Advise to the 'Lausanne Conference Seoul 2024'

 

The Lausanne Movement, which started as a global mission organization for evangelicals, has led Christian world evangelism and mission faithful to the teachings of the Bible. World evangelization and the salvation of souls are the identity of evangelical faith and the core tasks of Christian missions.

 

However, since the turn of the 21st century, the Lausanne Movement has yielded the priority of evangelism and embraced the theory of "Missio Dei," as promoted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) as the mission's goal.

 

This theory regards activities addressing various world issues as part of Christian missions, proclaiming humanization, shalom, and resolving local and global problems as Christian missions.

 

The Lausanne Movement now considers delivering the message of salvation centered on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and "mission dei" activities as equal mission tasks. This trend follows in the WCC's footsteps, which is a regrettable situation.

 

Why does the Lausanne Movement, which began with evangelical faith, now show the same tendencies as the WCC? Why is it abandoning the historical Christian faith and deviating from the teachings of the Bible? What has caused the Lausanne Movement to change?

 

The change in the Lausanne Movement, which was initially united in evangelical faith and rooted in biblical faith, was brought about by the mission theory known as "holistic mission." By adopting this mission theory, the Lausanne Movement has, in recent years, neglected the primary task of Christian missions “evangelism and the salvation of souls” and has focused on social justice, peace, and addressing the world's issues.

 

The "Lausanne Covenant," the theological identity of the Lausanne Movement, was announced at the first Lausanne Conference in 1974. The "Manila Manifesto" of the second Lausanne Conference accepted the "holistic mission." The Cape Town Commitment of the third Lausanne Conference reaffirmed this concept of holistic mission.

 

Dr. Jong Nam Cho, who earned a Ph.D. from Emory University and taught theology throughout his life at Seoul Theological University, stated that the Lausanne mission theology, which forms the basis of the Lausanne Covenant, rejected WCC theology and started from traditional evangelicalism. He pointed out that it now pursues the same "Missio Dei" as the WCC.

 

 

In the 1960s, the WCC adopted the "Missio Dei" theory, which led to the secularization of the church, its rapid decline, and eventual death. The "Missio Dei" theory is a mission theory that does not align with the Bible. "Missio Dei" does not set the salvation of souls through evangelism as the purpose of Christian missions but instead aims to achieve justice, peace, and social salvation by addressing the structural evils of this world.

 

 

Today, the Lausanne Movement exhibits the same characteristics as the WCC. One of the causes is its acceptance of the "Missio Dei." Evangelical Korean churches and theologians are concerned that the Lausanne Movement is following in the failed footsteps of the WCC.

 

Separating evangelism and soul salvation from social activities, namely, “the mission of God” contradicts the gospel. However, church history testifies that a priority between these two is necessary.

 

The world evangelization and soul salvation pursued by evangelicals and the social salvation, humanization, and construction of a shalom community aimed at by WCC's ‘Missio Dei’ are different mission theories. Social and cultural responsibility is essential for Christians.

 

However, a Christian mission without evangelism and soul salvation is meaningless and leads to the decline of the church. The 'Lausanne Conference Seoul 2024' should distance itself from WCC's 'Missio Dei' theory, reinforce the importance of prioritizing missions, and restore the identity of evangelical faith.

 

The Lausanne Movement is known for viewing evangelism as a priority within the context of missions. However, are the Christians leading the Lausanne Movement truly engaged in evangelistic activities that bear the fruit of soul-winning?

 

The Lausanne Movement aims for two objectives: evangelism and social involvement. Pursuing the salvation of souls through evangelism and the betterment of society simultaneously is commendable. To separate these two could be seen as a betrayal of the gospel.

 

The term "integral mission" of the Lausanne Movement is essentially the same concept as the "holistic mission" discussed by the World Council of Churches (WCC). This shared understanding of the mission between the Lausanne Movement and the WCC is a unifying factor in which we can all take comfort.

 

The Lausanne Movement has gradually shifted from prioritizing evangelism to viewing social responsibility as equally important. Since the 2000s, the Lausanne Movement has embraced the WCC's holistic mission theology. For example, the Micah Network, formed in Oxford, UK, in 2001, the Pattaya Conference in 2004, and the Third Lausanne Congress in Cape Town in 2010 all reflect an increasing acceptance of holistic mission. Notably, the Cape Town Declaration of the Third Congress affirmed the holistic mission by not emphasizing the priority of evangelism.

 

The meaning of integral mission, as described by the Lausanne Movement, is well illustrated in the Micah Network documents. The Micah Network defines mission as an "integral mission" or "holistic transformation," which includes "righteousness through justice and faith, worship and political action, spiritual and material personal transformation, and structural change." It emphasizes that "the life, existence, actions, and words of Jesus are at the heart of our integral mission."

 

In other words, personal transformation through evangelization and structural transformation through humanization should be integral to the church's mission. This implies that the mission must be understood holistically, encompassing all these elements. The critical difference between an integral and a traditional mission lies in the presence or absence of a central goal. In a conventional mission, there is a core objective, such as evangelization and eternal life, whereas in an integral mission, all elements are of equal value without a central focus.

 

In traditional missions, all mission activities are directed towards evangelization and saving souls, but in the concept of integral missions, no single goal is paramount, and all activities hold equal significance. No single task can be considered more important or central than another.

 

From this perspective, the integral mission advocated by the Lausanne Movement can be seen as a manifestation of the shared values with the holistic mission proposed by the WCC, making us all part of a larger community.

 

Is there a difference between the "integral mission" of the Lausanne Movement and the "holistic mission" of the WCC? Are they not merely different branches from the same root? Aren't the Lausanne Movement's theologians and the WCC's theologians, and vice versa? This lack of distinction between "integral" and "holistic" underscores our work is part of a more significant, unified effort.

 

 

However, is the 'integral mission' pursued by Lausanne truly bearing the fruit of soul-saving? While the Lausanne Movement speaks of the priority of evangelism and personal outreach, has it yet to lose its evangelistic power? A crucial question arises: Could social involvement and 'missio dei' be substituted for evangelism, diluting the Movement's primary focus?

 

At the Lausanne Conference in Seoul 2024, a document is expected to be released that views evangelism as a personal, gradual, and communal conversion process, reflecting changes in the lifestyle of Christians. The Lausanne Conference must first clearly define what evangelism truly is.

 

Doug Choi, Ph.D., President and Professor of Systematic Theology of Peneil Theological Seminary, Busan Korea