| Lausanne Connecting Point - February 2008 |
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By Dr. Colin Harbinson, International Director, StoneWorks and Lausanne Senior Associate for the Arts “Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.” Isaiah 62:10  Introduction
Since 2004, when I served as convener of the Lausanne Forum for World Evangelization’s Issue Group on the Arts, I have had the increasing sense that the recommendations of the Redeeming the Arts paper from that Forum needed urgent implementation on a global scale. During my seven years as Dean of the Arts at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi, USA, I developed the program to train students in music, visual arts, dance and theatre in their craft within a biblical worldview. Today, the college has beautiful facilities, a world-class art faculty, and a vibrant missional student arts community. It is one of only 25 universities and colleges in the United States to be nationally accredited in all areas of the arts. Seeing those things accomplished, it seemed it was time to take the vision to another level. After prayerful discussion with Belhaven’s president Dr. Roger Parrott (Chair of the 2004 Forum), the College has launched StoneWorks—a global arts partnership for cultural transformation, of which I serve as the International Director. An exciting vision to educate the church, disciple the artist and transform the culture is underway and gathering momentum. The following is an overview of the vision and its current implementation. Vision Overview In Babylonian exile, God’s people discarded their musical instruments and wept (Ps. 137). They were struggling with their identity. With their homeland in ruins, they had begun to lose hope. When they did eventually begin to return home, it was with a mandate to rebuild, restore and renew the ruins of their city (Is. 61:4). Before the restoration work could begin, however, they had to prepare the way, build a highway and remove the stones. Comparisons could be made with Christian involvement in the arts. At certain times in history, the arts have played a strategic role in the life and mission of the Church that championed artistic endeavors to the glory of God. At other times, Christians largely abandoned the world of the arts. Seeing it as broken and spiritually bankrupt, they went into self-imposed cultural and artistic exile. The neglect of the imagination in life and faith has impoverished the Body of Christ. However, during the past few decades there has been a global renewal of interest in the arts and the imagination amongst believers. Like the ancient Jews in exile, it is time for God’s people to weep over our cultural disobedience and neglect of God’s good and creative gifts. It is time for the artist and the church to weep together over their mutual alienation. And, it is time for our tears to turn into action. The stones need to be removed. A highway must be constructed. There has probably never been a time in which a biblical understanding of the arts is more needed by the Church than in our present visual and image-oriented postmodern culture. The 2004 Forum’s Lausanne Occasional Paper, Redeeming the Arts [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 740.44 KB], speaks to this challenge. Thus, in response to this challenge, StoneWorks has been established to be a global arts partnership for cultural transformation and the recovery of the imagination in the life and mission of the church. The Need Christ has called believers to disciple the nations. Today, it is the secular arts and entertainment industry—in particular film, television and music—that has taken over that role in our contemporary world. The biblical pattern in expressing God’s love and redemptive purposes was approximately 75 percent story, 15 percent poetry and 10 percent instructional and didactic in nature; 90 percent appealed to the imagination! At a time when our world has become more visually and image driven, the Church has reversed this biblical pattern. Today, only 10 percent of the way in which we express the transforming narrative of the gospel is creative and imaginative. If the Church is to fulfill the purposes of God for this generation, there must be a recovery of the imagination, both in the church and the culture. Those gifted and called by God to be artists for His glory must come out of spiritual exile and learn how to integrate their faith and their gifts in a holistic way. The “stones” in their lives, the church and the culture that cause them to stumble and fail to reach their God-given destiny must be identified and dealt with. The church must be educated, the artist must be discipled and the culture must be transformed. The Vision Healing and restoration, important as they are, must be seen within the overarching purposes of God for His world. The vision to restore, renew and rebuild the brokenness of the arts world is a vision to see the arts restored to God’s original intention, for beauty and for His glory. In turn, the arts will be a powerful way to bring truth, beauty and healing to the lies, ugliness and sickness of a world alienated from the God of creation. StoneWorks calls Christians involved in the arts to be healed, restored and renewed. It is a call for the church to once again embrace the arts and the artist. It is a call for the nations to embrace a vision of creative and cultural restoration. It is a call for “such a time as this” in the purposes of God.
