Lausanne Movement

• 2004 Forum Issue Groups
• Congress on Evangelism in Finland
• Opportunity for Gospel in Sudan
• New Worldwide Perspectives Available
• Entering Closed Countries through the Internet
• Praise and Prayer

The 2004 Forum For World Evangelization is still 11 months away.  But for many participants work has already begun.

The thirty Issue Groups (IG) include teams of several dozen leaders who will work together to research the issue, collect information on ministries tackling the issue and prepare an action plan the church can implement to address the concern.  Dr. David Claydon, LCWE International Director, calls the 2004 gathering a “working Forum” because it builds on work being done right now by the Issue Groups.   

Issue Group members will be coming together regularly between now and September 2004 to work.  However many will not meet face to face until the 2004 Forum – but will instead meet virtually.  Lisa Tucker, Invitations Chair and Communications Director for the 2004 Forum, says the Internet and email allows participants to get to know one another before the gathering and gives them the opportunity to exchange ideas and documents, have ongoing dialogue and make progress toward an action plan impacting their issue.

CATAGORIZING ISSUES
Demonstrating a continuing commitment to the fulfilment of Lausanne’s mission statement “The whole Church taking the whole Gospel to the whole world", the thirty issue groups have been divided into three key categories:

A. The Whole World
B. The Whole Church
C. The Whole Gospel

In order to assist the Issue Groups in keeping on target, IG leaders were asked to prepare an Expected Outcomes list.  The following is a condensed listing of the Issue Groups and their outcomes, based on information provided by Dr. Claydon:

A. The Whole World
Issue Groups will address many of the factors impacting our world today including ethnic and religious tension, economic power and global resources:

• IG #2   The uniqueness of Christ - A continuing challenge for the church in the post-modern world.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Ways of making known the truths about Jesus and His free gift to the post-modern mind and providing an apologetic for the gospel in today’s world.
  
  
• IG #3   The persecuted Church - Faith under Fire - the why, how and when Christians/church intervention in human rights issues and political change that prohibits or limits evangelization.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Guidelines for Christians and churches to know how and when to react to human rights violations and persecution of Christians.
  
  
• IG #4   Holistic mission - Including AIDS, rural poverty and the consequences of natural disasters.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Biblically based guidelines for caring and proclaiming a Christian response to poverty, disasters and suffering of all kinds.

B. The Whole Church
Issue groups will be devoted to empowering the global church to work together:

• IG #9   Partnership and collaboration - Working together to further the gospel.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Best practices for partnership and an indication of areas of the world where partnership programs do not yet exist but could greatly enhance the ministry of evangelism and nurturing the new church.
  
  
• IG #10 The Local Church and the Great Commission.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Identify relevant strategies for individuals and congregations to communicate the gospel in today’s world and tools for evangelism.
  
  
• IG #12 Future leadership - Motivating leadership for evangelism, equipping, mentoring and training.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · A challenge to experienced Christians to impact the lives of emerging leaders.  Indicate ways of doing this and of providing opportunities for potential leaders to exercise their gifts.

C. The Whole Gospel
Issue Groups will emphasize sharing Christ in word and deed – meeting both physical and spiritual needs:

• IG #16 Religious and non-religious spirituality in the post-modern world.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · A balanced understanding of the quest for spirituality and how to contextualize the Gospel within this quest.
  
  
• IG #18 Evangelization of children as a primary responsibility and privilege for the church.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Consider ways in which the church can be challenged to be more involved in children’s evangelism and provide examples of best practice ministry.
  
  
• IG #20 Understanding and Ministry among Muslims.
  
  Expected outcome:
  · Propose and initiate concrete steps to facilitate understanding of and mission to Muslims.

STRATEGY INFORMATION ONLINE
In order to help track the strategy development process by Issue Groups, starting this fall groups will provide updates on their progress as well as more information about the development of their team.  It’s hoped these articles will help and encourage others interested in specific issues impacting the spread of the Gospel – particularly pastors, missionaries, seminary students and lay leaders. 

Articles from the IG leaders will be posted on the Lausanne web site (www.lausanne.org).  To receive an email alert when new articles become available, please send an email to Lisa Tucker at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

ISSUES INTEGRATION
While each of the issues identified by leaders are individually important, many also impact each other.  During the 2004 Forum, Lausanne leaders will take an in depth look at trends that may be emerging in individual Issue Groups and determine how these issues and trends, when taken as a whole, interconnect to impact the broader emphasis on global evangelism.  In doing so, leaders hope to provide a comprehensive view of activity at the Forum with an eye toward long-range impact and integration of evangelism efforts worldwide. 

