LESSON 4 – THE CHURCH’S ROLE IN WORLD EVANGELIZATION The Lausanne Covenant Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved.

Introduction – Lesson 4 The Church’s Role in World Evangelization The Church and Evangelism – LC 6 Cooperation in Evangelism – LC 7 Churches in Evangelistic Partnership – LC 8 The Urgency of the Evangelistic Task – LC 9

Christ’s Mission is a Model “We affirm that Christ sends his redeemed people into the world as the Father sent him, and that this calls for a similar deep and costly penetration of the world.” LC 6 Christ's mission is a model for the Church's mission (note the ‘as - so’ in both texts). “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18 (KJV)

Evangelism is Primary “In the Church's mission of sacrificial service, evangelism is primary.” LC 6 ‘Sacrificial service’ includes evangelistic and social action. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” Matthew 28:19-20

The Whole Church World evangelization requires the whole Church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. The Church is at the very center of God's cosmic purpose and is his appointed means of spreading the gospel. LC 6

Integrity of the Church The Church may evangelize, but will the world hear and heed its message? “But a church which preaches the cross must itself be marked by the cross. It becomes a stumbling block to evangelism when it betrays the gospel or lacks a living faith in God, a genuine love for people, or scrupulous honesty in all things including promotion and finance." LC 6

Unity of the Church We affirm that the Church's visible unity in truth is God's purpose. Evangelism also summons us to unity, because our oneness strengthens our witness, just as our disunity undermines our gospel of reconciliation. LC 7 Our message of love and peace will always ring hollow when we are not living it out ourselves. “…May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:23

Cooperation in Evangelization We pledge ourselves to seek a deeper unity in truth, worship, holiness and mission. We urge the development of regional and functional cooperation for the furtherance of the Church's mission, for strategic planning, for mutual encouragement, and for the sharing of resources and experience. LC 7

Churches in Evangelistic Partnership God is raising up from the younger churches a great new resource for world evangelization, and is thus demonstrating that the responsibility to evangelize belongs to the whole body of Christ. All churches should therefore be asking God and themselves what they should be doing both to reach their own area and to send missionaries to other parts of the world. LC 8 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.” Romans 1:8

Urgency of the Task “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” John 9:4

Sacrifice The goal should be, by all available means and at the earliest possible time, that every person will have the opportunity to hear, to understand, and to receive the good news. We cannot hope to attain this goal without sacrifice. All of us are shocked by the poverty of millions and disturbed by the injustices which cause it. Those of us who live in affluent circumstances accept our duty to develop a simple lifestyle in order to contribute more generously to both relief and evangelism. LC 9

Sacrifice The development of a simple life style will not only be right in itself out of a caring solidarity with the poor, but also enable us to contribute more generously to both relief and evangelism. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

Humility and Repentance We confess with shame that we have often denied our calling and failed in our mission, by becoming conformed to the world or by withdrawing from it. LC 1 We confess that our testimony has sometimes been marred by a sinful individualism and needless duplication. LC 7

Conclusion The Church’s Role in World Evangelization The Church and Evangelism – LC 6 Cooperation in Evangelism – LC 7 Churches in Evangelistic Partnership – LC 8 The Urgency of the Evangelistic Task – LC 9

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