By Peter Brierley, Lausanne Senior Associate for Church ResearchStoneWorks StoneWorks is a catalyst to empower artists—and the arts —as a transformational voice in the church and the culture. Mission: Forming artists to reform culture. Spheres:
Threefold Structure:
Partnership Values:
It is planned to hold numerous Summits (local, national, regional, international), Institutes (in churches, missions organizations, the academy and in the marketplace), and Initiatives that all work towards the vision of: 1.) a global movement of believers who are excellent in art and Christian character; 2.) a global church that integrates God’s good gifts into its life and mission; and 3.) a culture that will be impacted and transformed through the creative expression of truth. The following took place during 2007: The StoneWorks Institute Global Partnership Summits (GPS) GPS capability is able take a person turn by turn towards their stated destination. With a GPS receiver, your exact position anywhere on the globe can be ascertained, empowered by cutting edge satellite technology. Global Partnership Summits (GPS) are the highest level of focused dialogue, ideas development and leadership influence sponsored by the StoneWorks Institute. They bring together established leaders and gatekeepers in the arts, church, education, missions and the marketplace for intercessory prayer, evaluation of our current position, and mapping out ways to effectively reach the stated destination of church and cultural transformation—through a combination of strategic initiatives, global partnerships and shared resources. StoneWorks Arts Leadership Training (SALT) Salt cleanses and flavors. Both actions are vital to the transformational process in the spiritual journey of the artist, the life and mission of the church, the halls of higher education, the world of the arts, and the broader cultural marketplace. StoneWorks Arts Leadership Training (SALT) will identify and bring together emerging arts leaders in church, marketplace, academy and missions, to mentor them in moral, intellectual and spiritual life to be transformational leaders faithful to the gospel, and their call to follow Christ and influence culture. Artists & Cultural Transformation Symposiums (ACTS) Acts are intentional actions. The word also references the book of Acts in the New Testament, which records the spiritual and cultural transformation that took place through the power of the Holy Spirit. Artists & Cultural Transformation Symposiums (ACTS) will bring together key culture-shapers in the arts community (writers, directors, producers, choreographers, composers, visual artists, film makers, patrons, etc.) for community, renewal, artistic input, insightful dialogue, spiritual empowerment and intentional orientation toward transformational vision. Arts, Reconciliation & Transformation Seminars (ARTS) Arts expressions are everywhere. Culturally speaking, we are living in the age of the artist. Restoring an understanding of the arts to the Church is therefore one of the urgent tasks of our time. Failure to engage the language of the arts will leave the Church aesthetically impoverished and less effective as the presence of Christ in the world. Arts, Reconciliation & Transformation Seminars (ARTS) will develop a Christian perspective on the arts and the imagination in life, worship and mission. These church-sponsored seminars will affirm the arts and imagination as gifts from God to be celebrated, and will explore their important role in culture formation and transformation within the biblical context of creation, fall, and redemption. Planned for 2008 & 2009 An Arts & Cultural Transformation Symposium (ACTS) is being considered for professional dancers in the fall of 2008. Global Partnership Summits (GPS) are in the planning stages for Australia and Europe for 2009. An academic-focused StoneWorks Arts Leadership Training (SALT) is planned for the summer of 2009. Arts, Reconciliation and Transformation Seminars (ARTS) are ongoing  Some 80-plus people from around the world are expected to attend the fifth International Lausanne Researcher's Conference, to be held in Australia, 8-12 April. The Conference will be held at the Geelong Centre, just outside Melbourne, Australia. Over 30 people so far wish to present papers on a variety of topics but with a special focus on youth well-being and spirituality. But any topic can be considered: European believers, "baptismal hotspots" (what a fascinating term!) and national church attendance are other topics on the sheet. So many papers that people will have to choose since they will taken in parallel. It is hoped to put most of these are on the web subsequently. The Conference occasion will also see the launch of the International Research Association. So it promises to be a busy time, a good time, and a real in-depth opportunity to learn from each other. If this is not your thing (or even if it is and you can't get there), do please pray for those of us gathering together. Details may be found on www.cra.org.au or direct from the co-organiser, Rev Dr Philip Hughes (email: Dit e-mail adres is beschermd door spambots, u heeft Javascript nodig om dit onderdeel te kunnen bekijken ).  Global Mapping International (www.gmi.org) has released FlightPlan: Exploring the Present and Future of Mission Aviation, the culmination of a four-year research process. FlightPlan identifies, describes and evaluates seven models of future mission aviation: Agile Provider, Field Opener, Tribal Advocate, Nation Developer, Microaviator, Job Creator and Resource Broker.Research findings include:
The FlightPlan research is available on a CD-ROM and includes research reports, slideshows, a historical document library, and web and organization directories. "For those involved in mission aviation, we hope FlightPlan sparks new ways of thinking about, talking about and planning for the future," said Jim McGee, project director. "For donors and others interested in mission aviation, we hope it provides a sound basis for asking good questions and making wise decisions." Go to www.gmi.org/flightplan for more information. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA the mission of Global Mapping International is to produce and present world-class research that fuels emerging mission movements and leaders.
