Lausanne Connecting Point - February 2004 PDF Utskrift E-post
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In This Issue:

The 2004 Forum for World Evangelization is fast approaching. While some of the thirty Issue Groups are just now completing participant section, others are well underway toward developing an action plan the church can implement to address barriers to evangelism. In this issue of Lausanne ENewsletter, a report from:

Reaching and Mobilizing the Diaspora - Issue Group 26A

Ram Gidoomal, Convener and Tom Houston, Facilitator

Our Issue Group was introduced June 2003, so we have had some catching up to do. International Students was included in our remit, but we soon realised it justified its own separate track.

The two halves have in common the fact that the target audiences are away from their country of origin in a new host country. Where they differ is that the students mostly return to their country and do not become part of the Diaspora. The Diasporas stay in their host country and do not return.

The drive with International Students is to get them linked with host country churches to welcome, to evangelise and disciple them. The drive in Diaspora is to get people linked with their own people in the host country, to develop their potential in evangelising their own and the host populations and take part in the total task of World Evangelisation.

We have segmented our group into:

  • IG26A - the Diaspora Group and;
  • IG26B - the International Students Group

The focus of IG26A will be on mobilising all Diaspora, along with the churches in their host countries, in three key directions:

  1. Discipleship—to participate in a Christian church or fellowship, along with other members of the same Diaspora, in order to grow as disciples in culturally appropriate ways and be equipped for service and mission.
  2. Mission—to participate with others in strategic efforts to mobilise prayer and resources to reach with the whole Gospel:
    • the members of their own Diaspora
    • the people of their country of origin
    • the host population of their country of residence
    • other peoples worldwide
  3. Citizenship—to make a significant contribution to the economic, political and cultural welfare of their host country and help to build bridges between their host countries and their countries of origin.

The Focus of IG26B will be to mobilise the Church by developing strategies for:

  1. Education—vision-casting and awareness of World Evangelization in our communities by sharing God's love with foreign students who may return home as Christ's ambassadors, in obedience to God's command to "love the foreigner residing in the land [even as temporary resident alien]" (Lev. 19:33-34).
  2. Engagement—encouraging the Church to be pro-active in initiating and developing holistic outreach among International students by providing guidance and training. Holistic outreach is not only sharing the Gospel in deed, relationship and word, and subsequent discipleship, but also attending to the whole international sojourn cycle (pre-arrival, in-host country and re-entry/returnee phases). Engagement in ISM entails challenges of multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-religious contexts that need to explored and examined.
  3. Equipping—developing training opportunities, including formal degrees related to ISM and practical resources (print, AV, electronic/computer, etc).
  4. Enhancement—of the ISM movement by building relationships and networks among ISMs intra-nationally and internationally and between ISMs and related kinds of ministries and organizations (e.g. English as a Second Language, Int'l Student Offices at Christian and secular campuses, etc.).

Please pray with us for these two very important Issue Groups. More Issue Group reports are available online as part of the LCWE ENewsletter archives. 

REPORT ON EVANGELISM CONGRESS IN FINLAND

By Johanna Manner - on behalf of the Congress Prayer Team 

Thank you for praying with us for our Congress! We have seen God answer prayers in so many ways. In January, the Congress gathered together practically all Christian denominations and organisations in Finland. The first item for praise is answered prayer for the unity of hearts and an open atmosphere. There was unity among Christians from various backgrounds and different age groups. The youngest participant was 15 and the oldest 91 with over 40 per cent of the 800 participants under 30 years of age.

The goals set for the Congress were:

  1. To challenge Christians to think about what witness for Christ means today.
  2. To plan relevant and practical strategies for evangelism.
  3. To raise up and help equip a new generation of evangelists.
  4. To encourage Churches and their members to share the Gospel with others - to make evangelism a lifestyle.
  5. To strengthen the united witness of Christians.

Praise the Lord with us that:

  • In many respects the goals were fulfilled. New processes were started or what was already there was strengthened.
  • We heard many reports of how the Lord had guided the 800 participants to attend.
  • The media (including secular media) covered the Congress and evangelism on the whole in a very positive light.
  • The unity of the Body of Christ in Finland deepened and a sense of common goal was evident. Also vision and networking in prayer was strengthened.
  • All the volunteers and workers needed were found.
  • We are still praying for all the finances to come in. We are short about $15,000.

The process continues:

  • In the coming months, regional gatherings will be held in various parts of the country. Christians are getting together to plan how they could better reach their area. Regional prayer networks are being developed to support the evangelism efforts.
  • Please pray for the Lord's protection on all that was achieved and clear guidance as to how the process should continue so that vision will be translated into action in the coming months and years.

Thank you so much for standing with us in prayer in this important process. For more information please email Denne e-postadressen er beskyttet mot programmer som samler e-postadresser, du m sl p Javascript for kunne se den. or browse to www.evankelioi.net.

