,
theological education, and world missions. Chinese representatives shared the
status and opportunities of Christianity in China in the 21st century, and
issued the ‘2030 Mission China’ vision of the church in China for world
missions. There were deep interactions and conversations with leaders from
around the world about challenges pertaining to the urban church, theological
education, witnessing in Chinese society, the ‘Back to Jerusalem Movement’ etc.
ACLF brought comfort and unity. During
the three days, many world-renowned leaders did not even have a chance to speak
publicly; yet they came just to be with Chinese representatives, and were fully
involved throughout the conference. Chinese representatives received their
fellowship with gratitude, and felt accepted and included by the global family
through their silent companionship.
Part of the family
One night, Dr. Michael Oh, the newly
appointed Executive Director of the Lausanne Movement, came to the Chinese
delegation’s meeting. He said “You are our heroes, but I also know deeply that
you are sinners who need God’s grace in Christ. We are ready to see what kind
of sinners you are as we walk together”. When the delegation heard this, they truly
felt that this was the family of God, because they, with their weakness and sin,
were fully accepted in love.
One particular example illustrated such
love. When delegates were about to watch the video testimony of Rev. Jin
Tianming, the media staff suggested that only three minutes be aired since the
broadcasting quality was extremely poor due to technical difficulties. However,
the ACLF committee did not follow this suggestion. Despite the poor quality,
everyone listened carefully to the testimony of this suffering servant
together, which made Chinese representatives feel that the Global Church was
sharing the suffering together with them in Christ.
The most touching scene was on the last
day’s morning session when God’s word, “By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35) was shared. After the
sharing, the General Secretary of Chinese Coordination Centre of World
Evangelism (CCCOWE), Joshua Ting, on behalf of the overseas Chinese church,
solemnly apologised to representatives from Mainland China, for not effectively
supporting the persecuted house church.
His action led many to confession and
repentance, and brought many to tears. During the past two years, the overseas
Chinese church and the house church in China were estranged over the Cape Town
2010 controversies. However, ACLF reduced this divide, strengthening everyone’s
determination to grow in mutual understanding, commitment, love, and prayer. Is
there a greater testimony than to see brothers and sisters live together in
unity? This gathering greatly encouraged each participant. Towards the end of
the conference participants were asking each other, “How many times did you shed
tears at this conference”?
Seoul Commitment
Furthermore, this gathering encouraged
participants to move toward deeper unity and firmer commitment to each other.
The ‘Seoul Commitment’, drafted by representatives of the church in China in
response to the Cape Town Commitment, expresses their common aspiration:
“We commit ourselves to love the Gospel
of Christ. We are determined to humbly learn the vision of evangelisation of
the Lausanne Movement, to walk in the light of the Gospel, to proclaim the
Gospel in Chinese society, and to advance the evangelical movement.
We commit ourselves to maintaining the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are determined to accept one
another, to strive for the unity exemplified in the Lausanne Movement and to
live out a loving covenant community, so that we can bring praise to his glory as
a spectacle to angels and men.
We commit ourselves to joining hands with
the Global Church in world mission. We are determined to take the vision of
world mission of the Lausanne Movement, to pray faithfully for world mission,
and to take action in mission mobilisation, mission education and missionary
sending.
We commit ourselves to raise up younger
leaders of the next generation. We are determined to respond to the challenges
and opportunities of our era in the spirit of the Lausanne Movement, pass the
vision of evangelisation onto the younger generation and proclaim the salvation
message of the old rugged cross with creative methods”.
In addition, Rev. Daniel Li of Beijing
City Revival Church, cast the vision of ‘2030 Mission China’ (which he authored)
during the conference. He urged the Chinese church to work and pray to see
20,000 missionaries sent out from China by 2030.
ACLF future impact
The impact of ACLF will be felt in
various areas:
ACLF provides a clear ‘2030 vision’ for
the church in China. This vision provides a specific and clear direction for
the church, mobilising resources and passion to augment the waves of world
mission.
This vision will catalyse strategic
meetings and organisations.
The church in China will enter a new
phase of consolidation.
As the spirit of Lausanne becomes more
deeply rooted, theological dialogues and conversations among churches will
inevitably increase, which will have a profound and positive impact on the
development and maturity of theology in China.
The leadership networks and platforms
formed around ACLF will have a direct
impact on urban church planting, the
transformation of rural churches, cross-cultural mission to minority groups in
China, and overseas missions.
Connections with overseas Chinese
churches and mission organisations in different continents will reduce the
preparation period for churches in China to participate in world mission.
There are also some people speculating
that the successful participation in ACLF by Chinese representatives is a sign
of a new phase of church-state relations in China.
Suggested responses
The global church should recognise that
China in the 21st century still needs careful attention from the mission world.
Although China’s Christian population has increased rapidly, reaching tens of
millions (33 million according to official statistics), less than 7% of the
population is evangelised. China is still the world’s largest country that
contains people who have not heard of the gospel, with many unreached people
groups.
Furthermore, the Chinese church has
experienced enormous challenges of urbanisation. Young people from the rural
church are leaving. There is a shortage of pastoral leadership in the cities.
The rise of heresy, tensions in church-state relations, and rampant materialism
are among many daily challenges facing the church after its recent rebirth.
The global church should join with the
church in China in shouldering this responsibility. The deepening exchanges
between the global Church and the church in China should lead to a gradual
building of deeper partnerships. This could include working together, not only
in ministries among indigenous Chinese, but in mission to minorities, in
cooperation with churches in China. It could also include opening the door for
the Chinese church to be engaged in world evangelisation. At this current
stage, the aim should be to increase strategic dialogue and communication.
