“A Northstar for Evangelization Strategy” Œ: Looking Toward Cape Town 2010 | Lausanne World Pulse Archives

As we look toward the third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2010, we need to wrestle with both the theological and the strategic issues facing the Church at this time in its history. During a recent meeting of the Lausanne Strategy Working Group, an in-depth proposal was put forward outlining the critical needs today in world evangelization. Here is a summary of some of those thoughts.

1. The State of World Evangelization
On one hand, we are living in one of the greatest times of harvest in the history of the Church. More people are coming to Christ than ever before. People groups never before touched by the gospel are responding to God’s message. Churches are being planted in some of the most resistant cultures in the world.

On the other hand, there is some weariness with the “triumphalism” that seemingly does not recognize the woeful state of the Church in many parts of the world. Surveys show little difference between the lifestyles of believers and non-believers. There is sin in the world—and sometimes there is sin in the Church. But there is hope!

2. The Need of Leaders—A Clear Direction
For pastors and Christian organizational leaders, for lay leaders and kingdom investors, for anyone who cares passionately about the fulfillment of the Great Commission, there is a need for a directional focus. We need some ideas based on scripture that take us back to the simplicity of Christ’s commands and puts them into a twenty-first century framework where we can each find our own contribution to the plan that God is working on this earth.

It would, of course, be arrogant for anyone to think that he or she had the whole mind of God in any directional challenge. However, our heavenly Father has not left us adrift. He has left us examples of evangelization in the scripture and expects us to use our God-given gifts to help us all serve the Body of Christ. How can we do that? Where should the Church be going? What should our priorities be?

3. The Biblical Foundation
 Scripture says that God has given us “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Therefore, as we seek God’s will for influencing the direction of the Church in the coming decade, we believe that the mega-themes of the Bible must be our guide. What has become clear in many strategic discussions is that world evangelization is not so much about materials, tools and techniques. It is about love, compassion, prayer, holiness and obedience.

World evangelization begins with God and his love for us. We care about world evangelization because God—the one we love—cares about it. He longs for all persons to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). He does not want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He wants every family in every nation to be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3) until all the earth is filled with the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

It is his love for the lost—which we once were—that is the foundational motivation for our commitment to the task of world evangelization. Scripture has a great deal to say about what kind of people we should be and how we should reach out. Here are just a few examples:

  • The Great Commandment. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-40). Living as Jesus told us to live is our number one priority.
    • Love God.
      • Be holy, for I am holy (1 Peter 1:16; Leviticus 11:44).
      • Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
      • Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
    • Love Your Neighbor.
      • Love your brother. This means that (1) we need to love one another (John 13:34) and that (2) God never forgets the good works we do for our brothers (Hebrews 6:10).
      • Love strangers. This means that we should (1) give a cup of water in his name (Matthew 10:42) and (2) provide food and clothing, care for the sick, hospitality for strangers and visit those in prison (Matthew 25:35-36).
      • Love your enemies (Luke 6:27). This means that we should (1) pray for and do good to those who persecute us (Luke 6:27), (2) love our enemies and do good to them (Luke 6:35) and (3) lend to our enemies without expecting return (Luke 6:35).
  • The Great Commission. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me; therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). Scripture goes further to clarify our purpose and objective.
    • Preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15).
    • Our promise is that forgiveness of sins will be preached to all nations (Luke 24:46-47).
    • As the Father sent Jesus, so he sends us into the world to seek and save the lost (John 20:21).
    • We will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
    • He has given us the ministry of reconciling people back to God (2 Corinthians 5:19).
    • He has made us his ambassadors (2Corinthians 5:20).

4. A Framework for Change
As we look at a framework for discussing world evangelization in the future, we realize that we must be about reaching all nations and every people. Very simply, our Northstar must be to find out where the Church is NOT, and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, do something about it. Our basic direction must involve the following:

As followers of Christ, united in love and purpose, we are called to:

1. Reach every person with the whole gospel 2. in a language he or she understands 3. with access to a nearby local church or fellowship

4. led by a trained pastor or elder.