Lausanne Global Conversation Help and FAQs

Browse the categories below to find answers to most questions. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for–please contact us.

About the Lausanne Global Conversation: What is the Lausanne Global Conversation?; Who is behind the Lausanne Global Conversation?; Is the Lausanne Global Conversation free?
About Cape Town 2010: What is Cape Town 2010?; How does the Lausanne Global Conversation relate to Cape Town 2010?; I was a Cape Town 2010 Participant. How do I join the Conversation?; How else can I participate in Cape Town 2010?
Multilingual Features: What languages are supported?; How can I view content in my language?; How does translation work on the website?; I noticed mistakes in my language!; Which language should I participate in?; I am a multilingual person ñ can I help translate?
Creating an Account: How do I create a new account?; What information do I need to get started?; What are the different types of accounts?; Can I create 2 accounts?; What happens after I submit my registration?
Password: What do I do if I forget my password?; How can I change my password?; How can I create a safe password?
Screen Name: What is my screen name used for?; How can I change my screen name?; How can I create a safe screen name?
Joining the Conversation: How can I join the Conversation?; How can I interact with users on the site?
My Account: What features are available in My Account?; How do I cancel my account?
Invite Others: How do I invite someone else to join the Lausanne Global Conversation?
Security: Is the Lausanne Global Conversation safe?; I work in a sensitive area of the world. How can I participate without disclosing my identity?; Can I make my account information private?; What does the Lausanne Global Conversation do with my information?; How do I report inappropriate content?; What if someone is harassing me on the site?; Is it safe to connect with people within the Lausanne Global Conversation?
Contact Us: How can I contact the Lausanne Global Conversation staff?

About the Lausanne Global Conversation

What is the Lausanne Global Conversation?

The Lausanne Global Conversation is bringing together the global church to engage with the important issues related to world evangelization. (Learn more)

Who is behind the Lausanne Global Conversation?

The Lausanne Movement is hosting the Lausanne Global Conversation. The Lausanne Movement is a worldwide movement that mobilizes evangelical leaders to collaborate for world evangelization.

The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (also known as Cape Town 2010 and Lausanne III) was held in Cape Town, South Africa, 16-25 October 2010. The Congress, held in collaboration with the World Evangelical Alliance, brought together 4,000 leaders from more than 200 countries to confront the critical issues of our time as they related to the future of the Church and world evangelization. Observations, ideas and comments shared within the Lausanne Global Conversation helped shape Cape Town 2010.

The Lausanne Global Conversation is powered by World Wide Open, a free, not-for-profit, online tool that helps connect and empower Christians, churches and non-profit organizations to make an impact in the world.

Is the Lausanne Global Conversation free?

Yes! The Lausanne Global Conversation is completely free, with no advertising and no fees.

About Cape Town 2010

What is Cape Town 2010?

How does the Lausanne Global Conversation relate to Cape Town 2010?

Observations, ideas and comments shared within the Lausanne Global Conversation (LGC) will helped shape Cape Town 2010 (CT2010). A Data Mining Team combed through all parts of the conversation to highlight significant and compelling input and bring it to the attention of the CT2010 Programme team, Congress presenters and others so that input and ideas could impact the Congress.

Since the Congress, videos of each session have been posted within the LGC, allowing Christians around the world to comment and respond to these important issues.

The LGC will serve as an ongoing discussion and collaboration platform for the global Church.

The conversation also focuses on the themes and topics addressed at Cape Town 2010.

I was a Cape Town 2010 Participant. How do I join the Conversation?

Registered Cape Town 2010 Congress participants had an account automatically created for them within the Lausanne Global Conversation. If you were a registered Congress participant and have not received information about your Lausanne Global Conversation account, please contact us.

Multilingual Features

What languages are supported?

Participation in the Lausanne Global Conversation (LGC) is possible in eight languages: Arabic (MSA), Chinese (simplified), English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

How can I view content in my language?

Select your primary language when you sign up (or change it in the My Account area). Then, when you are logged in, you will automatically view the website navigation and any available conversations in your language. You will also find an auto-translate button in several areas of the website, which allows you to immediately view those areas in your language.

How does translation work on the website?

A combination of professional translators, volunteer translators and automated translation is used to make a growing amount of the LGC website available in eight languages. (Learn more)

I noticed mistakes in my language!

Given the large amount of content on the website, it is natural to encounter both human and automated translation errors.

Please note approved translators may suggest amends to the original translator of a conversation starter. If you encounter significant errors, please click on the "Suggest Edit to Translation" button below the translation to communicate directly with the translator who will then be able to update the translation.

For automated translation, frequent mistakes and inaccuracies are likely. Although we are fully aware of the limitations of automated translation in terms of accuracy and coherence, its use is solely intended to provide users with general meaning of less formal posted content such as comments.

