The Fourth Lausanne Congress (L4) is not only a mass meeting. It is also intended to be broadly representative of the global evangelical church. One of the goals emphasised by the organisation is that evangelicals need to listen better to each other, and this effort to ensure that the conversation is not dominated by any one actor is very much present.

In the same way, Lausanne shows how the evangelical world is opening its ears to the female voice. Participation on the main platform is so far even, and the number of women attending the Congress is close to 29%.

The master document for this meeting, The State of the Great Commission, had 40% women authors. This is great progress, considering that at the first congress in Lausanne, 50 years ago, not a single woman participated.

Revival, the work of the Holy Spirit

On the first day, attendees heard Sarah Breuel, originally from Brazil but serving for years in Italy and with the Revive organisation in Europe, speak on the need for repentance as “the way to revival”. Breuel, who considers Europe a continent “not post-Christian, but pre-revival”, invited the delegates to let the Holy Spirit unite us as a global church, setting aside historical misgivings.

Femi Adeleye, one of several speakers from the African continent, emphasised the importance of the Holy Spirit leading the church in mission. Adeleye preached from Acts 2 and challenged the audience to trust his guidance “and not our plans”, reminding them that the Holy Spirit “is the same yesterday as today, and forever and ever”.

“The signs and wonders are in effect”, added Adeleye, who expressed his firm conviction that these are not “isolated acts” or “an end in themselves” but “evidences of God’s power that endorse the liberating message of the gospel”.

Revival was the theme of the morning, and Bishop Yung Hwa from Malaysia shared how revival has been manifesting itself in different areas of Asia throughout the 20th century.

Kwabena Asamoah Gyadu from Ghana encouraged the global church to recover faith in the supernatural work of God, trusting that Jesus promised “not to leave us orphans”. “What has happened in Africa, the explosive growth of Christianity in so many places, cannot be explained except by the work of the Spirit”, the pastor and theologian added.

Injustice, poverty, climate change

The afternoon of Monday 23 September was devoted to examining how the church approaches some of the contemporary challenges today. Ruth Padilla DeBorst urged the church not to forget that love of neighbour and Micah’s call to do justice and love mercy are at the heart of mission. Padilla spoke forcefully about the challenges that “cannot be ignored or silenced”, including the gap between rich and poor, the marginalisation of groups, racism, gender inequality or wars “driven by the military industry”.

Padilla recalled that the concept of “integral mission” cannot be abandoned, and that theologies that present a world heading for catastrophe must not lead the church to wash its hands of the redemptive mission it is called to fulfil.

Her message connected well with that presented just before by Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist who has been working for many years to raise awareness of the problem of global warming and its consequences. Hayhoe pointed out that, as Christians, we will show true love if we act to stop the deterioration of our planet.

“This is not a political issue or a science issue, it is an issue that appeals to our faith”, Hayhoe said. “How are we going to say we love our neighbour if we don’t take this seriously?”, she said. “The Bible tells us not to be guided by fear, because we have been given a spirit of power to act in love”, the scientist concluded.

Truth in love key to addressing human sexuality

Vaughan Roberts from the United Kingdom spoke on the need to address challenges in the area of human identity and sexuality with fidelity to the Bible. The theologian and writer argued strongly that biblical teaching “does not change”, it is “clear” about sex: man and woman are created by God, sex is “designed by God”, the place for sexual relations “is marriage”, it “is only between man and woman”, and “it is forever”.

Roberts looked back at how in Western societies the sexual revolution is “celebrated” while its consequences are ignored. “Today's generation is dominated by anxiety and loneliness”, said Roberts, who identified the legacy of the “sexual revolution” as “the total collapse of the family, and the neglect of the weakest”.

“We must understand God’s pattern: creation, fall, redemption. We can rejoice in God’s design” even when the majority trend says “the important thing is for you to fulfil yourself as you wish”.

Roberts said churches that have opened their doors to a theologically liberal understanding of the doctrine of marriage and sexuality “are in a terminal situation”, and called on churches in the majority world to “pray for us”, those Western church communities which stand firm in the face of strong pressures.

But Christians, Roberts continued, cannot ignore that “we are all sinners, and that should lead us to humility”. The English preacher encouraged Christians to be “compassionate”, to create “healing communities”, and to know that the example of Jesus implies a “welcoming” perspective.

“Let us be open to talk to people who struggle with their sexual identity. I’m an example of that myself, but I know that my identity is not in what I feel: my identity is in Christ”, Roberts said. “That is the revolution of Jesus that we must preach and live out”, he concluded.

Key documents of Seoul 2024

The issue of human sexuality and identity and its challenges is one of the aspects highlighted in the “Seoul Statement”, which the Lausanne Movement published just two days ago, coinciding with the opening of the Congress.

“Together with the State of the Great Commission, we hope that these documents will help to generate a substantial and relevant conversation among Congress participants and beyond”, said the organisers, as tools to respond to the contemporary challenges the church faces globally.