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Author: The Lausanne Strategy Working Group
Date: 01.07.2010
Category: Unreached People Groups
Editor’s Note: This Cape Town 2010 Advance Paper has been written by Paul Eshleman on the behalf of the Lausanne Strategy Working Group as an overview of the topic to be discussed at the Morning Plenary Session on "Priorities in World Evangelisation". Responses to this paper through the Lausanne Global Conversation will be fed back to the author and others to help shape their final presentations at the Congress.
World Evangelisation In The 21st Centruy: Prioritising The Essential Elements Of The Great Commission
Download the complete paper using the link below.
© The Lausanne Movement 2010
Keywords: Mission, priorities, discipleship, evangelisation, commission, commandment, Scripture, strategy, goals, unreached people, church planting, prayer, unity, presence, compassion, Holy Spirit, repentance, resources, research, orality, presence
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Comments: 49
Recommendations: 7
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Taiwan (ROC)
There will be some sessions on storying at Lausanne. 1-2 of main multiplexes (choose 1 out of 4) and also in the Dialogue Sessions. I will be doing one called, "Evangelism Everyone enjoys -esp. the unbeliever." Should be able to catch a glimpse of it and have some good discussion and question and answer time.
22.09.2010
United Kingdom
Thank you for such an impacting paper! So clear and challenging.
I too would appreciate more detail at some point on what story-telling might look like in terms of language and training...i’d love to learn more about this!
22.09.2010
Taiwan (ROC)
Jim, I belong to Hudson Taylor’s organization, I take ’mother tongue’ story telling as an assumption. That is, the whole goal of story telling is to communicate deeply with a person in the best way that they can understand. Therefore, yes, it is in their faviourite tongue. If I first demanded the Taiwanese speak English I wouldn’t exactly be able to communicate, "God speaks your language and understands your heart!"
I have noticed that some people in their posts are suggesting storying as a "when you don’t have a written text" substitute. I don’t. I think that we use whatever form/method, most clearly communicates the message of the Saviour. With storying, I’ve been surprised (revealing my ignorance of the power of story!) with the range of people who love that form. I’ve seen PhD students prefer it and then do Bible study afterwards.
21.09.2010
Kenya
I think all this talk of ’orality’ is great, and is indeed important in the way forward in mission. What has me a bit puzzled - is the relative absence of the question of; ’in which language’? It is as if all our oral story telling will be in ... English? If not, then surely we should be emphasising use of mother tongue / indigenous language as much as storying? Or are people thinking that stories can equally be told in any language. No; that can’t be ...
20.09.2010
Belgium
Thank you Paul for your wonderful paper. The statistics, the graphs and the proposed priorities might be overwhelming for some, but they were of great help to me.
Stating it the way you did, makes it more tangible and this way it is easier to see where I, my organisation, my church, ... fit in. If we don’t see that the Great Commission can be a paralysing command to follow, because it seems too big.
Just like many others that have commented, I’m interested to learn more about the Oral Bible, orality, using stories,... I can dislike the fact that people in my context aren’t eager to read books all I want, but if this is a fact, than we should find new, or better old ways to tell them about Jesus. As one interested in the arts, I’m wondering how the arts can be beneficial in this area
20.09.2010
United States
Thank you for this extremely challenging and motivating paper. It caused me to repent of my own failure in carrying out the Great Commission as well as become more excited than ever about fulfilling it. May God bless the Lausanne Congress discussions and enable the whole Church, through the pouring out of His Spirit, to see the harvest and send the needed workers to gather it in.
19.09.2010
Zimbabwe
Hey it seems that storying is the latest way that has come up of late and it seems to be covering different classes of people in the gossiping way as one chose to put it. Iwould like to know more about that and if possible get to know how we can be equipped to start using it as well here.
Its exciting to see how relevant most of the postings are to the work and ways of doing ministry we are doing as a team here as we are encouraging the church in the Global South to take up the Work that is ahead of us.
Thank you so much
25.08.2010
Kenya
@ Gina_Takundwa:
To try and flesh that out a bit ... the big issue for the church in Africa in many ways is witchcraft. When one reads the Scriptures through ’those eyes’, one sees also battles against witchcraft going on. What to the West is a doctrine, to us in Africa is a strategy for defeating the enemy ... kind of thing.