It is undeniable that God has led his
church through the valley of the shadow of death, and made his church a
beautiful testimony on the earth. Indeed, his faithfulness is its stronghold.
Pastor Ezra Jin graduated from Peking
University, Beijing Yanjing Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary (Doctor of
Ministry). While serving as a pastor at Beijing Gangwashi Christian Church for
ten years, he also taught Systematic Theology and Pauline Theology at Yanjing
seminary. In 2007, Pastor Jin became the
founding senior pastor of Beijing Zion Church, a leading emerging urban church.
He also serves as the president of China Christian Seminary in Beijing.
---
Wafik Wahba
Turmoil in the Middle East: Implications
for Christians There and Globally
This article is a part of the November
2013 issue of the Lausanne Global Analysis. Access other articles from this
issue or download the full issue as a free PDF download
INTRODUCTION
The eruption of revolts across the Middle
East during the last two years reflects the region’s dire socio-political
situation: years of regime corruption, police brutality, human rights abuses,
economic injustices, poverty and high rates of unemployment, especially among
the young and educated. It has unleashed a process of change that will take
generations to play out, but it seems unlikely for now that the new regimes
will improve economic and social conditions, or deliver democratic
participation and a better future for the young generation that fought for
freedom.1
Islamists thwarted
The main beneficiary of this change was
the Muslim Brotherhood, the most influential and organized Islamic political
movement in modern history. It started in Egypt in 1928 and has inspired other
Sunni Muslim organizations across the Middle East and beyond. In the face of
previous corrupt and unjust regimes, such groups presented themselves as
saviours under their slogan ‘Islam is the Solution’.
It held power in Egypt from July 2012 to
July 2013. One of its offshoots is the major player in the governing coalition
in Tunisia, and its influence is growing in Syria and elsewhere. However, once
the Islamists assumed power in Egypt, it became clear that they lacked the
capacity to govern:
Their exclusionary policies drove
investors away and created social chaos.
Instead of building an inclusive
government, they targeted wealthy Christians, confiscating their businesses and
properties.
Security deteriorated and economic growth
stagnated while Islamists were fighting over secondary issues such as proper
Islamic dress codes and the policing of morality.
By the end of June 2013, over 15 million
(and possibly as many as 30 million) Egyptians took to the streets
demonstrating against the Brotherhood, and the military took control of the
country, establishing a secular government. It is striking that Islamist rule
collapsed in just one year. This has been felt everywhere in the region:
The Tunisian coalition is in crisis over
its future.
The ‘soft’ Islamist Turkish government is
facing increased opposition from secularists.
Islamists in Libya are losing political
ground.
The constant instability in the region is
affecting tourism, forcing businesses to close and companies to move out,
scaring investors away and encouraging emigration.
Fundamental regional changes
Current upheavals could transform the
territorial arrangements and nation states that were established a century ago
after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. For example, the borders of Iraq
could be shifting towards the creation of an independent Kurdish state in
northern Iraq, while Syria is being dismembered by the civil war and may well not
survive in its current form.
There is a greater emphasis on sectarian,
ethnic and tribal identities over national identity. Many Sunnis, Shia, Alawis,
Kurds and others are now more focused on sect or ethnic group rather than
national state. Sunni-Shia conflict is increasing in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and
Bahrain. If this continues, it will result in weak or no effective state
control.
However, such a trend can be reversed, as
with the sudden collapse of the Brotherhood government. This has shown that the
Islamist system of governing, which does not allow for multiculturalism,
participation and democracy, cannot survive in a world of advanced social media
and increased secularisation.
Moreover, the Islamist agenda and
political programme has been exposed for what it is. Many moderate Muslims are
questioning the validity of political Islam and calling for a secularised state
system. During the last year, the number of secularists and even atheists has
increased significantly in Egypt and in other countries in the region.
Events in Egypt since June have created
new positive relationships between Christians and Muslims, many of whom stood
side by side against extremist Islamist policies, although in other parts of
Egypt Christians and Christian property have face unprecedented levels of
attack.
Christian decline
Today, there are more than 25 million
Christians in the region (including an estimated 5 million from Islamic
background), representing 6% of the population:
From the third century to the fourteenth
century, Christians were the majority population in the region.
Christians lived under Islamic rule for
over thirteen centuries.
However, due to persecution, Christians
ceased to be the majority in their homeland by the fourteenth century.
The decline accelerated during the
twentieth century due to mass killing, as in the case of Armenians and
Assyrians, and emigration:
By the beginning of the twentieth
century, Palestinian Christians numbered over 40% of the population; today they
are less than 5% in Israel and the West Bank.
In Jordan, the percentage has fallen from
over 30% to less than 3%; in Lebanon from 70% to less than 30%; and in Iraq
from 30% to 2% last year.
Over 3 million Egyptian Christians have
emigrated since the 1960s and thousands of Christians are fleeing Syria.
Muslim background believers
However, in the last twenty years there
has been a significant surge in the number of Muslims coming to Christ. For
centuries, it seemed that Muslim evangelism was impossible. However, the more
Islam and Islamism influence and control the region, the more people are
searching for a way out of its grip over their lives:
Social media are playing a significant
role in reaching Muslims with the message of the gospel.
Satellite TV and the Internet are
reaching millions of Muslims.
The estimated 5 million Christians from a
Muslim background today can be found in almost every country in the region,
even in the most closed and hostile countries to the gospel:
The number of Christians in Iran today is
estimated to be ten times higher than in 1979 when the Islamic revolution
started.
