Dear Friends in Christ:
Recently Leighton Ford and I visited the founder of The Lausanne Movement, Dr. Billy Graham, at his home in North Carolina. He offered encouragement and counsel as we look forward to Cape Town 2010 in just over two weeks. His main advice was “Keep evangelism at the center. Make Christ your focus. Base everything on Scripture. And pray, pray, pray.” Wise counsel indeed and the deep earnest prayer of my heart for this Congress.
Billy Graham also expressed delight with the Congress updates that we shared with him. He assured us of his prayers on behalf of the Congress and all attending. He was particularly interested in China, since his wife, Ruth, was raised in China of missionary parents.
His last question was “How’s the funding coming?” When we told him we are at 91% of the budget and that we had received gifts from all around the world, he raised his hands and said, “Hallelujah, that’s great news! Let me know when you get to 100%, and I hope it is soon.”
We have just US$1.5 million remaining to be raised to ensure that the needs of the Congress are fully subscribed. If you, your church or your organization would like to make a gift, you can do so on line at http://www.lausanne.org/give. More information on how to mail a gift or give by wire transfer is available at the end of this email.
I hope you’ll be encouraged as I was by this letter from CT2010 Programme Chair, Ramez Atallah, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Egypt. His letter is followed by additional information that will help you prepare for the Congress.
Letter from Ramez Atallah
Dear Cape Town 2010 Participant,
Soon we will all be together in Cape Town for one of the most significant gatherings of the 21st Century! As you know, this Congress is unique in a variety of ways. Never before has such a large Congress been planned with the intent of active involvement of all participants. Here is a list of some of these unique aspects and how they impact your preparation and involvement in the Congress.
GLOBAL CONSULTATION - The six themes of the Congress and the many other topics (www.lausanne.org/prepare) are the result of the broadest ever consultation of Evangelicals worldwide. Begin thinking about these issues (http://conversation.lausanne.org/topics), discuss them with your friends and come prepared to share your concerns and insights.
TABLES OF SIX - Each morning you will be seated at a table with five other participants who speak your language, several of whom will not be from your region of the world. Prepare yourself in prayer for sharing with and learning from your table group.
GLOBALINK - More than 600 sites worldwide will be hosting remote Congress gatherings of Christians who will be watching the Congress sessions and engaging together locally. Encourage your family, church and friends to participate at a GlobaLink location near them (http://www.lausanne.org/globalink).
PARTICIPATE ONLINE - Thousands of others will watch video of the Congress online and participate in virtual discussions through the Lausanne Global Conversation (www.lausanne.org/conversation). Help spread the word about online participation.
FOCUS ON EPHESIANS - We will be studying together in small groups and through Bible teaching on Paul's letter to the Ephesians. This is the Biblical backbone to the Congress. Study Ephesians before you come.
SHORT PRESENTATIONS - Other than the Bible teaching, no plenary presenter will speak more than 15 minutes! Presenters have prepared their papers ahead of time and are eager to hear from you about their topics. The papers are available online in all eight Congress languages. To benefit from the Congress you need to read the papers before arriving and respond online with your feedback for the presenters. Here’s how:
Log in to the Lausanne Global Conversation website using your special participant access:http://conversation.lausanne.org/login.
Select an Advance Paper from this list: http://www.lausanne.org/prepare.
Read the paper, then click “Post Comment” below the paper to add your response in any of the eight Congress languages. If you don’t have your special participant access information or have any questions, simply contact conversation@lausanne.org for assistance.
MULTIPLEXES - Each afternoon you have the opportunity to choose between three or four sessions on a crucial topic. We'd like you to choose now which Multiplexes you want to attend and read their papers online (http://www.lausanne.org/prepare) before you get to Cape Town.
Please pray that our carefully made plans for the Programme will be used by God to bless you and all those at Cape Town as well as those who will be participating remotely through GlobaLink and online through the Lausanne Global Conversation. See you in Cape Town!
Final Global Conference Call: 6 October 2010
The final Lausanne/Cape Town 2010 Global Conference Call will be on 6 October at 15h00 GMT/UTC. We will discuss final-stage preparations for the Congress as well as the future of The Lausanne Movement. You won't want to miss this call. Our most recent call featured an informative and lively discussion with Chris Wright, Chair of the Lausanne Theology Working Group, and Lindsay Olesberg, Coordinator for the team of expositors who will be teaching on the book of Ephesians. To join the call, please go to www.lausanne.org/prepare and click on Conference Calls. A recording of the call will be available soon after 6 October.
Future of The Lausanne Movement
The most frequently asked question of Lausanne Movement leadership these days is, “What is next for Lausanne after the Congress?" The next Cape Town 2010 update will preview some of the plans being developed by the Congress Leadership Team for follow-on activities in the year after the Congress and share the vision for the future of the Movement.
We believe that if Lausanne continues to be “light on its feet” so that it retains the dynamics of a Movement, Lausanne will continue to serve the global church in the work of world evangelization as a thought leader, a facilitator of new partnerships and as a convener of leaders from missions, churches, academies, and from the world of business, government and the media.
Please join me in prayer that God will do something truly wonderful for the Church and for the world as we gather together in Cape Town. I look forward to seeing you very soon! God bless you.
In Christ,
Doug Birdsall, Executive Chair
The Lausanne Movement and Cape Town 2010
P.S. Information for giving gifts by mail or wire transfer are below:
To give a gift by mail, please send to:
Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization
P.O. Box 9020
San Dimas, CA 91773
U.S.A.
Gifts may also be sent by wire transfer to our bank in South Africa or in the U.S. as follows:
South Africa (Transfers in South African Rand)
Bank:ABSA
Branch Code:632-005
Account Name:The Lausanne III 2010 World Congress Trust
Account Address:Cape Town, South Africa
Account Number:406 897 8047
SWIFT Code:ABSA ZA JJ
USA (Transfers in US Dollars)
Bank:BOFA
Account Name:Lausanne Committee of World Evangelization
Account Number:00881-14552
ABA Number:121000358
SWIFT Code:BOFAUS3N
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