Monday 23 September

On Monday morning, the Lausanne 4 Congress explored examples of mission in the power of the Holy Spirit with speakers from around the world. Here is a summary of what they had to say.

Accelerating mission

With Dr Billy Wilson: Recognised globally for his commitment to developing Spirit-led leaders, Dr. Billy Wilson is the president of Oral Roberts university.

In the first century, the gospel covered the known world in the first century like wild fire. What were the five characteristics of this spread?

1) Conviction – they were convinced of the resurrection of Jesus. They boldly proclaimed that salvation is in no one else. There was no alternative. Jesus was the absolute answer and they were completely committed to declaring that good news to the world

2) Flexibility – the church moved forward but in new ways. In just one generation a Jewish church became a Gentile church.

3) Obedience – the gospel moved forward as they were unusually obedient to unusual directives. A Jewish temple – became a place for Christian healing. A jail house was a prayer house. They obeyed Christ’s commands whatever it meant. Philip the evangelist left the revival in Samaria to go to the desert road, just because God said so.

4) Dependence – a radical dependency on the Holy Spirit, His guidance, empowerment and strength. They refused to do God’s work without God’s presence. The Holy Spirit is working to reach the lost. As they joined Him, the work was world changing.

5) Unity – their unity brought God’s favour and positioned them for supernatural acceleration. Jesus prayed that we would be one but this had a missional intent (that the world might know). Unity must be relational, missional and spiritual.

The greatest injustice of the 21st century is that the church has the power and technology, etc. to reach every person but we haven’t done it. A fresh vision for reaching the lost is emerging. Nothing is as important as this. The main thing must be the main thing. We need a fresh encounter. May God use Lausanne 4 to this end.

No Longer Orphans

Rev Prof Kwabena Asamoah: Rev Prof Kwabena Asamoah is an ordained minister for the Methodist Church Ghana and a professor at Trinity Theological Seminary Ghana.

The rise of Spirit-empowered Christianity in Africa was a result of a critique and emptiness that Africans saw in the Western mission. The ordinary Africans brought a dimension that they felt was missing. In the early 1920s, a Methodist catechist started a small prayer meeting in his own church and they started experiencing the filling of the Holy Spirit.

As a result of that renewal, he was thrown out of the church and founded one of the largest independent churches in Ghana. The same happened in South Africa, in the DR Congo. Renewal movements that brought a new energy into Christianity in Africa.

The spirit of God is inclusive. No one holds the spirit of God in their custody. They Spirt of God works where he wants to work. Gal 3:13 – 14

On the day of Pentecost a number of nations are mentioned including Africa. We were there at Pentecost. The spirit of God is the spirit of inclusion. Jesus said, I will not leave you orphans. The word “orphan” refers to one without support, comfort, counsel or backbone. Jesus would not leave them unsupported or unguided in their mission. The Holy Spirit is the comforter and advocate.

The power of the Holy Spirit in Mission

Hwa Yung – Malaysia: Whether teaching at seminaries in Southeast Asia or as a pastor, Bishop Emeritus Hwa Yung of the Methodist Church in Malaysia has demonstrated steadfast commitment to evangelism throughout his life.

I will describe what happened in one church in Asia. The Spirit was poured out in the jungles of Borneo, among the indigenous peoples in the jungles of Malysia. OMF international sent three missionaries. The colonial authorities welcomed them but forbade them to go to the Lun Bawang people. Head hunting and inter-tribal wars had come to an end but alcoholism became widespread. “Drunk before Dawn” – thy were dying. The colonial authorities were determined to minimise the contact between this tribe and the other tribal groups so they could not be a bad influence.

But in 1933 the gospel came to them through missionaries. This led to a fresh outpouring of the Spirit among the Lun Bawang people that brought about revival and deepened holiness and prepared the way for two more years of revival in 1973 and 1984.

In 1973, people started weeping in repentance, confessing their sins and seeking forgiveness from those who had wronged. Some started to prophesy and others received vision. The scene was one of continuous but joyful chaos. Many would fall to the ground and could not get up as if they were pinned down. Two women had a spiritual encounter and emerged as the key intercessors. Hundreds of thousands were swept into the kingdom. And then in 1984, the Spirit came again.

At local level, among the poorest. The revivals are still going on today. 5am prayer meetings are held regularly and lives are being transformed. Over the last 50 years, more than a million believers have been added to the church.

For those of us that have taught that the Holy Spirit no longer does miracles today? Are we aware that this is not an isolated story but it repeated? How much space do we give to the Holy Spirit in our ministry. May God give us ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the churches.

Repentance paves the way for revival

Sarah Breuel: As the founder and executive director of Revive Europe and a church planter in Rome, Sarah is thoroughly committed to revival and evangelism.

In Acts 3, Peter says, “Repent and turn to God so that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

When King Josiah found the law and his heart was broken. In the time of Jonah, they declare a city wide fast and God spares them.

Christian history is a story of successive renewal. Moravian refugees started 100 years of non-stop prayer. Korean revival was on the back of the Welsh revival.