YOUTHS IN CHAT ROOMS WILL PRAY FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS

Millions of Christian young people worldwide will pray for the estimated 200 million persecuted Christians during the third annual Shockwave. The 24-hour prayer initiative—sponsored by Underground, the youth outreach of Open Doors International—is planned for March 5 and will take place at prayer meetings and in Internet chat rooms.

Full Story from Religion Journal: http://www.religionjournal.com/showbrief.asp?id=1103

SIM RADIO BROADCASTS IN ETHIOPIA HELP COMBAT HIV/AIDS

Radio listeners in Ethiopia are responding in large numbers to a new Christian radio program on HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Until now there has been no radio broadcasting that emphasizes behavioural change through evangelistic means. SIM's (Serving In Mission) producers plan to continue this life-saving effort as long as AIDS threatens the people of Ethiopia and funds are available to underwrite the program. As in much of Africa, Ethiopians depend on radio for their news, information and entertainment.

Full Story from Mission Network News: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/5662

OPERATION MOBILIZATION NAMES NEW SHIP "LOGOS HOPE"

The international mission agency Operation Mobilization (OM) will name its new mission ship "Logos Hope." The ocean going vessel, which OM hopes to purchase this year, is to replace the Logos II that has been in OM's service since 1989. OM runs two ocean going vessels. The Logos II, her predecessor Logos and the Doulos (Servant) have berthed in ports of 135 nations in thirty years.

Full Story from Assist News: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s04020029.htm

PRAISE AND PRAYER

By Glenda Weldon, Chair, Intercession Working Group

As the preparations for the Forum gather momentum, there is clear evidence of God¹s hand on us. There is also a clear call from God to keep our eyes on Him in utter devotion, dependence and active faith as we work through all that is before us. The financial needs of many participants are a stark reality. Let us join our hearts in unity and faith in our faithful God and seek His provision for every one. He is "Jehovah-Jireh"—The Lord will provide.

PRAISE GOD FOR:

  • How well the preparations are going for the 2004 Forum on World Evangelization.
  • The provision of Matt Andersen (Campus Crusade for Christ) to work with Dr. Roger Parrot, Chair of Forum.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

  • The LCWE Administrative Committee as they seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in preparing for the Forum and the follow through of the Forum.
  • The Forum Operations Team, Dr. David and Mrs. Robyn Claydon and for Dr. Roger Parrot.
  • Peter Brierley, the Research Chair for the Forum, for wisdom, discernment and understanding as he seeks to analyse some of the trends affecting evangelicals across the world, using data from David Barrett's World Christian Encyclopaedia
  • Dr Cho, Vice Chair of LCWE, as he leads a spiritual retreat for new faculty of Myongji University and other two Universities during February in Yong, Korea. There will be about 40 new university faculty. Pray for God's presence in the retreat so that the new faculty may be blessed richly.

PRAYER FOR 2004 FORUM ISSUE GROUPS:

All the Issue Groups (IG's) need prayer as the process of interaction takes shape. Pray that much fruit will come out of all the work that is being done. Pray for the provision of finances for participants.

IG 6 - Hidden and Unreached People (Werner and Else Jahnke)

  • Some cannot transfer money out of their country. Please pray for a solution to this problem.
  • Some participants have only a poor Internet connection. They have to go to an Internet café. Some of the sharing in preparation for the conference will have to be done by letters or other means. Please pray for prompt response by participants so that the discussion process can proceed and all participants will be able to be an effective part of the process.

IG 17 - Redeeming the Arts

  • Without a breakthrough in finance, they will lose some key people. Please pray for finances.

IG 18 - The Evangelisation of Children

  • Praise God for Leanne Palmer who has come on board as the new facilitator and for the meetings that Wendy, Simon (convenors) and Leanne were able to have. They are in the process of dividing into small groups that will each tackle a particular aspect. Please pray for the group leaders as they begin to facilitate discussion.

IG 19 - Media &Technology

  • Pray for this IG as this is a very significant issue today with dominance of Western media, scandal in global media such as BBC and others on war-time reporting.
  • Pray for a replacement for the position of Co-Convenor.
  • Pray for those who are having difficulty registering on the Internet. They anticipate future difficulty in online discussion using the Web.

IG 23 - Reaching the Youth Generation

  • Pray that all that they do will be effective in reaching the next generation for Jesus Christ.

IG 26 - Reaching and Mobilizing the Diaspora (See report above)

  • Praise God for a successful international teleconference of the core IG leadership group. This has helped relationship building and understanding as they work together.
  • Praise God for the work done by Tom Houston as co-facilitator and for his replacement as he seeks to hand over this function. Tom has been the inspiration behind this track and we pray for his health and strength at this time.
  • Pray for each member of the core leadership as they gather relevant data. Pray that the work needed to be done to produce Papers for the Forum will progress smoothly.

IG 29 - Bioethics: Obstacle or Opportunity for the Gospel?

  • The core group has now agreed to an outline of the content of their written material and members will be sending their contributions to Roland Chia, their theologian, in Singapore so he can begin writing a first draft. Please pray for him and for more members to join the group.