Lessons from Lausanne
In 1974, Billy Graham and John Stott organized over 2,500 Christians in the city of Lausanne to consider the work of evangelism on a global scale. These Christians not only listened to experts in the field but also participated in conversations that would change the direction of global missions for decades to come.
The congress met again in 1989 and 2010, each time establishing much-needed clarity for the church. This past week, the congress met for just the fourth time in its history. The meeting took place in Seoul, South Korea, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the very first gathering, to learn together, and to once again challenge each other to work toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission. I had the unique opportunity to participate with over 5,000 Christians from around the world during this historic gathering.
In light of such a unique experience, I thought I would share 3 lessons I learned from my participation in the Lausanne World Congress.
- The church is beautifully diverse.
Even though I have been in larger conference settings and traveled to more than 20 countries, this experience with people from over 200 countries gathering together for the purpose of glorifying God through fulfilling the Great Commission was truly unmatched. The hosts, speakers, worship leaders, and even those simply gathered around the table were from around the world. During the collaboration portion, my table of seven had 4 different countries represented. The musical worship was in different languages and even different styles at times. I am sure this was just a foretaste of Heaven.
- Persecution is tangibly painful.
An entire day of meetings was dedicated to learning from and praying for persecuted Christians around the world. We heard from men and women who had been imprisoned, abused, and abandoned by those closest to them. Their joy through the heartache was contagious as they shared the contentment that can only be found in Christ. Praying for them and with them, and then joining them in songs of praise, was a tangible reminder of the mighty mercy of God.
- Christ is continually exalted.
This may have been my greatest takeaway. Persecution will not stop the gospel from moving forward. The compromised gospel will slow the true gospel from spreading. The lack of Bibles will hinder the gospel from going forward. But rest assured, the gates of hell will not prevail! Christ is and will always be exalted as the King of kings and Lord of lords!
Author: Chad Hunsberger is the Lead Pastor of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Ridgeland, MS.