Following the Forum, reports and reflections on the gathering will be printed and/or posted on the Lausanne web site (www.lausanne.org) as a means of encouraging and equipping Christians around the world to be more intentionally involved in evangelism. 

From Johanna Manner, on behalf of the Congress Prayer Team

Preparations are under way for January 21-25, 2004 Congress on Evangelism in Finland.  The theme of the Congress, "Faith in Jesus Saves" gathers practically all Christian denominations and organisations in Finland under a common banner in planning the conference.  This conference is a follow up to the Amsterdam 2000 Congress where Finnish participants suggested that a similar congress be held on national level.  A goal of the Congress is to encourage younger generations in their vision and call for evangelism.  Ann Graham-Lotz is one of the main speakers. 

The goals for the Congress are:

1. To challenge Christians to think about what witness for Christ means in Finnish society today.
2. To plan relevant and practical strategies for evangelising Finland.
3. To raise up and help equip a new generation of evangelists.
4. To encourage Churches and their members to share the Gospel with people around them – making evangelism a lifestyle.
5. To strengthen the united witness of Christians in Finland.

The Congress is organised under the umbrella of The Committee for World Evangelisation, Finland.  Based on the Lausanne Declaration, it is open to all Christian organisations and groups in Finland.  A small team supported by various working groups and a prayer team, is doing the practical preparations for the Congress.  In preparing for the various strategy workshops for the Congress, representatives from different organisations and churches are getting together now.  So the goals are beginning to be fulfilled as strategies are planned and deeper unity is formed between Christians.

Praise God for an opportunity to have a Congress like this.  Please, pray with us that:

• The goals will be fulfilled.
• Finances will be provided.
• The right people will participate.
• This would have favour with the Churches and the media.
• The unity of the Body of Christ in Finland will deepen.
• A fervent spirit of prayer among Christians for this country and a strong vision for evangelism in the churches would emerge.

For more information: http://www.evankelioi.net/ or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

The president of World Relief says churches in America have a chance to help Christians in the Sudan. (Source: Agape Press)

Full story: http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/82003e.asp

YWAM Publishing is offering a great new tool in the Perspectives Movement arsenal: the new 12-week curriculum "Worldwide Perspectives: Biblical, Historical, Strategic and Cultural Dimensions of God's Plan for the Nations", edited by Meg Crossman.  Both classic Perspectives material (taken from the Missions Master's degree at Fuller) as well as new insights and options are refreshingly presented that can serve local churches and their Kingdom professionals. (Source Brigada Today—www.brigada.org)

For more information: http://www.ywampublishing.com (type "Worldwide Perspectives" in the Search window), email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 1.800.922.2143. 

Missionaries like John Edmiston, an Australian missionary based in Manila, are using the Internet to enter closed countries that conventional missions find difficult to reach.

Edmiston has found 43 nations that are most suitable for cybermissions as a main missionary strategy because they have a sufficient number of users and are places with persecution or other restrictions on mission. (Source: Assist News Service)

Full story: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s03090031.htm

By Glenda Weldon, Chair, Intercession Working Group

We thank God for your continued prayer for the 2004 Forum!

Day by day, we see evidence of God¹s favor on us in this significant endeavor for the glory of His Name and the extension of His Kingdom.  Praise God for the access we have into His Presence through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Take time to worship Him in love and thanksgiving and as we do, remembering Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 5 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”  To quote Tom Wright’s commentary on this passage in his book “Matthew for Everyone”  - “Reconciliation precedes worship!”

Praise God:

• For the remarkable number of applications for the 2004 Forum Issue Groups.
• For the recent ministry tour of David and Robyn Claydon to northern Europe.  They spoke at conferences in Germany and met with Lausanne/EA Committees in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark and were very encouraged by the number of Forum participants from each of these countries.

Please Pray:

• For wisdom in dealing with late requests from those who would like to be part of the Forum as many of the Issue Groups are already overfull.  Decisions are currently being made about the composition of each Issue Group bearing in mind geographic, gender and age balance.  Please pray for wisdom and discernment from the Lord in this critical task and for the Issue Groups as they begin their work. 
• For funding.  There are many people coming from Africa, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America who are unable to fund their airfare.  If anyone knows a church or organization to which we could apply for funding assistance please email David and Robyn at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• For the administration and logistics team to finalize details with the hotels, airlines and local host committee.
• For the hotel General Manager who recently resigned due health issues.
• For the officials preparing for our arrival: Immigration, Security, Transportation, etc.
• Peter Brierley, LCWE Senior Associate for Research, asks for prayer for the new book he is writing.  The working title is "A layman's guide to church statistics."  He also requests prayer as he works on the Lausanne paper "World Evangelicals in 2004.”