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October 26, 2010
Lessons from the Lausanne Gathering
The Cape Town congress reveals the blessings, and burdens, of the global body of Christ.
Over the course of the last week, I’ve joined more than 4200 representatives from 198 nations to listen to dozens upon dozens upon many more dozens of speakers address many of the most challenging issues of our age. Here are a few lessons I learned along the way.
The Third Lausanne Congress on Global Evangelism should have been called The Lausanne Global Gathering. Many delegates were led to believe that we would have the opportunity to speak into the issues the church is facing. Using the word “delegate” to describe our involvement as well as the word “congress” suggested each of us would be given an opportunity to address issues as diverse as Scripture, poverty, AIDS, human trafficking, the shift of power taking place around the globe, and many more.
But the statements and papers issued at the Congress were written beforehand by a group of academics from around the world (many of whom I respect and appreciate very much!). For the first few days, I kept wondering, “When do we get to watch and participate in the exchange of ideas in a meaningful way outside of our assigned table groups?” Then I finally figured out the only outlets were the multiplex afternoon workshops where some of the academics would sit in and listen to the presenters and the very limited question and answer time with participants.
Once I wrapped my head around this discovery and figured out that the real purpose of placing 5000 people in a convention center was really for a “Gathering” rather than a “Congress,” I had a ball and made the most of my time in and around the event focusing all of our energy (and then some) on hanging out and relationship building. Truly, the brilliance and power of Lausanne is creating a forum for unlikely people and outreaches from around the globe to connect.
Lausanne offered a microcosm of the macro-challenges faced by the church around the world. Throughout the week, almost everyone I encountered felt marginalized in one way or another. I met a woman from a notable U.S. church who mentioned that her pastor couldn’t attend because he was “a white man over 50” and the U.S. delegation already had too many representatives from that demographic. A man serving as a missionary in Israel was frustrated that key leaders from the Messianic Jewish community fighting for peace in the Middle East were not present (though other Messianic believers as well as Arab were represented). I listened to a passionate Native American (who loves lattes) express his concern over the low Native American representation, a Hispanic concerned with the disproportionally low Hispanic representation, women express disappointment with the low female attendance (and a speaker who went out of his way to correct the first female Bible expositor but affirm every male Bible expositor), and I could keep going on and on until everyone was represented.
But I don’t have space.
And neither did the Lausanne committees. Though I shared some of the frustrations, I came to a place on day five, when I finally realized: We all feel marginalized in some way. That's the human condition. Extend grace. Move on.
At the end of the day, it’s not about you or me. In the church and in ministry, we will all encounter moments when we feel marginalized and unintentionally marginalize others, but we must learning to work and serve together without resorting to the “It’s not fair!” refrain that can divide and undermine our reputation to the world around us. We must learn to display what it means to madly love God and one another in spite of our sense of inequality.
Frustration with feeling marginalized on behalf of ourselves or someone else is only one of many issues that surfaced. The source of wealth and power and its isolating effects, the importance of leveraging technology to share the gospel, learning to listen more than speak, and developing an ear for those on the margins are only some of the challenges manifested at Lausanne that represent greater challenges in the global church.
The Lausanne Congress revealed that our perspective is not the only perspective. If at least one presentation at the congress didn’t ruffle your feathers, well, that’s because you didn’t have a pulse. Whether you’re from the Global South or North, you couldn’t help but realize just how different other people's viewpoints on issues are from one another. The lenses of culture, experience, theology, and many other factors create a potpourri of perspectives.
One Chinese pastor wondered why there was such an emphasis on gender issues. Why was the case so clearly being made for women in leadership in the church? After all, he explained, 75% of the pastors in his area of China are women.
A Nigerian woman felt unsettled when a very clear declaration was made against the prosperity gospel. While I applauded the presentation, she challenged me, “But Margaret, I grew up with a poverty in my country that you cannot know. Now that I pastor people who are poor, how do I not tell them that Jesus wants to prosper them. That is part of the Good News.” I explained that the presentation was very much against the manipulation that often accompanies prosperity teaching. She explained, “Yes, I understand, but how can you deny teaching people about the blessings of God?” I could have offered all my Americanized answers (and yes, I have a laundry list), but I realized looking into her eyes that she was asking questions from a very different perspective—one that I need to better understand in order to respond in grace, love, and compassion.
