Lausanne Movement

• John Stott Becomes Lausanne Honorary Chair
• Lausanne Occasional Papers
• Operation World Update
• Praise and Prayer

Rev. Dr. John R. W. Stott has been named Honorary Chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (Lausanne).  Dr. Stott is regarded by many as one of the most significant leaders in the evangelical movement.  An article in TIME magazine in April named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In making the announcement of Dr. Stott’s new connection with Lausanne, Rev. S. Douglas Birdsall, Executive Chair of Lausanne, said in many ways the name John Stott is synonymous with Lausanne because of the key role he has played in the development of the movement.  Birdsall added that as an exemplary churchman, scholar and preacher committed to the full counsel of God, Dr. Stott has “a heart and a vision for the world.  Thus, he models the catchwords of Lausanne – the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.â€�

Dr. Stott’s life-long service to Christ and to the work of the church provides a valuable model for emerging leaders and established leaders around the world to live a life that is, according to Birdsall, “consistent with the gospel we proclaim.â€�  Birdsall added that Dr. Stott’s involvement with Lausanne will also “provide inspiration for Christian leaders worldwide as they come together to address the task of global evangelization through a revitalized Lausanne movement.â€�

Dr. Stott has been involved with Lausanne in various leadership roles since the beginning of the movement.  At the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization, Dr. Stott served as chair of the drafting committee for the Lausanne Covenant and was one of the Covenant’s principal writers.  From 1974-81 Dr. Stott chaired the Lausanne Theology and Education Group.  During the Second Lausanne International Congress on World Evangelization in 1989, Dr. Stott was drafting committee chair for the Manila Manifesto, a document that affirmed the Lausanne Covenant and stated, among other things, “. . . the urgent need for churches, mission agencies and other Christian organizations to cooperate in evangelism and social action . . .â€�  Together, the Lausanne Covenant and the Manila Manifesto continue to provide a theological and historical underpinning for denominations, ministries and individuals committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization’s (Lausanne) International Leadership Team met in Hong Kong June 20-22.  This meeting marked the first time nearly all of the new Lausanne team had the opportunity to meet face to face since the leadership transition at the 2004 Forum for World Evangelization last fall in Pattaya, Thailand.  Rev. Doug Birdsall, Lausanne Executive Chair, says the Lausanne Leadership Team is the strongest it has been in fifteen years and adds “A new generation of leaders brings with them a high level of energy and a fresh commitment to advance the ideals of ‘the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.’â€�

Lausanne’s International Deputy Directors (representing the 11 regions of the world), Senior Associates, Senior Advisors, 2004 Forum Issue Group leaders, National and Regional Committee representatives, organizers of the 2006 Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering, the Lausanne Administrative Committee and Lausanne Staff all participated.  Birdsall notes that forty percent of the members of the committee have been added in just the last thirty months.  “This younger generation of leaders fully embraces the history and the rich legacy of the Lausanne movement,â€� Birdsall stated.  “These men and woman are committed to providing leadership and service that will enable the movement to press forward in the 21st Century with fresh ideas and renewed devotion to the Lord and the spirit of Lausanne,â€� he stressed. 

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
The meeting allowed leaders to assess the status and strength of the Lausanne movement in light of progress made since the 2004 Forum and discuss the recently released 2004 Forum Lausanne Occasional Papers (LOPs).  2004 Forum LOPs provide research, analysis and biblical reflection on 31 issues identified as barriers to world evangelism.  Issues include: globalization; the HIV/AIDS pandemic; the persecuted church; ministry to Unreached People Groups and the disabled; media and technology; and making disciples of oral learners.  Dr. Tetsunao “Ted’â€� Yamamori, Lausanne International Director, says one crucial discussion at the meeting was “how best can we ensure the dissemination of the information about Lausanne and the implementation of action plans proposed in the LOPs." 

The Lausanne International Leadership Team meeting in Hong Kong was hosted by Dr. Leung Wing Tai, chair of the Lausanne Communication Working Group, and CEO of Breakthrough Ministries.  Our thanks to Wing Tai and his team for their gracious hospitality and wonderful ministry to all the Lausanne Team.  Our thanks also to Campus Crusade for Christ International (CCCI) for providing their event support team, led by Matt Anderson, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at CCCI, to serve in the area of operations and logistics.