Don’t mind being shot down for the above. It is ’thoughts in process’, kind of thing ...
25.08.2010
Brazil
@ Jim_Harries:
Dear Jim,
As a Brasilian pastor, I know what you talking about. However, I am very afraid when a possibility of disconnection can be made between doctrine and strategies. Here in Brasil, is quite easy to meet people in witchcraft practices, even in public. The TV stations show these action as cultural and Candoble is one of the most popular religions and uses witchcraft (It has its roots in African rites). The biblical truth points to the complete and total victory of Christ against all the evil spiritual powers. Plus, the Christian is totally involved by God (I Jo 5.18). I do know what is to preach the gospel to people that adore the devil explicitly. I am aware that it’s necessary prayer and holiness. I believe that the missionaries who are in the front of the battle field can be affected in their ministry and even in their live. I understood that you were concern about to preach to Africans without to considerate the witchcraft practice is almost unacceptable.
25.08.2010
Kenya
@ SergioLyra:
Hi Sergio, Just found your comment now! I am afraid that, probably because it is coming through Portugese, I am not understanding it very well. What I am learning very much - is that there are a lot of parallels between the African and the Brazilian contexts.
13.09.2010
Ghana
Thank you for the thoroughly researched paper! What a great wealth of information. May its intended purpose be accomplished: that it will motivate us to wisely reach the remaining unreached.
13.09.2010
Puerto Rico
Another "must read"! Incredibly well presented overview of the present situations. The areas of need are presented in a balanced manner. I wonder what issue #9 (Mobilization of Manpower and Finances) is not being considered of the highest priority. The attainment of most of the goals depend on the church responding to the call!
Is there any particular group focusing on this specific issue? I would like to join in.
24.08.2010
Kenya
@ josermv:
For a group looking into this area - have a look for the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission, within this conversation, or at www.vulnerablemission.com.
25.08.2010
United States
I particularly appreciated Eshleman’s focus on orality. As a highly-educated person, this is challenging, as it forces me to let go of my prejudices toward academics and super-literate forms of communication. But it is a good challenge, and one that I have been seeking to take on for the past few years.
One way My colleagues and I are doing this is by making "storying" central to out missionary training. We spend extensive time - about 25% of our classroom training - focusing on storytelling techniques, and practicing storytelling the scriptures and our own testimonies.
I am about to begin a new learning/outreach community to Mslm peoples in my city, on the model called "TOAG." A central part of this model is that every week, we will meet and practice a story from the Gospels with each other, in pairs, critiquing each other and coaching each other. We will then commit to go our and share that story that week with at least one Mslm friend. This approach is organic - it makes evangelism more like "gossiping the Gospel." Only, whereas regular gossip fades away, this is based on the truth of Jesus, and by the Holy Spirit will begin to build inroads into the hearts and spirits of our Mslm friends.
I look forward to practicing orality in my mission work here and abroad, and seeing the stories of Jesus spread widely, to all peoples , not just literate ones.
23.08.2010
Kenya
@ Mere_B:
Just to express my appreciation for those people promoting storying in these conversations. I have been focusing more on the use of local languages, but have been benefitting from their insights, and doing more on ’storying’ in my own ministry in recent months as a result. Thanks.
23.08.2010
France
Thank you for this stimulating article. It points to several issues that have to be thought trough in the present and future.
I would like to raise two questions about what is written there:
- About ’storytelling’ (pp.9-11), which I believe are most important in spreading the Gospel: the author reminds that Jesus often used stories to convey the truth. It should be noticed first that the stories Jesus used were mostly parables, whereas the apostles (in the Acts) used mostly History, especially for talking to the jews. Parables were used for conveying truth, but also to help listeners to raise the relevant questions in their lives. In other words, Jesus used ’storytelling’ not only to affirm truth, but also to raise doubts about one’s own beliefs. History, on the other side, leads to see God’s sovereignty on salvation as against mens sinfulness, Jesus being the ultimate Word of God. History enables also the integration of Gentiles in their new identity, adopting the history of God’s people. Second, and it should be noticed also, Paul (in the epistles) uses the "cosmic history" that underline God’s plan, sometimes his own history (testimony) but not many parables. He brings readers/listeners into a new spiritual thinking. Therfore, christian interest in orality should not concentrate only on storytelling, but also on rethorics/oral demonstrations. I Cor 1,26 mentions that Corinthians were not for the most part intellectuals: nevertheless, Paul treats them as able to understand his thought... There is something here to think about...