Time and time again I found myself challenged to expand my thinking, choose more gentle words, and seek to understand as we explored issues.
The Lausanne Congress gave us a glimpse of heaven. Before the opening ceremonies, Doug Birdsall, executive chairman of the Lausanne Movement, met with a group of key leaders. A friend of mine was among the gathering. Birdsall described the gathering of people from around the world as a glimpse into heaven. My friend grew increasingly excited for the first session—his expectations skyrocketed.
Instead, he found himself frustrated. As a programming director at a large church, he couldn’t help but notice the details most participants missed—the long pauses and awkward transitions—that left him thinking, “If this is heaven, I don’t want to go.” His perfectionist tendencies were getting the best of him.
My friend had to leave the event before the closing ceremonies. I wish he would have stuck around. Because that’s when I saw what was for me a true glimpse of heaven: Thousands of men and women who had gathered together, exhausted and spent, and left it all on the field coming together to worship God. For me, that was the glimpse of heaven.
I don’t know what all the other delegates from around the world are thinking at this point, but I know that I’m grateful to have been part of this congress and I’m looking forward to our regional gathering in Orlando, April 4-7, 2011. I hope to see you there.
Comments
The only way that so many disparate Christians can come together to agree on anything, or get anything done, is through God's grace. In heaven, of course, God's grace is going to overwhelm our widely different agendas. Meanwhile, it's nice to see some of that now.
The only thing I wonder is what the Lausanne Congress actually does accomplish. Yes, Christians around the world are free to look at it, refer to it, quote it, and feel good that there's so much consensus between evangelicals and that Jesus's dream for His people to be one isn't such an impossible one. Still: How much of it trickles down to spur individual Christians to share Jesus?
Posted By: K.W. Leslie | October 26, 2010 3:37 PM
The blanket condemnation of the prosperity gospel isn't helpful (as was demonstrated in this article). What needs to be condemned is the use of manipulation (mentioned by the author) and the elements of the teaching that truly are false. Self-righteously condemning a teaching without demonstrating what is false is just another form of authoritianism/paternalism.
Posted By: David Peterson | October 26, 2010 4:26 PM
The fact that the prosperity gospel is even debated, and that someone calls is "good news" is testimony to the bankruptcy of Lausanne.
The reason you don't preach the prosperity gospel to people in African congregation mentioned should be quite evident. Jesus didn't die to make them rich in this age. The "blessing of God" is not material necessarily. Jesus doesn't "want to prosper them." Jesus died to forgive their sins and rescue them from eternal hell. That's the gospel.
I worried up front that Lausanne might fail because of a lack of clarity on the gospel. It seems that my worry is well placed, for at least some.
Posted By: Larry | October 26, 2010 4:37 PM
Sounds like a great "gathering" as you called it and what a wonderful glimpse into what it looks like for people of all nations coming together under one Name! Thanks for your insights into this, I wish I could have been there.
Posted By: Cody Kimmel | October 27, 2010 8:49 AM
Prosperity Gospel, as we know it, is garbage, and not biblical.
And the charge that G-d wants us to be rich wasn't dealing with the widgets we collect to fill our already overstuffed homes with...G-d wants us to be rich in friendships, in life, in seeing the magic that is life, in relishing the beauty that is life, in recognizing that widgets and gadgets are neat, but their just that...neat.
Nothing more.
I'm surprised you weren't able to communicate that to her, Ms. Feinberg, because you should have told her,
"Madam, do you really want to be like us, Americans? Look at us. Self-centered, self-absorbed, self-serving, fat with our own importance that we care not for the least of our own.
Do you really want to be like that?
Because if you do...all you have to do is want more...and before you know it...you will want more than what you have, or ever need. And in a short generation you too will be fat, self-absorbed, self-serving, and self-centered...and G-d will be little more than a platitude to you or your neighbors...be careful of what you wish for...you may just get it, and you will regret it."
