Following the conclusion of the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, which passed off in Incheon, Korea on 22-28 Christian Every day Worldwide had the chance to take a seat down with Congress Co-Chair Reverend Jaehoon Lee for an unique interview. Wanting again on the historic occasion, which was generously supported by many Korean church buildings and introduced collectively practically 5,400 individuals from 200 international locations and territories, Reverend Lee shared his reflections. He spoke of historic adjustments because the preparations for Lausanne 4 extra mirrored the Church's shift to the World South; his hope that the Korean church will actually be a part of the worldwide physique of Christ; a number of the dynamics surrounding Seoul's declaration; and for him the largest spotlight of the occasion.
Roar. Lee, who serves as senior pastor of Onnuri Church in Seoul, started by pointing to his function on the Congress as an indication of how Lausanne 4 was completely different from earlier Congresses from the beginning. It was the primary time in Lausanne's 50-year historical past that there was a transparent recognition of the shifting ecclesial panorama to the World South, after they appointed a consultant from the host nation to co-chair the Congress. In accordance with him, such a title didn’t exist up to now.
Rev. Lee's appointment to the function “implies that the Lausanne Motion wished to replicate a change within the map of world Christianity, from the worldwide North and West to the worldwide South and East. And on the middle of the worldwide South and East is the Korean Church,” he stated.
“They wished to acknowledge the brand new actuality of a polycentric mission and emphasize cooperation with us as a number nation.”
As co-chairman, Rev Lee stated he had the chance to advocate leaders from the World South areas similar to Asia and Africa. A selected suggestion was Dr. Patrick Fung, then director of the Abroad Mission Fellowship (OMF), as program chairman.
“He deliberate and designed all the program primarily based on the ebook of Acts. From the Bible interpretations to the varied congress subjects, all of the completely different program parts have been taken from Acts, which could be very biblical and missional,” stated Rev. Lee.
The three earlier program administrators of the congresses in Lausanne in 1974, Manila in 1989 and Cape City in 2010 have been all Western leaders. This time it was completely different and Reverend Lee was more than happy with the change as he felt that the voices of the World South have been extra strongly represented on the Fourth Congress.
The Korean church might actually turn into a part of the worldwide church
When requested about Korea's participation in Lausanne 4, Rev. Lee stated he desires the Korean church to study from the worldwide church and achieve a extra international perspective.
“For a few years, the Korean church has been very remoted from different church buildings. Korea is homogenous as a nation with one heritage, they usually have discovered to be one physique. For a very long time, they have been very energetic and have become influential on the planet, however they weren’t international,” Rev. Lee stated.
He believes that this international congress helped Korean Christians to actually turn into a part of the worldwide church.
“Korean church buildings, leaders and congregations have been uncovered to many voices from church buildings all over the world. Particularly after we heard voices from church buildings in persecuted nations, we discovered lots. And we have been additionally capable of replicate on our previous, the time when our personal ancestors have been persecuted for his or her religion,” he stated.
Equally, he hopes the Lausanne motion will assist Korean missionaries higher combine into international mission networks. Because the second largest mission sending unit on the planet, hundreds of Korean missionaries have been despatched to all corners of the world. However Reverend Lee believes he has but to learn to work with missionaries from different international locations.
“They lack the spirit of cooperation,” he stated, this time referring to the principle theme of the Lausanne congress. “They work collectively, however solely inside Korean networks, not international networks that embrace missionaries from different nations,” he added, saying he hoped to increase their cooperative relationships, doubtlessly additionally by the Lausanne motion, which might function a platform.
Along with the necessity for collaboration, one other space that Lausanne 4 highlighted this time was the significance of together with individuals within the office as individuals within the Nice Fee. Moderately than limiting the duty of sharing the gospel to pastors, church leaders and missionaries, fulfilling the Nice Fee requires the participation of everybody within the Church, Congress heard.
When requested how this emphasis resonates in Korean church buildings, Rev. Lee stated it’s a downside that has already been acknowledged and lots of church buildings have created workplace-related ministries. “Due to this fact, many office leaders have been invited to the congress this time. The Korean individuals weren’t solely pastors and missionaries. About 30% have been office leaders,” he stated.
The Nice Fee Standing Report and the Seoul Declaration introduced a brand new strategy
Every of the earlier congresses has left a legacy within the type of a doc that emerged from the occasion, together with the Lausanne Pact (1974), the Manila Manifesto (1989) and the Cape City Dedication (2010). In Korea, many attendees have been stunned when the Seoul Declaration was introduced as the ultimate product simply hours earlier than the occasion started.