There are indigenous Christians in almost
every Gulf state today.
While the church in North Africa was
utterly destroyed by the sixteenth century, God is reaching out to many North
Africans through dreams and visions and raising leaders who are building a
network of churches and ministries.
Christians from a Muslim background face
severe persecution for their faith. They are often branded ‘apostates’, and as
a result risk death, detention, imprisonment, torture, loss of property or
annulment of marriage. However, their perseverance and faithfulness are a remarkable
witness to the gospel.
Christian influence
Twenty years ago, late king Hussein of
Jordan stated correctly that “Middle Eastern Christians are the glue that keeps
this region together”. Christians were instrumental in influencing and shaping
the social life of the region for centuries. Many respected educational
institutions were started by Christians:
Christian Evangelicals initiated women’s
education in the region in the 1920s.
The influence of Christian universities
led to Lebanon, Egypt and Syria contributing to the drafting of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
Christians were active participants in
the drafting of new constitutions in their countries in the twentieth century
based on democracy and equality.
They were catalysts of secularised
political systems that were supposed to respect freedom of speech and religious
beliefs of all citizens.
Their active participation today in
social services, education and politics, even on a limited scale, provides
inspiration and hope for many moderate and educated Arabs who envision a modern
state not governed by religious laws:
Christians across the region are actively
involved in establishing high quality educational institutions, which inspire
generations of Arabs to call for more democratic systems.
Christian social organisations are
ministering to the wider community in their countries. Examples include the
Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development (LSESD) serving thousands
of people through education and social services (currently also serving the
needs of Syrian refugees), and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social
Services (CEOSS), which is reaching two million Egyptians through education,
small business and health care programmes, empowering them to escape the
poverty cycle.
Prayer and sacrifice
Middle Eastern Christianity has a long
history of worship, fasting and prayer. Today, in the midst of turmoil and
persecution, there is a renewed desire. Many Christians believe that it was the
power of prayer that has exposed the source of corruption, injustices and
confusion that have dominated over the region for many centuries.
For years before the Egyptian revolution,
Kasr El-Dobara (KED) Evangelical Church in central Cairo dedicated days of
prayers and fasting for the country. One of the most remarkable prayer meetings
took place on November 11, 2011:
Over 50,000 gathered overnight at the
Cave church in Cairo.
That night of prayer, fasting and
repentance was unprecedented in the recent history of Middle Eastern church.
The prayer was led by church leaders from
all denominations and attended by Christians and non-Christians who were drawn
to praise and worship with Christians.
God’s glory was manifested and the prayer
movement spread to many churches and communities in Egypt and beyond.
In August, more than 120 churches,
monasteries and Christian institutions were attacked and burned in Egypt.
Thousands of Christians have lost their homes and businesses. The reaction of
Egyptian Christians and the church leadership was remarkable. There was no
revenge, and Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, said “we
offer these institutions burned and destroyed by Islamic extremists as a
redemptive sacrifice for the country”.
These events created a new atmosphere of
hospitable relations between Egyptian Christians and Muslims. Many Muslims were
puzzled by the Christians’ reaction and started asking about the Christian
faith. There were even reports of Muslims losing their lives defending church
buildings against Muslim extremist attacks.
Outlook
The revolts of the last two years are
exposing the real issues facing the region: corruption, oppression and
injustice. They are also exposing the socio-political structure of the dominant
religion in the region. The swift demise of the Muslim Brotherhood government
in Egypt will have significant ramifications for political Islam worldwide.
Governments influenced by the movement in Tunisia and Turkey are facing greater
challenges, while the suppression of the Brotherhood in Egypt will drive it
underground and could lead to renewed extremist violence in Egypt and
beyond.
While it seems that the Middle East is
moving towards sectarianism and religiously-oriented governance and away from
the former semi-secular systems, the current realities of globalisation and
global connectedness will curb governments’ attempts to exercise excessive
power. Social media will play an instrumental role in shaping the
socio-political structure of the region and exposing injustices and corruption
Religious strife among Sunnis and Shia,
and moderates and Salafists will intensify and may weaken their overall
influence. Again social media will play a key role in exposing the social and
political agendas and ethos of such groups.
Implications for Christians
Middle Eastern Christians may well face
further times of persecution due to the current unrest and poor security.
However, the church in the region will be stronger and bolder in its witness,
as in Egypt since August. The prayer movement will spread to other Middle
Eastern countries and will influence all Christian denominations: Orthodox,
Catholics and Evangelicals. There are new signs of Christian unity, for example
the newly formed Egyptian Christian Unity Council.
The global church needs to be aware of
the complex realities of the Middle East. It needs to voice its concerns about
what is happening in order for Christians around the globe to be active in
praying for and standing along their brothers and sisters, who for centuries
have kept the lamp of faith burning amid so much turmoil and persecution.
Churches outside the Middle East should
consider active participation with Middle Eastern Churches, including joint
ministry programmes, and joining in prayer and worship together. The global
church will be richer through connecting with the long spirituality of the
Middle Eastern church.
Above all, we need to trust in God’s
wisdom in reshaping the whole region and using the church for the furthering of
his kingdom in the midst of the current chaos. The Lord who holds all power and
authority in heaven and on earth has promised to be with his church to the ends
of the ages.
