Takeaways from Lausanne Congress, 2024
The curtains have been drawn on the Lausanne Congress, held in Incheon, South Korea, meeting for the fourth time since its inception in 1974. It was a rich time of fellowship, engaging with so many people across the world and hearing from two members of the Caribbean delegation–a medical doctor, speaking of her work experience, and a university professor speaking about Gen Zs.
Collaboration
A prominent theme of the congress was collaboration. The emphasis here is that there is much more that we can accomplish as a Church if we work together rather than alone. This was essentially what the theme of Lausanne 4–“Let the church declare and display Christ together”–tried to convey.
How can we as believers make a difference?
The focus of this congress was exploration of the gaps in the Great Commission and looking strategically at how the church could narrow these gaps. There were 5,400 participants present from 202 countries. The Lausanne organizers must be commended for mobilizing such a powerful team of church leaders, college principals, public sector leaders, professionals, doctors, psychologists, media personnel, students, NGOs, and a range of others who are part of the church.
The organization of table groups allowed participants to meet and get to know the six people in their assigned group and also allowed discussion of the issues arising from the presentations. The topics dealt with included: the coming of the Promised Spirit - No mission without power; Calling the Global church towards faithfulness in word and deed; and Christian witness in the workplace.
What percentage of the world’s population has never heard the name Jesus?
One of the issues discussed is how the church is reaching 28% of the world’s population, who have never heard the name Jesus, while 7,398 people groups have not been evangelized. Some of these groups exist in China, Africa, and South America, particularly in the Amazon region, and even in the United States, believe it or not. Some people are unreached due to their remote location and have been hostile to outsiders and some have been excluded because of language barriers. Africa has been leading the way in translating the Bible into the languages of some of these people groups.
Jamaica may argue that we have no remote people group as characterized above. But where do we place those in prisons? What of our children who have never been to Sunday School, and what of the population over 60, that we tend to overlook because we are focused on children and youth? The Church must develop strategies to reach those children who are receiving no systematic exposure to the Word through Sunday School. Many live with parents who are millennials who themselves have long abandoned the church. These could be our unreached people group.
Where has God called us to serve?
The Congress had a special session over four days to explore the workplace as a space for evangelism and discipleship. It was noted that 99% of believers are in the workplace. Since so many disciples are in the workplace, this fact cannot be ignored. At the congress, hundreds of businesspersons spoke/wrote about their businesses maintaining certain principles and the practice of business ethics. Some businesses set aside a portion of their profit to support the work of missions and missionaries.
The challenge for all of us then as believers is to make a difference where God has called us to serve.
“If you believe that the Great Commission was given to the Church and that you are a part of the Church and that the Holy Spirit has gifted you for the work of ministry and blessed you with time, talents and treasure to be stewarded for God's glory and contributed for the Great Commission, what could it look like for you to be fully invested in collective responsibility?” Dr. Michael Oh, CEO of the Lausanne Movement.
Let me use this medium to thank you all for your prayers and support in other specific ways. Thank you and God bless you.