The management went to nice lengths to clarify that, not like earlier Lausanne paperwork, the Seoul Declaration complemented earlier paperwork in addition to the State of the Nice Fee report, which was printed in April, and was meant to “inform and encourage” the talks. over the course of the week, quite than a abstract of reflections. Nonetheless, some pointed to language within the doc that prompt it was meant to come back from Congress on behalf of the individuals.
Then, only a day or two later, edits have been made to 2 paragraphs associated to the difficulty of homosexuality, once more elevating eyebrows and resulting in additional requests to open the assertion to suggestions. Lastly, the Lausanne management introduced on the finish of the week that individuals can be invited to share their feedback and that the Lausanne Theology Working Group, along with the senior management workforce, would decide subsequent steps.
When requested in regards to the dynamics surrounding the Seoul Declaration, Rev. Lee acknowledged that “there have been some errors in communication.” However he additionally identified that Lausanne has no outlined protocol on how statements are formulated, processed and printed.
“At Lausanne 1, John Stott wrote the Lausanne Treaty through the occasion. The second time it was completely different. And on the third congress, the ultimate doc was printed solely months after the occasion. So there isn’t any actual protocol,” he stated. he stated.
Roar. Lee added that he noticed no downside when Lausanne international chief govt Dr. Michael Oh issued an announcement on the primary day, as when requests from attendees got here in to remark, Lausanne administration proved versatile. “They're open, they need to get suggestions from the individuals, they usually're going to debate and revise it once more in some restricted method,” he stated.
He additionally talked about that a number of new approaches have been seen in Lausanne 4, such because the publication of the State of the Nice Fee report earlier than the Congress. Not one of the earlier occasions had something comparable, so that they imagine it was an excellent improvement.
“The Korean Church Is Very Wanting to Defend the Biblical Normal”
Requested extra particularly in regards to the edits that have been made to the doc earlier within the week in paragraphs coping with homosexuality, Reverend Lee stated they have been made on the request of Korean church buildings. He identified that even in different worldwide environments or political occasions, the host nation can affect some parts of the ensuing doc. As it is going to be remembered because the Seoul Declaration, the church buildings from the host nation gave suggestions on some elements they wished to alter.
Roar. Lee identified that Korean church buildings take into account “Europe and North America to be very liberal on this matter” and are involved that they’ve “departed from the biblical customary”. In Western international locations, this problem isn’t seen in the identical method as in different elements of the world, he famous. “Within the Asian and African contexts, it is extremely necessary to guard the society and the church from taking place this path. So the Korean church could be very keen to guard this biblical customary,” he stated, including that for the reason that congress was held in that nation, it appreciates , that the well mannered request of the Korean church buildings to make these small adjustments has been granted.
That the difficulty is necessary to Korean believers was additionally evident when some teams expressed concern about Lausanne earlier than the Congress and on the time the Seoul Declaration was launched.
“Some have misunderstood this assertion as a result of the nuances are very refined. The subjects of sexuality and gender are typically very difficult and with out cultural context issues get misplaced in translation. However when the ultimate model got here out, we have been capable of translate it precisely and I feel the controversy is cleared up, Reverend Lee stated.
Specializing in world mission and reaching the subsequent technology in Korea
When requested what he thought the legacy of Congress and the Seoul Declaration is perhaps, he stated he believed “it will depend on how we ship and talk this doc extra extensively.”
“Lausanne isn’t a corporation however a motion primarily based on volunteers,” he stated. Due to this fact, he believes that they need to primarily “concern cooperation throughout the mission,” stressing that “we should give attention to world missions.” He additionally stated he’s dedicated to persevering with to wish for the motion because it considers its subsequent steps after the congress.
After we have a look at the wants within the Korean church, one of many most important points is reaching the subsequent technology. Roar. Lee acknowledged that there was an actual want for change.
“First, we’ve to right our conduct in direction of the subsequent technology. Now we have to alter and be extra humble and honest to indicate a life in keeping with the gospel,” he stated. He additionally believes that new expertise should be developed “to evangelize the brand new technology that’s rising up within the period of the digital revolution”.
“We have to develop new evangelistic methods, particularly to succeed in the digital technology, the so-called digital natives,” he stated, stressing that it’s a “utterly completely different tradition.” Due to this fact, reaching them requires a type of cross-cultural ministry, he stated. “They don’t seem to be the identical as us, so we’ve to beat limitations.
Reconciliation within the Gospel
Lastly, Reverend Lee was requested what the largest spotlight of the conference was for him. “Communion service with my Japanese counterpart,” he stated, referring to the closing session on the final day of the congress, when he led the service along with the president of Lausanne Japan, Dr. Masanori Kurasawa.
“It was a logo of reconciliation,” Reverend Lee stated. “We talked about how we have been persecuted by Japan, however within the gospel we will be reconciled to one another. We wished to indicate this reconciliation within the gospel.”
“That was the spotlight for me.
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