- On the topic of Evangelism and discipleship: I am not completely happy with the wording ’Evangelism is not enough’. It sounds like Evangelism is something prior to disciple making, and I am not sure it is completely right. First, Newbigin reminds that the focus of Paul’s exhortation is on faithfulness more than ’Evangelism’ as such. This means that true discipleship should produce something that the world can see, and that manifests God’s Kingdom: isn’t that Evangelism? Second, the Church needs ’permanent Evangelism’ (the message of the cross) if discipleship is to avoid pharisaism, legalism or any kind of self-justice. I feel that this articulation Evangelism-disciple making should be studied further.
Thank you for reading this comment, thank you again for this interesting paper, and God bless our common will to work together.
Jacques Nussbaumer, Lille, France
18.08.2010
Zimbabwe
In response to World Evangelisation in the 21st Century
It is encouraging for me to realise that the shift happening in the world trends as far the spread of the gospel is not only being seen and felt by one part of the world but by both worlds.
Its time for the Southern family to realise that now is their time to give all they have to the North and if the Northenerns are able may they take hands with them (Southerners) to encourage them. The southern family might have been dwelling in excuses of low incomes they need to be told that their time is now and they are being called to stand at such a time as this. To those Southeners who have been involved already they will be of great help in the grooming of thse who are about to take the step as well.
Thanks for a job weldone
15.08.2010
Singapore
Just a minor point to share. With regards to "secondary orality" in media-sophisticated countries, it is becoming more apparent that stories are one of the primary ways people make sense of life and their world - that’s why movies, Hollywood have such appeal. Rick Richardson, in his book "Re-imagining Evangelism", offers this perspective, "Stories (are) the only containers big enough to carry truth, because stories convey not just the facts, but also the feelings and nuances of truth. Stories are a bigger and better container for the whole of the truth than propositions, concepts and dogmas. ...people today tend to distrust logic and truth when it is expressed propositionally and dogmatically. But when our truth is enfleshed in the stories of our lives, people are interested. ...We must recover our own stories, and God’s Big Story, and connect them to the stories of people we love and are reaching out to. Our story. God’s story. Their story.’
11.08.2010
Brazil
Preocupa-me quando leio propostas missionárias que estabelecem números, sem dizer o como tais metas serão atingidas. Não sou alérgico a números e estratégias, porém como missiólogo latino-americano percebo que a ênfase estratégica missionária do hemisfério norte continua na proposta de ação através de agências missionárias, enquanto que no hemisfério sul a ênfase está nas ações das igrejas locais. Gostaria que o comitê estratégico de Lausanne vislumbrasse a discussão de expansão missionária a partir da igreja local, como o Dr, John Stott tem alertado, tendo como modelo referencial o que ocorreu em Antioquia.
I’m concerned when I read missionaries proposals who establish targets with high worldly numbers, without saying as such goals will be reached. I am not alergic to numbers and strategies, however as Latin American missilogist I perceive that the north hemisphere strategical missionary emphasis continues in proposal of actions through missionaries agencies, whereas in the south hemisphere the emphasis is actions from the local churches. I’d like that the strategical committee of Lausanne glimpsed the issue of missionary expansion from the local church, as the Dr, John Stott has alerted, having as referencial model what occurred in Antioquia.
17.07.2010
Singapore
In the past 100 years, there has been a profound shift in global Christianity from the global north (North America and Europe) toward the global south (Africa, Asia and Latin America). This shift affects not only population (more than 60% of Christians now live in the global south) but also other aspects of Christianity . . including the dominant languages and cultures; the style of Christian witness and dialogue with other faiths; the manpower, financial and other resources.
We hope the Lausanne Strategy Working Group will hear and consider the views of Christians both from the global south and the global north. A careful balance of international views should be presented, not just ideas from the global north.
