The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
Author: Vaughan Roberts
Date: 24.09.2010
Category: Scripture Engagement
Directions: Click the play button in the video window above to watch all videos from the session in order. Alternatively, you may advance to a specific part of the session by using the next arrow or by clicking the playlist icon once the video is playing and selecting one of the video segments shown.
Bramuel Musya, Africa Director of God’s Story Project, dramatically recites Jesus’ parable of the Sower and the Seed.
This Scripture in Mission video shows the trauma that so many people endure in our violent world. We then see how Scripture plays an essential role in healing and changing traumatised lives.
Oxford preacher and author Vaughan Roberts preaches on unity from Ephesians 4:1-16. Roberts emphasises that Christian unity requires putting God’s call into action.
Keywords: Ephesians, full session, priorities, Vaughan Roberts, Bramuel Musya, Cape Town 2010
Views: 7649
Comments: 7
Recommendations: 1
Conversation Post Comment
Australia
Praise God for a clear exposition of His Word this morning -- unshamed proclamation of the truth of the gospel -- may we walk in the light as he is in the light!
23.10.2010
Gambia
Unity of the Church||We discussed on our table that both the too much emphasis by the African church on the power of the Holy Spirit without a keen study of scripture, and the too much emphasis on the intellectual study of the4 scripture without faith in the power of the Holy Spirit are like a jet flying with only one wing. We need both to have the whole church and the whole gospel. We need to learn to listen to both sides and we are very happy that this is happening here at Lausanne.
22.10.2010
Australia
an over arching theme for the Congress||Lausanne participant response Friday 22nd October 2010
My response yesterday was a longer piece putting the thoughts of what the Lord Jesus might be saying to us here at Cape Town at Lausanne III in a bit of historical perspective. Today, I hope, will be briefer and in two parts: a reflection on Plenary 1 and Ephesians 4:1-16 and my first attempt to put together my thoughts into one or two paragraphs.
Before I do let me outline in point form the matters that I have sensed God is saying,
⢠A new call for an expressed commitment to the wonder and grandeur of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Cosmic Christ
⢠The first expression of this expressed commitment to the Lordship of Christ being a looser hold on our identities, ethnic identities, denominational identities, theological identities, ministry passion identities, giftedness identities, and ministry and mission identities in relation to world evangelisation and each other in the global church
⢠That, following the sacrificial example of the Lord Jesus and his death on the cross, the first group to initiate such a commitment, to their own cost, should the powerful influential and rich part of the global church â which is still the western church.
⢠That these truths have a clear application when we start to speak about unity and cooperation as much as reconciliation: our unity and cooperation comes, in the first place, from our mutual submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. The humility, love and self sacrifice, and the power to do so, emanates from Him, not our commitment to them.
Plenary 1 ...
Ephesians 4:1-16 is a great passage about the church and its unity. Not uniformity, as Vaughan Roberts wonderfully outlined this morning, but unity, characterised by our humble calling from God and the teaching of the Bible â his two points. Unfortunately, and this was recognised by our table group, he did not take us to the feet of Jesus as the ground of our unity. He left us at the feet of our response: humility as we are called, and teaching the Bible. We cannot do without these two things: it is the biblical Lord Jesus that brings unity, and it is expressed through humble relationships. However these things are not the foundation, as the passage presents, of our unity. It is the Lord Jesus Christ.
With great respect I think Vaughan Robertâs presentation was an example of the very thing the Lord is calling us to hold more loosely: our identities. What we heard today was Ephesians 4 explained through the identity of a pastor-bible teacher, who is in a ministry committed to releasing more people into vocational ministry, no doubt in bible teaching. Now, we should own our identities â submission to the Lord Jesus does not mean we let go of the gifts, experiences and passions he has given us (Ephesians 4:8-16 shows that!!). But we should also, explicitly, deliberately and regularly, submit these to the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly in public, and particularly when the passage itself speaks the same thing (4:15-16).
So this morning was a clear example of what I believe God is saying to us: submit our identities to the Lord Jesus. For only then will the humility, love, patience and gentleness required for true Christ-centred unity be practised (4:1-6).
The beginnings of a statement on this ...
