Preserving and Nurturing Unity
Our calling is not to create unity, but to preserve and nurture it. Unity is a consequence, not something we can manufacture.
Lausanne Movement
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The Lausanne Movement and the Chinese Church
I sincerely urge the leaders of the Chinese church to set aside theological nationalism and limitations, embrace the Lausanne spirit with the universal church to humbly walk with the Lord.
Living to Be Forgotten
In a society and culture that values platforms and celebrity, may we be like the ordinary disciples of the early church—living to be forgotten so that Christ will be remembered.
Divine Dance
We need to go beyond dogma and statements to show and tell in more holistic, contextual and embodied ways. As the apostles declared and displayed Christ through prayer and worship (Acts 4:24; 16:25; Philippians 2:5-10), so can we find unique expressions that are embedded and empowered in our own cultures and tongues.
Display and Declare Christ Together in a Broken World—Not Easy
From the first evening, Lausanne Chairman, Pastor Michael Oh, set the tone for the event in his address by quoting the Lausanne Covenant. He called us to humility, repentance, and a renewed commitment to the unfinished mission. His desire was to set a tone of unity, listening, and collaboration. He warned that the global church’s greatest danger lies in this phrase: “I don’t need you.”
Listening to the Echoes
This is an invitation to listen to the echoes, following the recent Fourth Lausanne Congress on Evangelization held in Incheon, South Korea. When the noise dies down and silence starts to reign, what are we hearing and seeing? What is rising within? Here I share a small glimpse from the lens of an observer and virtual participant.
Reflections on Lausanne’s Fourth Congress on World Evangelism
Lausanne’s Fourth Congress on World Evangelism (L4) took place in Seoul (Incheon), South Korea from September 22–28 this year. Representation for L4 increased to 5,200 participants coming from over 200 countries. Rather than attempt complete coverage of the Congress in this blog, reflections will be framed around a series of questions to highlight several significant aspects.
Closing the Gaps
Much of the program at last week’s Fourth Lausanne Congress was structured around 25 issue areas, or gaps. Yet some have pointed out that this granular approach to the overall mission effort ignores the context of each of the gaps, as well as the ways in which they interrelate.
Reaffirming the Lausanne Covenant
The Lausanne Covenant included Christians on both sides of disagreements who might otherwise be divided. Instead, the leaders of the congress sought to create a covenantal community across such differences and in service of a shared mission for “the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.”
Diaspora Missions Today
Today, faced with the opportunities and challenges of diaspora missions brought about by globalization, the church should actively participate. We hope that God will give the church the spiritual vision and kingdom-mindedness to take part in diaspora missions, and that we will see opportunities for encouraging lay missions.
An Emerging Missions Movement in Asia
At the upcoming Arise Asia conference, I look forward to hearing first-hand what God is doing among his people in Asia and to discerning ways that we can be more deeply involved in mobilizing and serving the next generation of gospel workers from Asia.
An Interview with a Missions Leader in China (1)
A three-part post looking at the current state of indigenous missions from China.