Because that is what she saw in you...she didn't see a follower of Christ, she saw an American fat with wealth, and importance, and she wanted that too.
I know...a lot of Africans look at Americans and are astonished at how fat we are..."they're so fat, it's unbelievable how fat they all are."
That was from NPR, this American Life about Africans coming to America and how they describe us to their families back home.
Not saying she shouldn't seek to improve her community with hospitals and schools, but prosperity as we know it...it comes with a price that costs a lot more than she can imagine.
Posted By: sheerahkahn | October 27, 2010 11:02 AM
Good grief people, talk about missing the point. Take a breath and read the article again.
Posted By: Eric Wakeling | October 27, 2010 11:30 AM
"A glimpse of Heaven" is a reminder that we are the Body of Christ made up of many parts. They are not all alike, but each serves to its purpose. The issue is when we attempt to vacuform others into our image instead of the image of Christ. He wants hands and feet and arms and legs, and yes, even "less honorable" parts and parts that are "unpresentable". But God gives those parts special honor and combines us all together so that there is "no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, everypart rejoices with it." I Cor 12 reminds us that God is the Creator and we are the Created. Let's strive to make the Body one inspite of the barriers and heritages that could divide. "Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it." It only works when it is to His honor and purpose and not our own.
Posted By: Mark Clark | October 27, 2010 4:00 PM
I am a missionary to Latvia. It was my privilege to take part in the recent Cape Town Lausanne Congress. I was also at Lausanne II in Manilla, where I met several key leaders with whom I have worked more than 20 years. The Lausanne Movement is wonderful...not perfect...but wonderful. Blessed worship, solid Bible teaching, many times of extended prayer, unlimited networking, informative and educational films about many regions of the world, opportunities to renew old friendships (I met two people I hadn't seen since 1982), and make new friendships. Lausanne creates a context for a multitude of important and critical missional and missiological partnerships and initiatives. I thank the Lord for the Lausanne movement.
Posted By: Charles Kelley | October 29, 2010 7:21 AM
As one of the academics who presented at a dialogue session and who was involved in the drafting of the pre-conference documents (as a member of the Lausanne Theology Working Group), I was likewise frustrated by the lack of meaningful conversation around my presentation and the document we drafted. I genuinely wanted more Q&A and more feedback. But the time was so packed so very packed.
It is probably impossible to have such a broad gathering and make everyone happy.
The meetings themselves were exceptionally diverse in a wonderful way. But there did seem to be a continual imbalance of white, male and western power at critical points of decision making and influence. We're still on the road to true equality.
Lausanne was a tremendous experience and I am sure lots will come of it both personally and corporately. I attended the Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering in Malaysia in 2006 and still have best friends that I met there. In fact, four of us met there and decided to write a book together which was just published by Zondervan.
Perhaps in four years I'll look back at new friends and professional developments based on interactions I had in Cape Town. But only God knows. And what was the real point of Lausanne? Well only God knows that too!
Mark
Posted By: Mark Russell | October 31, 2010 11:25 PM
I think it is simply amazing that this many Christian people from this many diverse places are able to come together around Jesus! Even though we may have disagreements about various issues, what is important is that we are centered on the gospel and willing to learn from each other. How often do we try and shove people into a mold that we have created? God loves diversity and we should revel in it too!
Posted By: Leah | November 13, 2010 2:19 PM
Who speaks for the murdered and dispossessed Christian white Zimbabweans? Who at the Lausanne Congress condemned the racist Jacob Zuma of South Africa and the ANC cadre who wishes to do the same to the white South Africans and who proudly sing the song "Kill the Boers"? Why only praise for the terrorist bomber Mandela (who targeted civilians) and his 'necklacing' wife Winnie?
Who dares speak the truth that that non-whites can be as racist as any white?
I'm sick of hypocrisy and opportunism among Christians. You are alienating whites and marginalizing yourselves when you dismiss these concerns as irrelevant and irrational 'fear'.
Posted By: steve | November 14, 2010 6:47 AM
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