True awakenings not only lead to massive conversions. The Abolition of the Slave Trade was fruit of the Wesleyan revival.

This is the great need of our time. We are the best resourced Christians that ever lived. We need something from the hand of God. When revival happens, sleepy Christians wake up, nominal Christians are converted and the hard to reach are dramatically brought to faith.

Only God can send revival. We cannot make revival happen but we can posture ourselves for it. We can pray for it. And we can remove impediments with personal and corporate repentance. God comes where He is wanted. Are you and I willing to ask God to increase the hunger? We need travailing prayer – we need to ask God to pour out this gift in our lives and communities. This is not a time for business as usual. The call is to get right with God.

Monday evening at Lausanne 4 took a look a three of the areas where churches are wrestling with their response. Continuing the theme of repentance and re-commitment, speakers explored issues of Creation Care, Justice and Sexuality with an introduction by the Rev Chris Wright.

Integrated Mission

Dr Chris Wright a theologian serving with the Langham Partnership. He advocates for a theology of integrated mission.

Let the church declare and display Christ together. The gospel is a message to be proclaimed and a life to be lived in the world. The DNA of Lausanne is to bring all these things together into an integrated theology and practice of mission. This evening we focus on three issues that don’t often make into the headlines of our mission conferences.

Creation Care - The Great Commission begins with a statement that Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth. The whole of creation is under His Lordship. If Jesus is Lord of all the earth then to proclaim the gospel that says Jesus is Lord involves care of His creation.

Justice - Jesus is the God of whom the Psalmist said righteousness and justice is the foundation of His throne. Jesus accused the pharisees that their obsession with small percentages had overlooked the important matters of the law. Seeking first the kingdom of God and His justice must be part of our Kingdom impact.

Human identity and sexuality - Jesus was the perfect image of God but He chose to live among us who are also created in the image of God. He chose to live among us as the friend of sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes. Calling all of us to repentance.

Integral mission means living out the biblical truth that the gospel is God’s good news for individual person, as for society and for creation. All three are included in the redeeming mission of God.

Climate Change

Dr Katherine Hehoe: Dr Hayhoe, distinguished chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, and professor at Texas Tech University, has given her life to fighting climate change. Her approach synthesises both her vast experience as a scientist and her own faith.

The reason I’m a climate scientist is because of my faith. I grew up in a home where I was taught that the Bible is God’s inspired written word and that science is about trying to understand the laws of God. Faith is not in competition with science, they are two complementary things.

The more our ability to see with our eyes God’s amazing handiwork in creation, the greater our awe. The more we learn about our planet the more unique it is. We have a God-given responsibility to care for our home.

We were created in God’s image for a specific reason… to RADAH every living thing. This includes plants, animals and ourselves. We humans are some of the most vulnerable of living things. All the resources we use come from this planet. The planet can survive without us but we cannot survive without a planet.

Psalm 72 it says that God will RADAH from sea to sea. Since I was born 70% of the land based animals on the earth have disappeared and that is the biodiversity crisis. Climate is changing faster than at any time in history. The earth should be cooling very slowly but instead it is warming faster.

22 of heat-trapping gasses comes from pollution or from burning gas and oil (78% from fossil fuels burnt to create energy). For a long time I thought of these as distant issues. We don’t think it is our problem.

I call it Global Weirding (not Global Warming): As the South East Asian heat waves or the heat wave in Mecca that killed over a thousand Muslims. Floods that put 1/3 of Bangladesh under water.

Climate change does affect us all but it doesn’t affect us all equally. The poor are the most vulnerable.

In Malawi, nearly a decade ago child marriage was outlawed. But when the crops failed because of climate change, they began settling girls into marriage to feed their families. Climate change is not fair. It is not an issue of just finance but of faith.

How can we claim to love others and not care about this? If we take the Bible seriously we must respond. What I’ve shared can invoke fear. Most people don’t know what to do. In 2 Timothy 1: 12 we read that God has not given us a spirit of fear.

What does it mean to act with a sound mind? Individual action is never enough. As a church we understand acting in community. We need to talk about this. When we invest in our churches and communities. These actions speak louder than our words. This will make a difference. God loves every person and part of His creation.

Justice

Ruth Padilla Deborst: As an associate professor at Western Theological Seminary, Ruth Padilla DeBorst has a lifetime of service to Costa Rica and Latin America at large.

Now he knew the end of his time on earth was nearing when he stood among his disciples that evening. Peace be with you, he calmed them. Peace be with you as the father has sent me, so I am sending you. John 20:20-21.

These were among the last words of Jesus to His followers. How was Jesus sent into the world? Not as a royal prince but a child of a small woman and a manual labourer. Not as a high priest but as a teacher with nowhere to rest his head. Sent to proclaim good news to the poor… freedom… To proclaim the year of jubilee during which land was left to rest. Slaves were set free.

Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, steps straight into the tradition of the prophets. In the days of Micah, the people were sufferings the oppressions of corrupt government demands. Injustices were being covered up by the religious. False prophets were deaf to the cry of the people. Does any of this sound familiar.

