Evangelize, witness, get involved

February 20, 2018

The Lausanne Movement for the Evangelization of the World was born in the city of the same name in 1974, during the first world congress organized at the initiative of the evangelist Billy Graham and the theologian John Stott. The “Lausanne France” Group is pleased to offer, for the first time, to the French-speaking public, collected in a single volume , the three reference documents from the three world congresses in Lausanne, supplemented by study guides. The founding document, the Declaration of Lausanne, shaped the history of evangelicalism for the entire end of the 20th century. These three congresses made possible multiple networks, new partnerships and opened a new path for evangelization, not only in its geographical dimension but also in the world of ideas and in the various spheres of society to which Christians are invited. to evangelize, witness and get involved.

“It has been said, very rightly, that the evangelical movement is defined less by its borders than by its main axis: I do not see how better to trace this axis than by bringing together the documents of the first volume of the “Lausanne” collection. The lasting fruitfulness of the ministry of Billy Graham and John Stott is attested there, as the union, in the joy of the same Gospel, of the refined experience of old Christian Europe, of the generous efficiency of America, and the new dynamism of the Churches of the (two) third world. »

— Henri Blocher Theologian, Honorary Dean of the Free Faculty of Evangelical Theology (FLTE) of Vaux-sur-Seine, and member of the first International Committee of the Lausanne Movement

Presentation of the “Lausanne Movement Library” collection

Overall project

The texts resulting from the Lausanne Movement are numerous and have only been the subject of rare publications in French. This rich source of theological and practical reflection deserves to be made accessible to French-speaking readers. Especially since around twenty “global” conferences are already planned to take up and deepen the themes of the Cape Town congress. The “Lausanne France” Group and Excelsis Editions therefore intend to publish in French texts from the Lausanne Movement or related to it, in order to make them accessible to Churches, missions, training institutions and researchers: ( 1) reference texts; (2) Lausanne special studies (ESL) ; (3) the texts written by the “Theology” Working Group of the Lausanne Movement in preparation at Lausanne III and since, as well as future texts from this Lausanne Theological Commission and other working groups; (4) texts of explanation, presentation, study of the writings of Lausanne; (5) texts written in French by French-speaking members of the Lausanne Movement.

Collection

These publications will be part of a specific collection, “Library of the Movement of Lausanne”. They will also integrate the Didaskô Files series of the Lausanne Movement.

Director of the collection

Jean-Paul Rempp (for the “Lausanne France” Group).

What they say

“You are in the world but you are not of the world! » Of this extraordinary declaration of Jesus, evangelicals have often retained the ending. The texts of the “Lausanne Movement” revive, from the Word of God, what we had too easily forgotten: we are in the world! These lines enlighten us on our way of being, on our duty and our reason for being in the world! To read and… to meditate.

Franck Meyer , president of the Evangelical Committee for Human Dignity (CPDH)

I am very pleased with the publication of this book containing the texts of the three international congresses of the Lausanne Movement, in particular that of 1974 which was the sign of a turning point in the 20th century for the evangelical world. The balance found in Lausanne on the essentials, particularly on the place of social/humanitarian action in relation to the proclamation of the Gospel, has largely brought together and driven a fresh global dynamic by promoting these social actions inherent to Christianity while maintaining the fundamental importance of the proclamation. In France, one of the impacts of Lausanne 1974 was the creation of the Support and Liaison Service (SEL) within the French Evangelical Alliance in 1980, a text regularly cited by its founders.

Patrick Guiborat , general director of the Support and Liaison Service (SEL)

It seems entirely appropriate to us, as an association whose aim is to participate in the progress of the proclamation of the Gospel, to contribute to the publication of the first work in this collection. We have no doubt about the impact of these texts, especially since the objective of their dissemination in the French-speaking world is consistent with the vision of “DECISION”. There is a crying need, for French-speaking Christians in the world, for training tools and deepening of their faith, to better fulfill the mission entrusted to them by the Lord.

Michel Charles , president of the DÉCISION association

The publication of the three reference texts of the Lausanne Movement, accompanied by a commentary and a study guide, represents a significant event. This first volume, an excellent educational tool, will undoubtedly contribute to the training of the new generation of servants of God and to the edification of the Body of Jesus Christ. I highly recommend reading this work to all those who seek to understand how concrete diaconal action and resolute commitment in the city are the fruit of the clear, powerful, and relevant proclamation of the Gospel.

Pierre Berthoud , professor emeritus, Jean Calvin Faculty, president of the European Association of Evangelical Theologians

It has been said, very rightly, that the evangelical movement is defined less by its borders than by its main axis: I do not see how better to trace this axis than by bringing together the documents from the first volume of the “Lausanne” collection. The lasting fruitfulness of the ministry of Billy Graham and John Stott is attested there, as the union, in the joy of the same Gospel, of the refined experience of old Christian Europe, of the generous efficiency of America, and the new dynamism of the Churches of the (two) third world

Henri Blocher , theologian, honorary dean of the Free Faculty of Evangelical Theology (FLTE), and member of the first International Committee of the Lausanne Movement

The meetings of Lausanne 1974, Manila 1989 and Cape Town 2010 helped to reinvigorate the missionary ardor of the evangelical Churches. Unfortunately, the documents resulting from these meetings were little disseminated in French-speaking Africa, undoubtedly because of the language barrier and the dispersion of these texts. I salute with gratitude their translation into French and especially their edition in a single volume which offers Churches, training institutions, missionary agencies and French-speaking Christians a precious tool for the accomplishment of the mission of Jesus Christ

Nupanga Weanzana wa W (PhD) , dean of the Faculty of Evangelical Theology in Bangui, Central African Republic, and member of the theological commission of the World Evangelical Alliance

When I am asked to explain what the Lausanne Movement is, I readily use the image of an arrow. At its peak: the evangelization of the entire world by the entire Church, at the tube: a robust and missionary theology, at the pens: different working groups which ensure a holistic vision for the entire Movement, finally at the notch : numerous publications and reflections which allow the Church to benefit from the best of contemporary missiology. So that the world may believe! That's all you'll find in this book. Good shot!

Raphaël Anzenberger , evangelist and executive director of Global Evangelists Forum