If you do notice major mistakes in non-English versions of the core website content, please contact us.

Which language should I participate in?

We invite you to take ownership of the site by participating actively in your own language: start conversations, post comments, and write messages to your connections in your own language.

I am a multilingual person, can I help translate?

Absolutely! If you are a linguist, a translator or a multilingual person, we warmly invite you to help make conversations on the LGC website available in multiple languages! Learn more about how to become a volunteer translator.

Creating an Account

How do I create a new account?

Click Sign Up at the top right of any page to create a new account.

What information do I need to get started?

You’ll need to create a screen name and password and enter your birthday, country, state/province, city and valid email address. If you are new to social media websites or have questions about creating an online profile, see our safety tip recommendations.

After entering the basic info, you can enter in additional details in order for the website to deliver more personalized content to you, including conversations related to your interests. We encourage you to enter the additional details to allow us to connect your passions and interests with other people and conversations.

What are the different types of accounts?

There are three types of accounts within the Lausanne Global Conversation.

Individual Account - for any Christian who wants to join the conversation
Church Account - for a pastor or church representative signing their church up to participate officially under the church name
Organization Account - for non-profits and faith-based non-profits to participate under their official organization name

We recommend creating an Individual Account in most cases unless there is a need to participate officially on behalf of your church or organization.

Can I create 2 accounts?

You’re only allowed to have one Lausanne Global Conversation Individual account. But if you are the representative of a church or organization, you can also sign up your church or organization using the corresponding account type.

What happens after I submit my registration?

Your account is ready to use immediately after you sign up. Simply log in using the link at the top right of any page.

Password

What do I do if I forget my password?

Just click here and enter your email address (the one you registered with) and we’ll send you instructions by email on how to change your password.

How can I change my password?

When you are logged in, go to the “My Account” area and click on My Account > Account Settings and use the “Change your Password” area. If you are logged in, click here to go there directly.

How can I create a safe password?

Choose a combination of letters and numbers.
Don’t choose words that can be found in the dictionary (people use computer programs that reference the dictionary to steal passwords).
Don’t ever put any personally identifiable information in your password (phone number, social security number, bank account number)
Don’t tell anyone your password

Screen Name

What is my screen name used for?

Your screen name is the only name used to reference your activity throughout the website, unless you add your real name to the My Account > Manage Account page. If you have any security or privacy concerns, we encourage you to sign up with a screen name that is not connected to your real identity in any way and leave the “Name” field blank in the “My Account” area. For everyone else, we encourage you to add your real name to the “Name” field after you sign up.

How can I change my screen name?

Screen names are an important part of the website, so we discourage users from changing their screen names without a good reason. This is our way of encouraging users to have one consistent identity for their involvement in the Lausanne Global Conversation. Contact us to request a screen name change.

How can I create a safe screen name?

1. If you have security concerns, don’t use your real name (first or last) in your screen name
2. Don’t ever put any personally identifiable information in your screen name (phone number, social security number, bank account number)

Joining the Conversation

How can I join the Conversation?

Sign up to participate fully in the conversation.
View all topics to learn more about the issues that are a part of the conversation
Join existing conversations about the issues that matter to you by selecting a conversation already in progress from the main Conversations page and posting a response at the bottom of that conversation page. (Watch a Short Video Demonstration)
Start a new conversation by contributing an article, blog, video or other relevant content on the featured topics. (Watch a Short Video Demonstration)

How can I interact with users on the site?

There are several ways to connect with other Christians around the world through the Lausanne Global Conversation:

Join a Conversation - Select a conversation already in progress from the main Conversations page and post a response at the bottom of that conversation page.
Add To Connections - Find people and organizations to connect with then click “Add To Connections” on their profile page. A message gets sent to that user that prompts them to verify. Once verified, the person or organization will be added to your connections area and you will be able to communicate directly with that user.
Join a Group - Groups are separate spaces for people to connect around a common interest. Browse the existing groups or create a new group (it can be public or private).
Send a Message - This feature allows you to write a private message to anyone on the site. For security purposes, you may not contact another user through the site until you have added them to your connections and they have verified.

My Account

What features are available in “My Account”?

After you sign up, the “My Account” area allows you to add additional information to your profile and quickly access the different areas of the website. Here are more details about each link in the “My Account” area:

My Account

Manage Account - Add additional information about yourself to help others know more about you, including: your name, interests, occupation, local church, links to other social media accounts or websites, and your story/bio (under “My Story”).
Public Profile - See how your profile will look to other users who view your account.
Account Settings - Change your account email, primary language or password.

Post

Conversation - Start a conversation by contributing an article, blog, video or other relevant content on the featured topics.
Experience - Share information about your service/ministry experience so other Christians can leverage your experience. Where have you served? What did you do? What did you learn? What could you offer someone else who is serving in a similar capacity? Share it here.