Reference:
See David Taylor, “Where Next for the
Arab Spring?” in November, 2012 issue of Lausanne Global Analysis
About translation
Dr. Wafik Wahba (ThM, Princeton; PhD, Northwestern
University) is Associate Professor of Global Christianity at Tyndale Seminary
in Toronto, Canada. He has taught Theology, Global Christianity, Cultural
Contextualization and Islam in the USA, Middle East, Africa, South East Asia
and South America, and is currently writing a book entitled, “Christianity and
Islam: Global Perspectives”. Dr. Wahba presents on Christian TV programs,
“Light for all Nations” and “Let there be Light”, broadcast weekly in Europe,
North Africa and the Middle East on LIFE satellite channel with over 250,000
weekly viewers.
---
Mats Tunehag
Business as Mission: Building a Movement
that Can Bring Lasting Societal Transformation
This article is a part of the November
2013 issue of the Lausanne Global Analysis. Access other articles from this
issue or download the full issue as a free PDF download
Business as Mission, BAM, is a new term
but the underpinning concept is nothing new. Business as Mission is not a new
discovery, but a rediscovery of biblical truths and practices.
Our first God-given mandate is the
creation mandate, Genesis 1-3: we are to be creative and create good things,
for ourselves and others, being good stewards of all things entrusted to
us–even in the physical arena. This of course includes being creative in
business–to create wealth. Wealth creation is a godly talent: “Remember the
Lord and your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth”
(Deuteronomy 8:18). As Christians we often focus more on wealth distribution,
but there is no wealth to distribute unless it has been created.
God calls and equips some people to
business. We need to affirm and encourage business people to exercise their
calling with professionalism, excellence and integrity. Martin Luther puts it
this way:
A cobbler, a smith, a farmer, each has
the work and the office of his trade, and they are all alike consecrated
priests and bishops, and every one by means of his own work or office must
benefit and serve every other, that in this way many kinds of work may be done
for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, even as all the members
of the body serve one another.
Or as stated in the Business as Mission
Manifesto, from the Lausanne paper on BAM 2004:
We call upon the Church worldwide to
identify, affirm, pray for, commission and release business people and
entrepreneurs to exercise their gifts and calling as business people in the
world – among all peoples and to the ends of the earth.
We call upon business people globally to
receive this affirmation and to consider how their gifts and experience might
be used to help meet the world’s most pressing spiritual and physical needs
through Business as Mission.
Business is more than…
If business was only about maximizing
profit, it would be acceptable to get involved in human trafficking, which is
relatively low risk (few traffickers are caught and sentenced) and has a
relatively high profit margin. If job creation was the only purpose of
business, one could commend the Mafia for the jobs they create.
Businesses need to make a profit to
survive but they should also look beyond that. Pope John Paul II wrote: “The
purpose of a business firm is not simply to make a profit, but is to be found
in its very existence as a community of persons who in various ways are
endeavouring to satisfy their basic needs, and who form a particular group at
the service of the whole of society.”
BAM and a challenge before us
A focus for many in the global BAM
movement is the Arab world and Asia since there is a concentration of many
needs in these regions:
The name of Jesus is rarely heard in the
Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist worlds.
These regions are where a large part of
the world’s poorest are found.
Unemployment and underemployment in many
of these countries range from 30% - 80%.
These regions have the fastest population
growth, with hundreds of millions of young people coming into the labor market
looking for jobs.
These are also often high-risk areas for
trafficking and prostitution. Unemployment makes people vulnerable.
A common denominator in the above points
is jobs: there is a great need for jobs with dignity. BAM is a strategy to
address these challenges and demonstrate the Kingdom of God. BAM is a growing
global movement of Christians in the marketplace seeking to serve God and the
common good through business.
1.8 billion jobs needed
There is a global shortfall of about 1.8
billion good formal jobs, according to Jim Clifton, CEO of Gallup. Many people
live and work in the insecure, informal job sector, which is often filled with
survival activities in the form of subsistence businesses. Most people hope for
a formal job, but many have little or no prospect of finding one. The problem
is growing, and the challenge is huge and global. What must be done?
Handouts do not give dignity – jobs do.
Aid can ease problems temporarily but
cannot create 1.8 billion new jobs. We know, for example, that aid has not
lifted Africa out of poverty, as the international economist Dambisa Moyo has
clearly demonstrated in her book Dead Aid.
Micro-loan programs can help, but tend to
build the informal economy and thus run the risk of cementing people and
nations in poverty. BAM is about societal transformation, which implies
building the formal economy. The backbone of developed countries is small and
medium size enterprises (SMEs). SMEs also drive job creation in developing
countries. For example, more than 80% of African jobs are created by SMEs,
according to World Bank surveys; yet those businesses are often neglected by
traditional aid agencies.
Societal transformation
There have been movements of societal
transformation throughout history.1 Key leaders like Luther, Calvin, Knox, and
Zwingli catalyzed the Protestant reformation. Approximately 200 years ago,
William Wilberforce and others spearheaded the movement fighting for the
abolition of slavery and the slave trade. The civil rights movement in the USA
brought about significant change and Martin Luther King was an audacious leader.
Societal transformation implies good and
lasting change. It is not about achieving perfection; there will always be room
for improvement. Looking at the movements of societal transformation, one can
observe some common themes and denominators. Such movements:
started as a small minority;
shared a vision;
embraced common values;
connected with one another;
built critical mass; and
had commendable tenacity.
BAM is another movement for social
transformation. Today there is a global BAM movement; it did not exist 20 years
ago. There were expressions of BAM back then and even long before that.
However, now there is an unprecedented global cohesion and connectedness. BAM
shares the common themes outlined above.
