Lausanne Movement

• Reclaiming the Concept of Stewardship
• Radical Incarnational Ecclesiology
• Standing Against Modern-Day Child Slavery
• Initiative 360
• Praise & Prayer
• Lausanne World Pulse

Lausanne has named Dr. Stan Toler as the Lausanne Senior Associate for Stewardship.  In creating this new position, Lausanne Executive Chair Rev. S. Douglas Birdsall said that “Biblical Stewardship is an issue of paramount importance to the global Christian community.  We must seek ways to use our resources more effectively to advance the cause of world evangelization.”

Lausanne’s Treasurer, Dr. Roger Parrott, President of Belhaven College in Jackson, MS USA, says Toler is passionate about helping Christians understand the worship and the joy in giving.  Parrott added, “Stan is especially gifted in connecting the best ideas of stewardship across the distinctives of cultures and denominations in order for the whole Church to join in the blessings that come when our resources are committed to God’s purpose.  His high level of expertise and gentle humble spirit will be an encouragement to the Lausanne network of leaders as we help guide the Church in the critical, and often complex, issues of stewardship.”

By Sandi Kim

The Lausanne Theology Working Group convened its conference, “Following Jesus in Our Broken World,” 12-17 February 2007 in Limuru, Africa, in partnership with the World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission.  This was an agenda setting consultation led by Lausanne Theology Working Group chair Christopher Wright. Nearly thirty participants representing over fifteen countries (sixty percent of the countries were from the global South) were in attendance for the strategic five-day meeting.  This was the first of a series of consultations on key theological and missiological challenges facing the Church to be held in the years before the projected Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in 2010.

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Amidst the celebrations marking the bi-centenary of the abolition of the slave trade, Viva is urging Christians across the world to stand against the modern-day slavery that affects millions of children today, by taking part in a global prayer event.
 
All around the world, projects that are part of Viva’s local networks are working with children and teenagers who face the daily reality of slavery.  Many are trapped in forced and bonded labour.  Others have been trafficked across borders far from home.  Today, according to Anti-Slavery International, nearly nine million children around the world are consigned to life in brothels and factories, with little chance of escape.
 
Viva is urging Christians across the country to stand against this situation by uniting in prayer with millions of others around the world.
 
“The World Weekend of Prayer is an incredible opportunity to stand with millions of Christians around the world and pray for God’s freedom and healing for many suffering and enslaved children,” said Patrick McDonald, Founder and CEO of Viva. “When Christians pray together, lives are transformed.  Please don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference.”  (McDonald is also the Lausanne Senior Associate for Children at Risk.)
 
Starting now, Christians across the globe are preparing to join in the World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk on 2-3 June 2007, when they will ask God to intervene in the lives of child slaves, as well as many other vulnerable children.  Facilitated by Viva, and in partnership with the Global Day of Prayer and other prayer movements, over two million Christians around the world are expected to pray for children at risk over the weekend.  Many are organising special events and Sunday church services.

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PIONEERS, an international mission with U.S. offices in Orlando, Florida purchased the assets of Initiative360, formerly Caleb Project (Littleton, Colorado, USA) and ACMC – Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA), following the February 2007 announcement that the organization had ceased operations. (See www.takeitglobal.org or www.calebproject.org).

Many of Initiative360’s former staff will continue their ministries in affiliation with PIONEERS.  The mobilization, training, and networking tools of Initiative360 are designed to help churches build the mission vision and global impact of their congregations.

Steve Richardson, president of PIONEERS-USA, says, “A great number of churches have benefited from the services provided by Caleb Project and ACMC.  Our desire is to serve the international body of Christ by preserving and enhancing the historic contribution of these organizations.”

PIONEERS mobilizes church-planting, missionary teams to the world’s least-reached peoples.  Through strong partnership with local churches in the U.S. and around the world, they minister in 72 countries and 98 ethnic groups (www.pioneers.org)

By John Abraham Godson, Intercession Working Group Vice Chair

“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 
Luke 21:36

In all the busyness of life and ministry, in all the daily struggles of life and its demands, let us remember the words of Jesus “Watch and pray.”  We are living in a very strategic time in the history of mankind.  Time seems to be flying by as never before.  Mankind seems to be so absorbed in the now than ever.  Even so let us remember to “watch and pray.”  Let the closet be our place of dwelling.  Let the altar of God’s presence glow.  Let our hearts always be filled with expectation for His glorious return.  He is faithful.  Always faithful.