By Jason Mandryk, Operation World

Worldwide Evangelization for Christ (WEC) has commissioned Jason Mandryk to write the next edition of Operation World, the definitive prayer guide to the nations, peoples and cities of the world.  Jason was co-author with Patrick Johnstone of the 2001 edition, for which an interim update is now being printed.  Jason and his team of researchers, working at the WEC International headquarters in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, expect the next completely new edition to be published in 2008/9.

Don Carson, Professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, states: “For those interested in praying for the cause of Christ all around the world, there is no resource to be compared to this!�
 
Cumulatively, in all of its editions, over 2 million copies of Operation World have been printed in 10 languages – an impressive number of copies of any book, never mind a Christian reference book, and especially one on prayer!  The 2001 edition was produced on CD-ROM as well as in book form, and the entire book has been published in portions on its website www.operationworld.org.  Millions of people globally pray using Operation World material.

There are plenty of sources for information for specific praying – news abounds and Christian ministries are becoming increasingly savvy at communication.  However, it takes years of painstakingly gathering information and building up contacts around the globe to gain a long-term perspective and genuine breadth of knowledge.  The combination of statistics, news, trends and the valued insights of long-term workers and national Christian leaders in every nation, are all factors which make Operation World a unique and authoritative repository of information to guide intercessors around the globe.

Another inestimable value of Operation World is that very few others are monitoring the global missionary movement and the growth (and in some cases, decline) of the global church.

However, God’s Kingdom is spreading and the world is becoming increasingly complex.  As a result of God moving, new churches, missions and networks are springing up everywhere.  Keeping tabs on these is not an easy task, and therefore input from Christian workers the world over is welcomed at Operation World.

Apart from mobilizing prayer, the primary aim of OW is to inform believers.  It is essential that these emerging ministries are covered in prayer, and vital that others with the same goals and vision are made aware of their work.

If you represent a ministry, denomination or network whose inclusion you think is warranted in Operation World, then please contact the team at Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu roskapostia vastaan, aseta javascripttuki päälle nähdäksesi osoitteen. or visit www.operationworld.org, where you can submit information through online or downloadable forms.  Also, check out: http://operationworld.blogspot.com.

By Glenda Weldon, Chair, Intercession Working Group

One of the simple yet profound statements of Jesus is “do unto others what you would like them to do for you.  This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.â€�  (Matthew 7: 12 New Living Translation)  This is an excellent principle to apply when we pray for one another.

One of the prayers of the Bible I love to pray is Ephesians 3:16–19.  As we read this Prayer Bulletin, pause and pray this prayer for your brothers and sisters around the world:

"I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God."

Praise God For:

• The wonderful meeting of the Lausanne Leadership Team in Hong Kong last week.
• All the Papers from the Issue Groups from Forum 2004 have been posted on the Lausanne Website.  We thank the Lord for David Claydon and all the countless hours he has spent editing these papers. 
• The interest being shown in these new LOPs and the number of people who have begun to use the material.
• The Younger Leaders who are becoming part of the Lausanne network across the globe and for the strategic planning that is emerging as they contribute to the work of Lausanne.

Please Pray For:

• The LCWE Administration Committee as they formulate the strategic plans for the major focus of Lausanne for the next 10 years.
• The International Deputy Directors as they seek ways to share the findings of the Forum with the Church at large.
• The Working Groups as they enlist new members to expand the work.  The Working Groups are: Communications, Global Ministries, Leadership Development, Theology and Intercession.
• The Younger Leaders Conference in Sept/Oct next year.  Please continue to pray for the various committees organising this event that they will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the needs of the younger leaders as they plan this very significant event.
• God to continue to stir the hearts of His people not only to pray for “His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heavenâ€� but also to seek Him for the strategies and plans to achieve that end.
• The Global Aids Prayer Partnership: The prayer focus this month is Spiritual Deception and AIDS; probably the most difficult of the issues of AIDS to understand.  And, apart from an understanding of spiritual realities, no one can.  But we are a praying people who by the power of the Holy Spirit can discern spiritual truth; and, of course, we know Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth.  So, we must be prepared, putting on the "full armor of God," to discern spiritual realities and overcome spiritual deception as we combat the global crisis of AIDS.

The Lausanne Holistic Missions committee found that "HIV/AIDS is a deception issue.  Too quickly and uncritically some churches have yielded to the temptation to wonder who sinned, this man or his father.  Condemnation and judgment have replaced grace and compassion.  Another deception is that HIV/AIDS can be reduced to “biology and condoms alone."  Read the Lausanne Holistic Missions and AIDS document on the Lausanne website – www.lausanne.org.