Small minority and common values
The BAM movement is still small (a
minority), but vision and values are increasingly shared across the globe. (The
Lausanne paper on BAM 2004 deals with values and essential BAM building blocks,
especially in chapter four)
Shared vision
The first global think tank on BAM (2003
– 2004) and the Lausanne paper on BAM (2004) helped catalyze a common global
understanding of the concept.
It sought to address how businesses can:
serve people;
align with God’s purposes;
be good stewards of the planet; and
make a profit.
This is often referred to as the
quadruple bottom-line. We are aiming at a positive impact economically,
socially, environmentally and spiritually, leading to holistic transformation
of people and societies – to the greater glory of God. We are especially concerned
about the world’s poorest and the least evangelized peoples.
Connected with one another
The 2nd global think tank process (2011 -
2013) has increased the connections, creating global connectivity of key
players in the BAM eco-system, with people from every continent.
The global BAM think tank had
approximately 30 national, regional and international working groups
collaborating. Leaders from these groups and other BAM leaders at large, about
80 in total, met at the Leaders’ Forum in April in Thailand.
The largest global gathering ever of
social and intellectual capital in the BAM space followed this. More than 550
people from over 40 nations came to the BAM Congress later in the month. The
Congress collaborated with a BAM Trade Fair, which followed immediately after
and had over 200 participants.
These BAM think tanks (2003 – 2004 and
2011 – 2013), processes and meetings, and the BAM Congress, have been
instrumental in building a global BAM movement, establishing a shared vision,
developing common values, and facilitating a global network of BAM
practitioners and other key leaders in the overall BAM eco-system.
Critical mass
Without critical mass of sizeable BAM
businesses, SMEs and beyond, we cannot see transformation at a macro level – on
cities, cultures and nations. Critical mass, in the BAM movement, is yet to
come, although promising indicators are emerging in some countries and areas.
Tenacity
BAM is an intergenerational issue, like
other movements of societal transformation. BAM is not instant coffee: take a
few bits of BAM thinking, stir into a business and transformation is the
result. On the contrary, societal transformation takes time, and we want to set
a stage and serve our generation in such a way that it will be a blessing for many
generations to come.
BAM and the olive tree
We can learn from the olive tree. Many of
us think in terms of two kinds of olives: green and black. However, there are
1,000 or more varieties. In the BAM movement, we are not just two categories:
business people on the one hand, and church and mission people on the other.
Rather, we are part of a greater eco-system – of investors, bookkeepers, prayer
partners, entrepreneurs, academics, human trafficking experts, theologians,
marketing and sales people, and many others.
It takes 20 to 25 years before an olive
tree bears fruit – olives that can be eaten. However, once it starts bearing
fruit, it can produce olives for 2,000 years or more. Olive trees are
intergenerational blessings.
The modern BAM movement is still young;
we are in some ways still within the first 25 years of the life of an olive
tree. We do see some fruit, but are eagerly awaiting more. However, we need to
nurture and care for the BAM olive tree in these early days of the movement. We
want to build a movement that can bring good and lasting transformation, and we
know it takes time. However, we need tenacity – we must hold onto our vision
and maintain our values, as we build BAM communities.
We embrace the promise that God will
bless us so we can be a blessing – in and through business – in our generation
and for many generations to come. That is BAM and the olive tree.
To learn more about the Global BAM Think
Tank see www.BAMThinkTank.org
For BAM material in English and 15 other
languages see www.MatsTunehag.com
Reference:
See article by Patrick Dixon on ‘Global
Trends, People Movements and Their Impact on Missions’
Mats Tunehag is a freelance consultant,
speaker and writer from Sweden. He has worked in nearly half the countries of
the world, developing global strategic alliances for various aims and
constituencies, including Business as Mission. Mats is the Lausanne Senior
Associate for Business as Mission. He also serves with a global investment fund
based on Christian values that helps SMEs to grow in size and holistic impact
in the Arab world and Asia, by providing financial, intellectual and human
capital.
---
Carrie Ngangnang with response by Bosela
Eale
Stewardship and Justice: A Challenge for
Christian Consumers
This article is a part of the November
2013 issue of the Lausanne Global Analysis. Access other articles from this
issue or download the full issue as a free PDF download
Our homes, workplaces, shops and markets
are full of items made from around the world. However, we do not often consider
the individuals behind the making of what we buy. We in the consumer nations
should be concerned with the welfare of those making the products we buy and
thus ask ourselves questions such as:
As followers of Jesus Christ, how do we
respond to others with humility, love, compassion and justice through the
purchases we make?
Is stewardship limited to our 10% tithe
to church or does it encompass 100% of all that we have?
Consuming affects others
Ken Wytsma, in Pursuing Justice said, “We
live in an interconnected world. The way we consume directly affects the lived
realities of other people, whether we want it to or not.”1
Because our world is global, we have an
opportunity to care for others across borders and cultures through our everyday
shopping. We can care for the poor simply by being aware of the conditions in
which they work to make our goods and by making purchases that help those
behind our products.
Chocolate and slavery
CNN’s Freedom Project has told the story
of Abdul (then ten years old) who was trafficked across a border to work in the
cocoa farms of Ivory Coast seven days a week as a child slave.2 Chocolate is a
precious commodity and likely a household staple in many homes across Europe
and America. In fact, Europeans and Americans consume most of the world’s
chocolate.3 The question arises whether it is possible to consume chocolate and
make a way for children like Abdul never to end up working as slaves.
Electronics and war
With the increase in demand over the past
15 years for electronics products, such as cell phones and computers, the need
for coltan, the mineral used to make these devices, has increased dramatically.