By Julia Cameron, Lausanne III Director of Communications
The Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students (NIFES) has nurtured generations of students in Bible study, in prayer, and in a desire to see Christ's Name glorified through mission. Over the past 25 years, as Nigeria has changed from being a receiving country to a sending country, much of the impetus for sending out missionaries has come through NIFES.
On The Land Of Promise
 In 2001 NIFES purchased a large field about 40km from Abuja, the federal capital. Staff led the way by going without salary for a month so the deposit could be raised for what is now known as “the Land of Promise.”
The Nigerians are resourceful and imaginative, and the fact that there were no facilities did not hinder them from using the site to host their missions conference that year. Prof. Jerry Gana, then Nigeria's Minister for Information, was a main speaker. He returned in 2004, representing President Obasanjo, and delivering much spiritual encouragement from the President to the students. Such is the esteem in which NIFES is held.
In November 2007, the missions conference was opened by the Governor of Plateau State, who is also Vice-Chairman of the NIFES Council. Over 6,000 students came, unperturbed by the sparse conditions. 5,000 mattresses were hired. Two newly-completed dormitories offered bare concrete floor space to a total of 3,000 students. The rest of the students slept in the open air. There was just one functional borehole, which pumped water to serve the whole site. Paul Borthwick (Lexington Chapel, Massachusetts, USA) described the field as a “6,000-star facility,” and truly it was. The students, to borrow the Apostle Paul's term, “shone like stars.” They listened hard, sang with joy, and were eager to learn everything they could. They completed Bible verses in unison for the speakers (how did they know their Bibles so well?), found passages without being told page numbers, absorbed hard-hitting teaching on sexuality and on dress (all the girls were dressed modestly) and evidently loved the NIFES staff. As I surveyed the crowds, I wondered how many of them would give their lives to serving in mission, perhaps to pioneering new movements. Please God, may it be many. The students, especially in the north of the country, are already experienced at living at the interface with Islam. Mike Adegbile, the wise and gifted NIFES General Secretary, appealed one evening for people to consider serving long-term in student ministry. Roads are not safe. Salaries are not guaranteed. But help is still needed to establish a bridgehead in some Nigerian campuses, to bring honour to Christ in the university world.
Three NIFES vehicles travelling in convoy were held up at gunpoint during the conference, and everyone in them was robbed. By the following evening it was announced that some of the robbers had been arrested. What a roar went up from the students at this news! Justice so often eludes the people of this nation. Committed Students and Staff The campus work, in common with IFES movements worldwide, is in the guiding hand of student leaders, helped by staff. General Committee meetings began around 11 pm, and ran into the early hours. Africans have time for everything. If it costs sleep, then, well - it costs sleep. The student Executive Committee laid heads to rest at 2 am or later some nights and began again at around 5 am. The whole conference gathered at 7:45 am for morning devotions. If stewards saw students dozing during the meetings, they would gently wake them! This was welcomed – it was all part of conference life. On World Aids Day, 500 students travelled to Abuja to take part in the city's rally. NIFES brought the largest single group of participants. The movement has its own HIV/Aids training department and is committed to serving the university and the country in this hour of need. The Lord continues to give NIFES outstanding staff, and spouses who are equally committed to student ministry. The values of every nation are determined in human terms by what happens in its universities. How many of those gathered would find their future in academia? How many in politics and in the media? The battle-lines for evangelism are so often beyond the church leaders' reach. The student president of the newest IFES movement, in Equatorial Guinea, was also at the conference in November. The movement had been pioneered by Gideon Para-Mallam (IFES staff and Lausanne International Deputy Director for Anglophone Africa) two years ago. “Cornhill – Nigeria” Emeka Egbo ran the conference Secretariat. His desire is for students and graduates to be grounded in the scriptures; only then will they be equipped to shake salt and shine light effectively, and to help strengthen the Church. Emeka spent last year at the Cornhill Training Course in London and has invited Christopher Ash (Director of Cornhill) and Alan Purser (Crosslinks) to launch a new venture: a kind of “Cornhill-Nigeria” for NIFES. They will teach expository skills to a group of 150 key student leaders in August 2008. The team will also include two Nigerian Bishops, Most Revd E E Akanya and Rt Revd E A S Egbunu who themselves trained at Cornhill; Langham Partnership is providing Literature for the participants. The venue? They'll be back on the Land of Promise. What better place to be! Julia Cameron, former IFES staff, is now Director of Communications for the Third Lausanne Congress. By Glenda Weldon Focusing on Australia and Oceania Thank and Praise God for:
Please Pray for:
This month, we look at what it means to be the Church in different cultures. Articles include:
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