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What, exactly, is the role of evangelism in Latin America? Has the evangelical church in the region moved beyond an emphasis on evangelism to embrace social activism? Will that social emphasis impede or enhance the evangelistic role of the church? These questions and others have been raised by church leaders throughout the Americas following the recent Latin American Congress on Evangelism (CLADE IV).

The congress, held September 2-8 in Quito, drew 1,300 participants from all Latin American countries and beyond and challenged church leaders to look past their old models to new, even daring ways to spread the Gospel. Some delegates and church leaders raised concerns after the assembly issued a closing document that stressed the church’s role in social ministry and public life.

But the congress’ leaders are excited about the changes. “I think this CLADE is going to mark a milestone because it is actualizing itself to the reality of Latin American evangelicals,” said Tito Paredes of Latin America Mission, president of the Latin American Theological Fraternity, which organized the event. “Jesus went around the villages preaching the kingdom of God in the synagogues, teaching and taking care of the sick. This is an incarnation of how Jesus lived his life. There is no need to separate the preaching of the gospel from public testimony in word and deed.”

René Padilla, a leading Latin American evangelical theologian, also liked the conference’s new direction. “I am very pleased to see that some of the concerns we have had for many years with regard to the social impact of the gospel are very much a part of the concern that people have as they come here,” he said. Padilla responded to some questions and criticism following the congress. Was the event’s emphasis on social issues planned? Yes, it was planned. It’s about time for evangelical Christians in Latin America to see themselves as flesh-and-blood people who live in a society that is very much in need of Christian salt and light.

What was the reaction from participants to that change in emphasis? As was to be expected, reactions were both positive and negative, I am sure. My perception, however, is that the large majority of participants felt very much identified with the emphasis.

There was quite an emphasis on “doing ministry” with different groups, such as children at risk, and how to do it, but not much on how to evangelize these groups. Was the idea to get people to look on their own for innovative means of ministry, assuming that they would bring a verbal witness into their work? The emphasis in CLADE was on incarnational evangelism, in which being, doing, and saying the Gospel remain inseparable.

Especially related to the closing statement, some who attended CLADE criticized it as “liberation theology” oriented because of the leftist theology’s emphasis on “justice.” Please comment on your perception of the statement, the relationship of justice and evangelism, and related issues. God loves justice – that is what my Bible says. If working for justice makes us “liberation theologians,” we are definitely liberation theologians. Labels, however, are not very helpful. The important thing for us is to remain faithful to God’s purpose through Jesus Christ, whether people agree with our position or not.

One person said that the closing statement did not necessarily reflect the views of participants, but rather was devised by the organizing committee. Your comments? That would have to be proven. The members of the drafting committee were given absolute freedom to work on the document on the basis of what they heard during the conference. No document was drafted beforehand, and there was no censure to what the drafting committee wrote.

In your opinion, did this CLADE emphasize evangelism less than at previous meetings? Was it more a congress on ministries than evangelism?

Quite definitely, there was an emphasis on evangelism, but not on evangelism separated from life. (The emphasis was) on evangelism as an essential aspect of holistic mission. CLADE IV was a deepening of the process which started with CLADE II (the first CLADE organized by the Latin American Theological Fraternity) and carried forward at CLADE III.