Manage

Conversations - Manage/edit conversations you have started.
Experience - Manage/edit your service portfolio.
Connections - Manage/edit the people, organizations and groups you are connected with who are a part of the Lausanne Global Conversation. Find more connections by browsing for friends, family, colleagues or others with similar interests and clicking “Add to Connections”.
Images - Add images to your account and select one to use as your profile image.
Feeds - Connect to RSS feeds from other websites. These feeds are displayed on your profile and account page and can be used to pull content in from other internet sources. Feeds may also be used as status updates on your account.

My Groups

My Groups - Lists all groups you have already joined.
Find Group - Browse for new groups to join.
Manage Groups - Edit settings for groups you have joined or started, including the ability to leave a group.

Connections - Manage/edit the people, organizations and groups you are connected with who are a part of the Lausanne Global Conversation, and find new connections.

Communication

Inbox - See new messages sent to your account.
Sent - See messages you have sent to other users.
Preferences - Set your communication preferences for email notifications from the Lausanne Global Conversation.

Other Areas in “My Account”

Contributions - This area keeps track of all the content you have contributed to the site, including conversations you have started and experience you have shared in your service portfolio.
Favorites - Use the “Favorite” link on any conversation page to add it to this list of your favorite blogs, articles, videos and other content. It’s also a good way to promote the good conversations you find on the site.

How do I cancel my account?

Contact us with your screen name and password (so we can verify you aren’t trying to cancel somebody’s account without their permission!). Your account will be deleted within 48 hours.

Invite Others

How do I invite someone else to join the Lausanne Global Conversation?

If you really like the site and think there is someone else (person, church or organization) that should create an account within the Lausanne Global Conversation, you can click here. Then, just enter their email address and a brief note and they’ll receive an invitation message from you.

Security

Is the Lausanne Global Conversation safe?

Absolutely. We use both technology and a clear set of community guidelines to ensure the Lausanne Global Conversation is a good place to spend time online.

On the technology front, we use the latest encryption, firewalls and other security procedures to help protect the accuracy and security of your personal information and prevent unauthorized access or improper use. For example, you will note that while using some features of the Lausanne Global Conversation web site and online services, you may need to submit a password or some other type of authenticating information.

Learn more about our Community Guidelines and the expectations for involvement within the Lausanne Global Conversation.

If you ever have an issue with the safety or privacy of this website, please contact us.

I work in a sensitive area of the world. How can I participate without disclosing my identity?

The only required information that we display publicly is your screen name, city and country. We will never collect your full address, and do not require your real name.

To participate in the conversation while protecting your identity, we recommend the following:

Sign up as an individual and choose a screen name with no connection to your real identity.
Do not add your real name or any other potentially harmful, personally identifiable information to your account profile.
Never use your real name when participating in the conversations.
Do not upload any photos of yourself to the site.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.

Can I make my account information private?

No, but we designed the account in a way that we don't need to show personally identifiable information (physical address or full name) in order to participate. If you choose to use your full name instead of you screen name, you can add your name to the “My Account” area. You may choose to leave that field blank if you would rather go by your screen name.

What does the Lausanne Global Conversation do with my information?

We don’t sell, rent, lease, or give-away any of your information to third parties. Your information will only be used to send you information news and updates related to your account. You may update your communication preferences in the “My Account” area.

How do I report inappropriate content?

If you see something offensive on the site:

On each page of the website there will be a button called “Mark as Inappropriate”, click that button, and we'll review it in light of the community guidelines and, if necessary, remove it immediately.
Take ownership of the site. Respond to the inappropriate content by respectfully posting a comment and letting the author know about your concern.

If you ever have an issue with the safety or privacy of the Lausanne Global Conversation, please contact us.

What if someone is harassing me on the site?

First, send them a message requesting that they stop. If they don’t stop it and/or if they are involved in illegal activity (hate crimes, threats to your safety, harassment, etc…) contact your local police department and contact us immediately so we can remove their account.

Is it safe to connect with people within the Lausanne Global Conversation?

Yes, but you need to exercise caution. If you are under 18 years old, you need your parent's permission to contact anyone within the website. Here are a few more suggestions:

If you have any doubts about the person–don’t contact them.
Always contact the person via email first. This is the safest way to get in touch with someone initially.
Always tell a family member or friend if you are going to meet someone in person who you met online. Tell them the time and place you’ll be meeting and, if necessary, have them come along.
Immediately report anyone on the site who is using a false identity, harassing other members or jeopardizing the security of the Lausanne Global Conversation community. To let us know, contact us.

Contact Us

How can I contact the Lausanne Global Conversation staff?

If you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please contact us by clicking here, selecting the appropriate department and filling out the form. If you want write us a letter by post, you can mail it to:

Lausanne Global Conversation
c/o World Wide Open
455 Capitol Mall, Suite 325
Sacramento, CA 95814