The largest mine of coltan is in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
With such a high demand for coltan,
militia groups have been fighting for control of this highly valued resource
for years. The current rebel group fighting for control of coltan is M23. In
the past two years, the Rwandan-backed group is estimated to have made over 250
million dollars from the sale of coltan.
When asked to comment on the current
situation in DRC, Ryan Mariden, a board member with Africa New Day said, “I
have seen firsthand the horrific impact these militias have on the children of
eastern DRC. One boy shared with me his story of capture at age ten and his
life as a child soldier that spanned over five years before he was finally
free. What these kids go through is so shocking – so deplorable, that I doubt
we would see it in our worst horror movies in America. Awareness is key. The
political background in all of this is complex to say the least. What is needed
is amplified world awareness, a beaming spotlight straight on Congo that will
make the situation simply impossible to ignore.”4
Stewardship and justice
Tithing a tenth of our income to God is
one way to express gratitude and acknowledgment that all we have are blessings
from him. However, we often do not consider how we spend the remaining 90% —
which is also a stewardship issue:
In Money, Possessions, and Eternity,
author Randy Alcorn writes, “The tithe was never a ceiling for giving, only a
floor. It was a beginning point. The tithe was a demonstration of obedience.
Voluntary offerings were a demonstration of love, joy and worship.”5
A deeper look at God’s heart for the poor
reveals he is much more concerned with how we daily spend the 90% than he is
with the 10% tithe (Amos 5:22-24, Is. 58, Mt. 23:23).
Choosing to spend our money in a way that
cares for those making the products we buy aligns our hearts with God’s heart
for justice. What concerns him ought to concern us. This is both obedience and
worship, and it creates space to share the Gospel across borders and cultures.
The Cape Town Commitment puts it this way,
“We support Christians whose particular missional calling is to environmental
advocacy and action, as well as those committed to godly fulfillment of the
mandate to provide for human welfare and needs by exercising responsible
dominion and stewardship.”6
In addition, Ken Wystma writes, “My
greatest frustration with consumerism is that it encourages selfishness while
reinforcing the lie that happiness is found in consumption — the opposite to
Jesus’ call to give our lives away. And paradoxically, rejecting the
consumerism of our culture is the way to find our greatest joy. What if
consumerism that plagues our churches — that plagues our hearts — could begin
transforming into compassion?”
Just purchases
Organisations such as Trade as One and
Food for the Hungry encourage consumers to spend in a way that extends
compassion across borders. Followers of Jesus can participate in restoration
work throughout the world and the redemption of land and people by making
purchases that seek to care for others globally.
Trade as One offers a simple approach:
“Our mission is to use fair trade to promote sustainable business and break
cycles of poverty and dependency in the developing world. We all have a
conscience. We want to make sure people get the chance to use it when they
shop.”7
Trade as One has established partnerships
with a number of accredited fair trade groups that work to create jobs for the
impoverished in an effort to restore dignity and the ability to provide for
family and community. Consumers can buy their everyday products and be
guaranteed no one experiences injustice in the making of that product.
In relation to chocolate, Trade as One
has partnered with Divine, an organisation based in Ghana that not only
provides honest work for the cocoa farmers, but also ensures the workers own a
significant portion of the business and therefore have a voice in its growth
and development in their community.8
By considering others when purchasing,
consumers can continue to buy chocolate and help to create and sustain jobs for
others. In this way, injustice will be prevented, a life of slavery avoided and
a self-sustaining livelihood developed for families and communities around the
world.
Additionally, there are practical steps
consumers can take to help to slow the demand for coltan and help protect the
Congolese people from unnecessary suffering:
Only buy new electronics when necessary.
Tell others about coltan and encourage
them to learn more.
Contact leading electronics companies and
urge them to be vigilant in legitimately purchasing coltan from the Congolese
people and not ultimately from the militias.
Conclusion
Jesus is the hope of the world. He uses
his Church to spread his good news of life and love for all of his creation. As
his Church, we can participate in God’s plan for justice in an unjust world,
simply by making purchases that care for others.
Wendy McMahan, Director of Church
Engagement with Food for the Hungry, put it this way, “As Christians, it’s
important that we honor God in every area of our lives. We can’t separate our
tithes and offerings from the way we spend the rest of our income. In God’s
eyes, our spending is critical to our discipleship. Food for the Hungry works with
church partners in the Global North who develop deep relationships with
vulnerable communities in the Global South. When a church forms that kind of
relationship, they begin to see how the choices they make every day have an
impact on people living in poverty around the globe. It’s a wake-up call to do
justice--not only by giving more generously, but by spending more wisely.”9
Nathan George, founder of Trade as One,
offers this concluding encouragement: “We offer a fair trade food subscription
service that provides a quarterly box of various fairly traded food from around
the world. We connect you to the producers behind the food and tell you why
it’s important to consume that product ethically. There is hope! Each year,
more and more people catch the vision of fair trade—that the poor can come out
of poverty simply by the choices we make in the products we consume. Our
spending does make a difference, and it’s when we realize this, and embrace it
wholly in connection with our faith and God’s love for all people that we begin
to see why it matters.”
If anyone has material possessions and
sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of
God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but
with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:16-17
References:
1. Wytsma, Ken. Pursuing Justice: The
Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things. Thomas Nelson, 2013.
2. See the CNN Freedom Project site for
Abdul’s story and more on slavery in West Africa’s cocoa field.
3.See the International Cocoa Organization
website for more information.
4.See the Africa New Day (AND) website
for more information.
5. Alcorn, Randy. Money, Possessions, and
Eternity. Tyndale House Publishers Inc. 2003.
