CRC Representatives at Lausanne Congress Event
Christian Reformed representatives, including several Resonate Global Mission missionaries, attended the Fourth Lausanne Congress in Incheon/Seoul, South Korea, during the last week of September.
The gathering brought together more than 10,000 participants from diverse backgrounds to continue framing a comprehensive, coordinated, and collaborative strategy for global mission, commonly known as the Lausanne Movement. The first congress took place in 1974 in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the second and third events took place in Manila, the Philippines (1989) and in Cape Town, South Africa (2010).
“God is doing incredible work through the global church right now,” shared Resonate director Kevin DeRaaf. “The Christian Reformed Church has a deep passion for mission. Engaging with the Lausanne Congress connects our churches with the larger history of mission and with what is happening today. Participating in and engaging with the Lausanne Congress helps us engage with key themes and trends that are affecting churches around the world today—trends that affect our churches as well.”
Resonate missionaries George De Vuyst (Ukraine), James Lee (Mexico), Charles Oh (Philippines), and Jim Padilla DeBorst (Costa Rica) attended the conference in person. Resonate missionaries Navy Chann (Cambodia), Selena Headley (South Africa), and Steve Michmerhuizen (Romania and Hungary) attended online along with Joyce Suh, Resonate’s intercultural gospel witness leader.
Two other missionaries, who serve in closed countries, also attended in person but cannot be named because of security concerns. Jin Soo Park, who is currently pursuing a call to mission as a student at Calvin Theological Seminary, also attended the congress with the CRC delegation.
The Lausanne Congress addressed themes, opportunities, and pressing needs laid out in The State of the Great Commission report released earlier this year.
DeRaaf believes that Resonate and the denomination are well positioned to address many of the challenges named in this report, including important questions in global mission today such as
- “What does it mean to be human?”
- “What is community?”
- “What is sustainable?” and
- “What is fair and just?”
“Resonate's mission philosophy and practice have always flowed from our deep and rich Reformed theological heritage,” shared DeRaaf. “We have always understood that the gospel transforms the whole person—we have a holistic approach to mission. We also have a community-based approach—the flourishing of an individual follower of Jesus is always aided by a flourishing community. Our long history within our particular Reformed tradition has long embraced the themes found in the Lausanne Report.”
Resonate will be sharing takeaways from the Lausanne Congress with churches.