We celebrate the wonder and grandeur of the biblical Lord Jesus Christ in all his fullness as the one through whom all things and all people will be brought together as one. We admit that there are many times in which we as His people have approached the sharing of the whole gospel with the whole world in a way that has ignored His Lordship over our hearts, practises, relationships and intentions. We admit that perhaps more often than we realise we have approached world evangelisation and our relationships one with another as His people as in ways that reflect the priority of our own identities (such as ethnic identities, denominational identities, theological identities, ministry passion identities, giftedness identities, and ministry and mission identities) above Him as the one who holds us as one body. We state with clarity and conviction our commitment to hold more loosely to these identities than we have in the past and commit afresh to His Lordship in all our evangelistic relationships and practises.
We embrace this commitment and relish the opportunities to build relationships one with another that are characterised by self-sacrificial love, gentleness, humility, patience and a desire and practise to enlarge the ministry of others. And we state categorically that these behaviours come first from our mutual submission to Jesus as Christ as our common Lord in fullness of His Spirit. We will reflect this heart and commitment to a renewed commitment to deliberately and regularly expressing our cooperation and unity under His Lordship and emanating from His central position in word, heart, prayer and verbal encouragement o one another.
I think the second issue of the western churchâs response could best be reflected by the western church given space at the Congress not to teach others, but to express a willingness to pay the cost first in reconciliation and unity by holding loosely to our identities.
22.10.2010
Nigeria
Unity and love||I appreciate the speaker’s insight into how unity is different from ecumenism. Truth must be the foundation of every form of unity. However, it must be truth in love. To love those who are like us is not anything new, even pagans do the same but to love those who are unlike us or even opposed to us is the crux of the matter.
We need to find common grounds. We do not need to agree on every point of doctrine but in fundamentals. If that can be achieved, then the work of world evangelization is just a decade away.
Thank you Vaughan.
22.10.2010
United States
Table discussion||Main themes are out table were on discipleship, identity, and God. On the first, we discussed the task of equipping the church -- fast growing churches were likened to "pancakes", broad but not deep. But it was mentioned that V.Roberts’ message needed to be balanced by considering the fact that God’s word is effectively communicated in "non-word" ministry such as compassion, presence, etc.
Under identity, we discussed the idea of whether it is right or not for Christians to continue to identify themselves as Hutus, Tutsis, Germans, Brahmans, etc. What role do these identifications play in the establishment of true unity. Unity also discussed as being produced through conversation, confession, story-telling. However, a question was raised about whether or not this is true in more shame-based cultures in which confession tends to create distance between parties rather than closeness.
We also mentioned that God is the one who has provided for our unity -- it is a function of His nature and activity. This is a big theme for me personally as I continue to see the God-centeredness of Ephesians this week. There is power in Him, His Word, His gospel, etc. This has major implications for mission.
22.10.2010
Singapore
Table Group responses||I think our group is getting more enthusiastic about the manuscript method.
Great exposition too.
Issues raised in our group afterwards.
In German town - 4 denominations that should be able to work together cannot because of division of ’Pentecostals’. But the youth of the different churches are getting together separately to arrange group events.
In Lebanon - a problem of the ’conflict of generations’ (in Arabic). Youth want to separate in the church. particularly a problem after an old pastor retired and a younger pastor called - who is good but some older are having trouble.
In USA -
Two sources of division - age and kind of music.
There needs to be mutual respect about style of worship.
Insightful point from Philip Yancey’s book ’Why bother with church?’ - it is not important that I enjoy the service but that God does. A helpful perspective.
22.10.2010
Australia
teaching the Bible and unity that comes from jesus||I appreciated greatly Vaughan Roberts sharing today, however I felt the focus of the second half of his presentation did not take us to the foot of the biblical Lord Jesus, but the Bible. I am passioantely committed to teaching the Bible as a pastor, however, the Bible,even well taught, does not unify the church: the Lord Jesus does. This was what grabbed me in my individual observation as I read verses 15-16 and saw that it is the head of the body, Christ, who ... "makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love". I do not feel he left us with that thought ccentred on the Lord Jesus, but on the need for good bible teaching (which is graetly needed!). Great though it is, it is not the ground of our unity, even as taught in Ephesians 4:1-16
22.10.2010
You must be logged in to post a comment. If you don’t have an account, you can sign up now (it’s free and easy!).