6. The Cape Town Commitment. Part I, 7A,
2010.
7. See the Trade as One website for more
information.
8. See Divine’s website for more
information.
9. See the Food for the Hungry website
for more information.
Carrie Ngangnang served as a justice
advocate with The International Justice Mission for over three years, and
currently writes on slavery, justice and cross-cultural service for
ConversantLife.com. She is on the board of directors of My Refuge House, an aftercare
home for survivors of the commercial sex industry in Cebu, Philippines. She holds an MA degree in World Missions and
Evangelism from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and works for Mariners
Church in Newport Beach, California, empowering individuals to serve others
daily in their communities.
Editor’s Note: On November 6, 2013, news services reported
that as a result of international pressures, one of the main rebel groups in
the eastern DR Congo, known as M23, was laying down its arms and resolving to
pursue political means to address its concerns.
A Response: Coltan and the Conflict in
the DRC - Bosela Eale
The situation of conflict and war in the
eastern DRC is complex. Many observers have questioned why the Eastern Congo
has gone through all kinds of massacres and violence leaving behind orphans,
widows, a high rate of drop out from schools etc.
Some believe the reason is found in the
political sphere while others blame neighbouring countries seeking to control
the region’s vast mineral resources:
The DRC is endowed with various natural
resources.
Out of envy, surrounding countries
participate in looting those natural resources and creating disorder, arming
rebel groups to terrorise villagers.
When people flee, the rebels settle and
start the exploitation of coltan and other minerals.
The beneficiaries of that illegal
exploitation of Congolese resources are neighbouring countries and their
governments.
The growth of mining in the Eastern Congo
is hampered by poor overall management of resources, fraud and inadequate legal
structures, such that the country has not benefited from the opportunities
provided by rising world mineral prices. Furthermore, the involvement of armies
from neighbouring countries in the North and South Kivu regions has made it
difficult for the DRC to exploit its coltan reserves. Mining of the mineral is
mainly artisanal and small-scale. Coltan smuggling provides income for the
military occupation of the DRC, as well as prolonging conflict.
Not only has the illegal exploitation of
coltan caused the loss of thousands of Congolese lives, but it also raises
environmental concerns. Uncontrolled mining activities are eroding land and
polluting lakes and rivers, affecting the ecology of the region.
The invasion of eastern DRC by
neighbouring countries is primarily motivated by the desire to gain control
over its natural resources. Rebel groups in the Eastern Congo are also
motivated by economics rather than political considerations. In the view of many
Congolese, those rebel groups are just puppets for neighbouring countries and
Western corporations.
As you use a cell phone or laptop or any
other devices made of coltan, think of the thousands upon thousands of innocent
Congolese who are dying in the areas where coltan is being mined.
Dr. Bosela E. Eale, citizen of the DRC
and Vice-Chancellor of International Leadership University of Burundi, serves
as Lausanne Senior Associate for Leadership Development. He holds degrees in
history, social sciences and sociology, as well as a Master of Divinity from
Nairobi International School of Theology and Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from
the University of South Africa. He has served as Campus Crusade for Christ
staff in the DRC, and as pastor and Regional Minister of the Disciples of
Christ Community.
---
Thomas Harvey
Christian Faith and Current Ideological
Trends in China: The Implications of the 'Oxford Consensus'
This article is a part of the November
2013 issue of the Lausanne Global Analysis. Access other articles from this
issue or download the full issue as a free PDF download
In August 2013 in Oxford, England, the
6th Annual Forum for Chinese Theology on ‘Christian Faith & Ideological
Trends in Contemporary China’ brought together a significant group of
Christian, Confucian, Leftist and Liberal Scholars from China and around the
globe. It produced two notable outcomes:
1. ‘Oxford Consensus 2013’
The Christian, Confucian, Leftist and
Liberal scholars from China produced the Oxford Consensus 2013. Though these
scholars represent differing and often antagonistic ideological backgrounds,
the Consensus committed these key leaders to work together in mutual respect
and shared concern to address the various challenges facing China and the
world.
In sum, the Consensus, signed by the 28
scholars, echoed the spirit of the conference: that academic engagement at the
highest level can nurture deeper understanding and greater appreciation of
differing ideological positions addressing shared concerns.
2. Christian relevance
The conference served notice of the
relevance of global Christianity when it engages secular academic scholars to
address issues impacting civil society. This unique gathering brought together
Christian and non-Christian scholars to address the issues surrounding current
ideological trends in China.1 It produced relevant and insightful engagement
across academic disciplines as political, philosophical and religious
perspectives intertwined. Indeed, it was fitting that at the conference the
Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS) announced its new endeavour to develop
a new research centre in Oxford devoted to research on global Christianity and
its impact on civil society.
Why is this significant?
The conference and its outcomes are
already being reported on widely in China. News outlets from various
ideological perspectives have expressed general approval of the Consensus.
Further, some have noted that having the conference overseas in Oxford lent
gravity to the conference and opportunity to discuss issues with scholars from
Asia, North America and Europe openly.
Pre-conference concern that bringing
together secular and religious scholars to discuss Christian faith and ideology
in China would create friction and stifle productive discourse proved
unfounded. Indeed, the opposite held true. The cross-disciplinary nature of the
conference enhanced dialogue that served the production of the Consensus.
Of great significance is that this
conference represents an important step towards understanding the relationship
between Christian faith, ideology and civil society:
It served to bring out points of tension
between various ideological perspectives
in China and Christianity. This helped Christian scholars to understand
and address those concerns.
