| Lausanne Connecting Point - February 2003 |
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NO TRANSLATION AVAILABLE In This Issue:
World Inquiry enters second stage: Final results to be presented at 2004 Forum
The World Inquiry Second Stage began in India on 6th January 2003 in the capital city of New Delhi. No longer would there be a quantitative survey by the individuals present since more than 3000 leaders from 66 countries and 500 cities completed the process which provided the information needed for assessment. Stories of God at work in the city, identifying vital streams and emerging new streams of life-giving initiatives was a new dimension introduced in the second stage of the inquiry process. This was followed the focus groups which provided an integrated picture of the consensus of the participants regarding what God is calling them into in the future and the external challenges and internal obstacles within the Body of Christ in the city to fulfill that which they believed God was calling them into. Eleven days later World Inquiry consultations were conducted in nine state capitals all over the country with Richard Howell and Luis Bush serving as resource people. As a result of the Inquiry process a city-transformation movement has birthed in India out of the second phase of the Inquiry process which could bring blessing to the nation. "It is the birthing of a vision for cities that will bring focus and integration for doing missions in the cities. It will be a movement of transformation that will bring the various streams together in partnership to impact the cities and the nation." Richard Howell, General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India. The following report from New Delhi was prepared by participant Gabriel Gonsalves who was one of three writers of the value education section of the national education policy commissioned by the Government of India in 1986. The sharing by the participants of God's initiatives through church institutions and individuals added to the imension of excitement and all became aware of how God is working in and around the city of Delhi. Expectation increased as the day went on that God was up to something new and great in our midst. Immediate commitments were made of resources, places and worship to take up the initial major concern for the leadership of Christ in this birthing initiative by means of intercessory prayer to seek his face on behalf of the people of the city of Delhi. The first specific agreement was to launch a city prayer watch inter- church initiative 24/7-twenty four hours per day seven days a week in different churches who would take responsibility for specific focused prayer over a time period every week. The major challenges facing the Church regarding evangelization in our city/world are the following: a. Materialism The major obstacles internal to the Church to participate effectively in city/world evangelization: a. Lack of vision God's call to His people for evangelization over the next 25 years: a. Seeking social transformation Suitable phrase / watchword for the next 25 years: a. The Whole Church Taking the Whole Gospel to the Whole City Global Evangelical structures to enhance city/ world evangelization efforts a. Inspiration and prayer networks ACTION PLAN: Based on the above reflection an Action Plan emerged: 1. Watchword: Transformational Movement New Delhi 04 Forum preparations in Thailand
Gary Barnes the operations director for the 2004 Forum together with David Claydon and Ted Yamamori will be in Bangkok in February to meet with the Church leadership in Thailand to finalise details for the upcoming event. Says Dr. Claydon: We are deeply grateful for the Thai Church welcome and willingness to provide volunteers for the Forum. The visiting team will also attend a conference being conducted at the location to see how everything works and will meet with authorities to clarify security measures. New leader of NORME, Norway
Rev. Hans Thore Løvaas has taken over from Rolf Kjøde as leader of NORME, Norway. NORME (Norwegian Council for Mission and Evangelism) was established in 2001 when the Norwegian Lausanne Committee, the Norwegian Missionary Council and the Evangelical Alliance, Norway merged. Rev. Løvaas was a missionary in Bangladesh for 12 years, and later a missions executive in the Norwegian Santal Mission. Rev. Løvaas says that one of NORME's primary tasks as regards the 04 Forum, will be to coordinate the Norwegian nominations, and to work actively to ensure a good representation of younger leaders and women to the issue groups. Prayer Bulletin - Intercession Working Group
All that God desires and all that we needs and desire as his children is taken up in this prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples. We are reminded of his magnificent and gracious love and extraordinary generosity toward us in bringing us into a father/child relationship with him through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. As we pray this prayer, the direction of our gaze is drawn towards God himself and our hearts are stirred to be focussed on his Kingdom above all else. All of our desires, our needs, our longings and ambitions, all our attitudes, our actions and reactions are aligned with the ultimate reality of who God is and what he is like. May we pray this Global Prayer with renewed zeal and an ever deepening understanding of the heart of God as we to labour together in the task World Evangelisation through the work of LCWE. 2 Praise God for the completion of the brochure and for the excellent Forum 2004 information and application process details available now at www.lausanne.org. We are grateful to God for the tireless work done by Lisa Tucker and her team. 3 Pray for the letters of invitation going to those who have accepted leadership of the issues for the 2004 Forum. These letters are inviting them to the World Inquiry Conference in Seoul, Korea from May 7-9, 2003 where preliminary work on the Issues will begin. 4 Pray for the finance needed to help people from poorer countries to be involved in issue leadership and others to be able to accept nomination to be part of an Issue Group and attend the 2004 Forum in Thailand. 5 Please pray for all aspects of the planning for the Forum and particularly for wisdom for Roger Parrott the Chair of the Forum and Robyn Claydon, the Programme Chair. 6 Gary Barnes the operations director for the 2004 Forum together with David Claydon and Ted Yamamori will be in Bangkok in February to meet with the Church leadership to finalise details - we are deeply grateful for their welcome and willingness to provide volunteers for the Forum. The visiting team will also attend a conference being conducted at the location to see how everything works and will meet with authorities to clarify security measures. 7 Do uphold this visiting team in your prayers that all practical aspects will be well covered and do pray for the security of the Forum.
Forgotten Peoples Network PRAYER ITEMS FOR CCCOWE 1. Please pray that the ministries of CCCOWE will continue to help fulfil her mandate of promoting unity and love among Chinese Christians, and to mobilize Overseas Chinese churches for world evangelism. 2. Please pray that the upgrading work being done for the computer and internet system can be completed on time and meet the challenging need of building a better network for Chinese churches around the world. 3. Please pray for the progress of 'The Third Global Survey and Research Project of Chinese Churches". Pray especially for our research consultants as they are working on the survey design and research model. 4. Please pray that God will give wisdom and guidance for the 17 church ministry coordinators who are responsible to build a global network for their respective ministries, such as youth, mission and woman etc.. The goal of the church ministry coordination is to promote resource sharing and strategic planning among the Overseas Chinese churches. Theology Working Group Please pray for Dr Luder Whitlock, Chair of the Theology Working Group, as he continues to seek to bring together the right people for the Theology Working Group. Tentmaking Intercession Working Group
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