09.07.2010
Argentina
Me preocupa cuando se habla de ACELERACION o velocidad, etc. para que otros conozcan al Señor. ¿Podemos acelerar la ENCARNACION del evangelio? La OBRA sin la PALABRA esta MUDA...pero la PALABRA sin la OBRA esta vacia. ¿Podremos encontrar un mayor equilibrio?
09.07.2010
Kenya
Note this error in the pdf: ’“Thus smith the Lord" over 414 times in the King James Version.’
Note that many people in the world considered to be ‘literate’, are not so in their own languages – so oral communication is still by far the most important.
When it comes to ‘compassionate ministries’ – these must not generate dependency.
08.07.2010
Brazil
Os dados apresentados apontam para uma tarefa que, ao meu ver, ficará cada fez mais distante de ser atingida. Explico o meu ponto de vista. (1) A polarização distintiva de que missionário é ter um chamado para evangelizar em lugares distantes, produziu uma classe de cristãos nas igrejas que acham que a tarefa não é deles. Isto paralisa missiologicamente quase que a totalidade da igreja, e cria até o conceito absurdo de terceirizar a missão ("Você vai no meu lugar"). Enquanto não se abraçar a verdade bíblica de que a obra missionária é responsabilidade de todos os membros da igreja (perto, longe ou muito longe), o trabalho se agigantará, sem obreiros suficientes para agir. (2) Acredito na grande importância das agências missionárias, porém, não as vejo como solução missionária. A retomada da igreja local como a agência missionária enviadora, assim como foi Antioquia, significa retomar a proposta prioritária que o apostolo Pedro explicitou (I Pedro 2.9-10), a igreja é o povo escolhido e santificado para proclamar. (3) O separatismo eclesiológico e o denominacionalismo tem transformado a proposta da grande comissão em expansão de instituições religiosas e não do reino de Deus. Talvez por isto as agências missionárias que se declararam interdenominacionais ou mesmo adenominacionais encontraram um gap missionário tão grande por parte das igrejas locais. Reconheço que elas tem suprido parte da tarefa que é da igreja.
Sem pessimismo ou criticismo, advogo a postura de que é preciso reacender a natureza missionária da igreja, como advertiu profeticamente Johannes Blawn, desde a década de 1950, e conscientizar que todos, todos os que creêm em Jesus são os missionários.
05.07.2010
Kenya
@ SergioLyra:
Indeed it has become easy to "produced a class of Christians in churches that think the task isn’t theirs" (a translation from Sergio). How sad. We need, surely, more missionaries who can work without subsidising their ministries using foreign resources?
Na verdade tornou-se fácil de "produzido uma classe dos cristãos nas igrejas que acha que a tarefa não é deles" (uma tradução do Sergio). Como é triste. Precisamos, certamente, mais missionários que podem trabalhar sem subsidiar seus ministérios utilizando recursos estrangeiros?
08.07.2010
Taiwan (ROC)
Thank-you for your clear listing of priorities and lack of jargon in your article. Also for suggested ways to be involved ...I have been trying for years to encourage translation teams to not start with the NT but rather to think in terms of what is needed in terms of evangelism and discipleship. For example, at least Genesis 1-Exodus 20, then something like Luke-Acts would be my choices in a place which didn’t have the scriptures.
Also excited that story telling beginning to gain acceptance and momentum. It seems to me that one of the major blocks to it gaining acceptance and being widely used is church leadership. I guess it is threatening because it doesn’t require a theological degree to get involved. How I long for the day of the "priesthood of all believers", where the weak and elderly and children and uneducated can be encouraged to do evangelism and discipleship. Instead, of feeling like they can’t be used in these tasks.
YSIC,
Christine
08.07.2010
United States
I do not think we can ever overemphasize discipleship especially among Muslim Background Believers. They are desperate for discipling and growing in Christ. With the church growth in Iran their greatest need is for solid Biblical teachings and personal growth. This best comes through intentionally discipling new believers consistently.
Through my experience I see the danger of false teaching creeping in the house churches among Muslims without discipliship. Evangelism and Discipliship are inseperable.
Good insight from this article to keep at what we are doing in helping to accomplish the Great Commission by His power and leading. Kamel (USA and Lebanon)
05.07.2010
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