A Report from the Lausanne Congress

In September, Boy With a Ball Global Team member and Chief Strategy Officer, Christine Torres Emmet, traveled to Seoul, South Korea for the 4th Lausanne Congress. The Lausanne Movement includes leaders from every sector and every corner of the globe who are actively working at the forefront of the Great Commission to uncover what the Lord is doing across the Earth in the present day. Gathering every 10-15 years, this was the fourth Congress focused on “declaring and displaying Christ.” Below is a quick report from Christine about her time in Korea, the new relationships formed, and some insights gleaned from being alongside missional-minded leaders from every part of the world:

The 2024 Lausanne Congress was a historic gathering of leaders from philanthropic foundations, the marketplace, missiologists and non-profits like Boy With a Ball, leaders who are working to see the Kingdom advance across the Earth today. As we considered accepting the invitation to participate as delegates to the Lausanne Conference in South Korea, our team sensed that it was right for me to go and represent us and that there would be both immediate and long-term fruit from being part of the event.

In preparation for my departure, our team looked through the attendees and made a list of people who we hoped to connect with for the first time or to know deeper, including some of our long-term partners and friends who we get to work closely with in Africa, the Middle East, and the U.S.. In a gathering of 5,000+ people, it was daunting to think I would be able to find everyone, but opportunities kept arising. From chance encounters in the dining hall to small group conversations, by the end of the week, I met everyone that we had hoped to find and more!

I was impacted by so many local leaders who are faithfully leading very vibrant and innovative movements, ministries, businesses, and foundations across the world. The Lord is very creative and specific in how He uses people to reach their communities. Doors also opened for potential new partnerships, board members, funders, and team leaders.

I met several leaders from across India, now the most populous country in the world. After sharing our story and stories from Love Your City, several leaders said, “This is exactly what we need in our city.”

Among the many important conversations had during Lausanne, there were a few insights that stood out to me about what the Lord is doing today across the world:

• The Global Church today is growing through indigenous leaders. One of the things we have learned in our work is the power of Indigenous leaders; nothing is more disruptive than someone standing before their community and fighting for the hearts and lives of members. We can learn a few things from the global Church in our efforts here in the US. I heard from historic, large, professional institutional organizations that are struggling to see transformation in communities which were a sharp contrast to the lively stories of local ministries growing like wildfire across their countries

• Collaborative action is the most effective way to transform communities. We do not need to reinvent the wheel or to be the center of Kingdom work. Larger organizations trying to do everything are slower to grow and harder to get into action as opposed to strategic key partnerships of leaders, churches and ministries. We do best if we each focus on our unique calling or part of the mission while working closely and collaboratively with other organizations and businesses doing the same. There will be no singular hero, but ultimately we all “win” and communities are transformed, bringing glory to God.

• Mission is polycentric.  The global Church is bigger than we think. This is a big statement and some big words that basically mean that the global Church has more than one center; the US isn't the only place with influence into  dynamic ministries, local churches, or missional businesses. The rise of the church in Asia and the Global South is dynamic and growing faster than the church in the West (U.S./Europe), and it’s wonderful. This is important to grasp:  Big things are happening in countries around the world that we can all learn from. Our own pride and ethnocentrism is actually leaving us behind.  We will need to recover a humble boldness.
  

It was an honor to go and represent Boy With a Ball at the Lausanne Congress and to participate in such an important moment. We are so thankful to Navigator’s International President Emeritus Jerry White, who guided us into the opportunity and for the many leaders we were able to connect with and know because of it. From the first flickers of new teams, important partnerships, and being able to represent launching youth as changemakers in this gathering of effective, missional leaders, we are excited to see what will continue to come from the Seoul Lausanne Congress 2024.

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