An honest look at our world reveals many blatant injustices.

Wealth inequality. God created abundance however the richest 1% of our planet own half the riches of the entire world. Poverty is the most visible face of injustice. Meanwhile people are suffering.
Racism also plays into environmental injustice. While climate change affects the whole planet, it is communities of colour that are worst affected. Climate “weirding” is affecting so many people.
Gender inequality - women get less pay than men in exactly the same jobs. In Christian communities, although women are in the majority, men hold the majority of leadership roles.
The digital divide means nearly one third of the global population is disconnected.
The AI industry is owned and algorithms informed by the same five men.
Industrial war continues grinding up conflict.

What are God’s people call to do in the presence of such realities? Micah’s first reminder to the people of Judah is about God’s gracious intervention on their behalf throughout history.

Micah 6: 8 To do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly before our God.

God’s intent was clear from the beginning. Centuries later, Jesus says, if you love me you will keep my commandments. God is worshipped by ethical obedience. What are the distinguishable markers of God’s theology?

Walk humbly before our God – this opens us to the work of the Spirit and rids us of pride.

Love mercy or kindness – the core motivation that should underly our actions. It means unmasking our pride and allowing His compassion to move us as peacemakers. There is no room for indifference toward all who are suffering the scourge of war and violence around the the world, the uprooted and beleaguered people of Gaza, the hostages held by both Israel and Hamas and their families, the threatened Palestinians in their own territories, all who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Being sent into this world is not upward mobility. We are called to remember, to listen, repent.

Pursue of justice - There is no room in this picture for silence when fellow human beings are being robbed of homes, land, safety or even life. God’s people must step up and step out, unmasking any religious justification for oppression.

Truly some of us may be gifted in areas of justice work. But the message of God’s law and Micah and the prophets is the pursuit of justice is not some add on. Seek first God’s kingdom and God’ justice! We are sent into the world. We are called to remember, listen and repent.

Sexuality and Human Identity

Rev Vaughan Roberts: Vaughan is the current rector at St. Ebbe’s Church in Oxford, where he has worked since 1991. He trained as an Anglican Minister at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford and has written a number of theological books.

Early this year I went into the city centre of my town and wherever I looked I could see rainbows flags flying. It was LGBT history month. They declare the victory of the sexual revolution. Very few people in public life would dare question any of its assumptions. How do we respond? We must turn to God’s never changing word and to its overarching themes.

Creation – we must delight in God’s design. He made us as physical sexual beings. He created sex is for marriage. God’s design for marriage is one man and one woman for life. Jesus quoted that verse. The bible makes allowance for divorce as a concession to our fallen world.

The legacy of the sexual revolution is the collapse of family life and devastating effects on families and children. It hasn’t brought the self-fulfilment it promised. The younger generation is isolated, confused, anxious. Churches desperately need to not to be silent.

Fall – in the light of the fall we must be humble and compassionate. That lovely picture of Adam and Eve naked without shame. Sin has corrupted every part. We are sinners. We are sexual sinners. That is true for every one of us. How dare we find one group and shun them and say they are the sinners as if we were righteous? We are not to judge the world in issues of sexual morality. Jesus was the friend of sinners.

That same chapter is that the churches should exercise discipline about unrepented sexual. We must not focus on some sins and ignore others: domestic abuse, pornography, the abuse of pastoral power all these should be addressed. We should be humble and compassionate.

All of us are impacted by the fall. Some more acutely than others. Some are mainly or entirely attracted to the same sex. What is clear is that these attractions are not simply chosen and such people are not just living in the west. They are in this congress and they are in your churches and too many feel unable to be open about their struggles.

Same sex attraction is not my identity but it is an on-going part of our reality. Does the tone and manner in which you speak encourage people to be honest?

Redemption: We must embrace Christ’s revolution. Far greater than the sexual revolution.. that is the perspective through which to look at these issues. Too often we have a limited view of Christ’s redemption. The Christ who said come as you are, did not say stay as you are. Revisionists keep quiet on repentance. Conservatives are strong on repentance.

Life is Christ – that conviction changed my life. It wasn’t that I was gripped and excited by Christian morality. I loved Christ and loving Him, I wanted to live for Him. We need to offer a love story about a God who loved us so much that He died on a cross. Paul talks of marriage as a picture of Christ and the Church. The fundamental marriage is that between Christ and the church. That changes everything.

Marriage is not the be all and end all of life. Yes, it is a beautiful gift but no romantic and sexual relationship will ever truly satisfy. It changes our view of singleness, too often viewed as a problem. Single people who are in Christ are related to Him. We have a special opportunity to serve Him. Yes Christ affirms biological family but the family is wider than that. We dare not call our fellow disciples into costly areas of discipleship without opening our homes an hearts. There should be no isolated people in our churches.

We respond with Christ. His teaching. He showed amazing love to sinners. Don’t just preach morality or condemnation, preach and live Christ for the glory of God;.

Mission in the Power of the Spirit