Prayer Needs:

• Nigeria: Christian radio reaches three people groups.
• Uzbekistan: 37-year-old Shestakov is accused of “converting Muslims to Christianity”
• Sudan: Darfur Crisis shows no sign of easing
• Nigeria: Muslims kidnap and convert Christian children
• Kazachstan: Plan to severely restrict religious freedom

NIGERIA: CHRISTIAN RADIO REACHES THREE PEOPLE GROUPS
Mixed response describes what’s happening with three of the languages Trans World Radio broadcasts to in Nigeria.  There are few Christians and no formal church among the five million Kanuri speakers.  A few more believers and a church plant among the Hausa.  And, many are turning to Christ among the 25-million Yoruba speakers and churches are growing.  TWR will soon be broadcast from Benin, boarding Nigeria, which will enhance their work.

• Pray for TWR to be able to go on the air as planned.

Source: Intercessors Network
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UZBEKISTAN: 37-YEAR-OLD SHESTAKOV IS BEING ACCUSSED OF “CONVERTING” MUSLIMS TO CHRISTIANITY”
According to a report from the Russian newspaper Pravda, the 37-year-old Shestakov is being accused of “converting Muslims to Christianity.”  Andijan prosecutors had subjected him to previous harassment in June 2006, when secret police raided his home and church building, temporarily detaining him and confiscating tapes, videos and printed literature.  The crackdown was an apparent reaction to ethnic Uzbeks converting to Christianity through Shestakov’s ministry.  His 100-member congregation in Andijan worships in both the Russian and Uzbek languages.  In these services, according to his wife, whole families have become Christians, people have been healed of epilepsy and several home groups have formed.

• Pray for God’s grace upon our brother.  Pray that God will work this situation out for good.

Source: Windows International Network
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SUDAN: DARFUR CRISIS SHOWS NO SIGN OF EASING
Reports indicate humanitarian access is shrinking rapidly in Darfur.  Relief workers are attacked and intimidated.  More than 200-thousand people have been killed in the violence.  Food for the Hungry International’s (FHI) Matt Ellingson says many people are suffering from what many are calling genocide.  “Over the entire situation over two million people have been in need of support - food, until peace is found there.  FHI has partnered with a total of six organizations, providing support in the areas of nutrition, health and the provision of water.”  FHI typically works through the local church, but they can’t.  Ellingson says unconditional love is the way they show God’s love to those in need.  “There are many, many different communication styles and that is the one that is the most appropriate, useful and impacting in this setting.  To love the person in the action of providing the basic needs of life are huge in this setting.”

• Pray for peace to return to this troubled land.  Pray for missionaries and Christian aid agencies working there.

Source: Intercessors Network
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NIGERIA: MUSLIMS KIDNAP, CONVERT CHRISTIAN CHILDREN
Christian leaders here say abduction of Christian boys and girls for conversion to Islam has become a common phenomenon in majority-Muslim Sokoto state.  In November 2006, 13-year-old Victor, a member of the Christ Apostolic Church in this northern Nigeria city, went missing.  On 20 February, news that young Victor was spotted in a Muslim neighbor’s house jolted his family.  Victor’s mother, Esther, told this correspondent that she ran to the house where her son had been seen and met him as he was making frantic efforts to escape.  “I quickly held his hands and dragged him along with me towards our house,” she said. “But within a twinkle of an eye, I heard shouts of ‘Allahu Akbar! [God is great]!’  I was shocked as I saw a large number of Muslims rushing towards us.”

• Pray for God to keep touching Muslims in Nigeria to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Pray for wisdom for the Nigerian church and the government.

Source: Intercessors Network
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KAZACHSTAN: PLANS TO SEVERLY RESTRICT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
In July 2005, Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev issued legal amendments that further restricted religious freedom in Kazakhstan, a mainly Islamic country.  According to a draft of a new Religion Law, all unregistered religious activity would be banned, and registered religious communities with fewer than 50 members would be banned from publishing or importing religious literature, maintaining open places of worship or conducting charitable activity.  The secret police are also planning separate restrictions on religious freedom via the Anti-terrorism Law.  Meanwhile, two Baptist congregations—one with state registration and the other a branch of a state-registered congregation—and a Pentecostal congregation in North Kazakhstan Region are among the latest victims of Kazakhstan’s crackdown on religious.  Apparently known as Operation Religious Extremism, the latest crackdown has been conducted by the regional police Department for Combating Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism.  This crackdown follows in the wake of Kazakh government plans to pass the new Religion Law in April.

• Pray for freedom in Kazachstan.  Pray that God will grant His anointing and boldness to the church to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Source: Windows International Network
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Finally pray for all our brothers and sisters who are suffering for the Gospel in various parts of the world.  Pray for God’s grace and comfort: that their suffering will bring abundant fruit for the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.