Further, because this was an academic
conference, it represented an academic inquiry seeking clarity and consensus
and was thus not regarded by the
delegates as an inappropriate meddling
in China’s internal affairs. The academic tenor of the conference led to
careful listening, response, dialogue, recognition of difference and potential
consensus.
Outlook
The conference created significant
connections between leading Christian and non-Christian academics and
institutional leaders from China and the West. This should open a path for
research scholars from China to pursue related matters raised at the
conference. Further, the conference built and strengthened ties between leading
Christian academic and mission institutions with representatives from 11 global
research centres, 29 Chinese, Asian, European and North American universities
and 12 NGO, Christian ministry and mission organisations attending.
Implications
Though not without risk, it was novel and
fruitful to bring together Christian and non-Christian Chinese and Western
scholars in a joint conference to air views on Christianity and ideology in
China. The favourable reception this approach received from non-Christian
delegates at the Conference should suggest ways going forward to foster understanding,
appreciation and even some amelioration of tension between Christianity and its
religious and secular critics. It provided an alternative way forward for
informed faith and secular perspectives to address the question of Christian
faith in China outside traditional religious institutional frameworks that are
too often fraught with bureaucratic and diplomatic hindrances.
References:
See article by Thomas Harvey and David Ro
entitled, “Current Ideological Trends in China: How Should the Church Respond?”
in the March, 2013 issue of Lausanne Global Analysis.
Dr. Thomas Harvey is the Academic Dean of
the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.
His area of specialty is Christianity in China and Southeast Asia,
having served for over a decade as Lecturer at Trinity Theological College,
Singapore. Thomas also serves as Contributing Editor for the Lausanne Global
Analysis and as an Advisory Board Member of the Lausanne Global Diaspora
Network.
---
New Senior Associates for Church Planting
and Media Engagement
Ron Anderson and Lars Dahle have been
appointed as Senior Associates for church planting and media engagement.
Leaders to Catalyze Global Networks on
Issues Critical to World Evangelization
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nagoya, Japan – 29 October 2013 – The
Lausanne Movement has established two new senior associate positions to address
critical areas in The Cape Town Commitment related to world evangelization.
Lars Dahle, Vice-Rector and associate professor at Gimlekollen School of
Journalism and Communication in Norway, has been appointed as Senior Associate
for Media Engagement. Ron Anderson, European Field Director at European
Christian Ministry International, has been appointed as Senior Associate for
Church Planting.
The new appointees join over thirty
senior associates. David Bennett, Lausanne Chief Collaboration Officer and
Teaching Pastor, says, ‘The senior associates along with their global issue
networks play key roles in implementing the calls to action in The Cape Town
Commitment, through catalyzing new partnerships and initiatives, and
stimulating deeper biblical and strategic reflection in these areas’.
The role of Senior Associate for Media
Engagement was created to address ‘major needs in media awareness, media
presence and media ministries’, David Bennett explains, ‘and to make the case
for the truth of Christ in our media culture’. Accepting the position, Lars
Dahle has outlined a vision for media engagement that is centered on these
critical needs. He urges, ‘We cannot and must not neglect the fascinating,
complex, and significant world of the media in the urgent task of world
evangelization’.
The second new role of Senior Associate
for Church Planting was created at the recommendation of many Lausanne leaders,
who see ‘the importance of encouraging communication between the various church
planting networks that have been springing up around the world in recent
years’, says Bennett. Ron Anderson, a dual citizen of Spain and the USA, has
been involved in many such networks in Spain, southern Europe, and Latin
America. He responds to his appointment, ‘It is with great joy yet in great
humility that I accept this appointment and therefore from the very start ask
for your prayers’.
In addition to the new positions, two new
Senior Associates have been appointed to assume leadership of two existing
issue networks. Ravi Jayakaran, Vice President of Global Programs for Medical
Assistance Programs International, is now Senior Associate for Integral Mission
(formerly Holistic Mission). He brings extensive multi-national experience to
his role from living and working long-term in India, Cambodia, China and the
USA, as well as being a consultant in over 20 other countries. Dave Deuel,
Academic Studies Director for The Christian Institute on Disability, has been
appointed Senior Associate for Disability Concerns. On his new role, former
Senior Associate Joni Earackson Tada notes, ‘It’s a big step forward into the
future for Lausanne’s impact on the world of disability, and I know Dave Deuel
will bring much passion and expertise to the table!’
Ravi Jayakaran and Dave Deuel are
assuming senior associate leadership from Evvy Campbell and Joni Eareckson Tada
respectively, due to their limitations in travel. These leadership changes have
been made at their strong recommendation.
BACKGROUND
Lausanne is a global movement that
mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization. It grew
out of the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization convened in Lausanne,
Switzerland, by Rev Billy Graham and Bishop Jack Dain. The Third Lausanne
Congress on World Evangelization (October 2010) in Cape Town, South Africa,
brought together 4,000 Christian leaders representing 198 countries. The
resulting Cape Town Commitment serves as the blueprint for the movement's
activities.
Lausanne is convening several
consultations each year around the issues articulated in The Cape Town
Commitment. The most recent one was the Lausanne Consultation on Arts in
Mission. Others will include the Global Consultation on the Gospel and Media
and the Global Consultation on Prosperity Theology, Poverty and the Gospel. For
more information, please go to www.lausanne.org.
CONTACT
For interviews or more information,
contact Sarah Chang at media@lausanne.org.
END
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The Lausanne Movement
1-4-10 Taiko, Nakamura-ku
Nagoya, Aichi 470-0801, Japan
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