Have you ever heard of the Lausanne Movement?  

Baptist minister Helen Wordsworth has recently been appointed as a Co-catalyst for the health network of the Lausanne Movement. She explains why the Movement - a global missions collective - can inform the ministries of UK Baptist churches 

It seems that the Lausanne Movement is not as well-known as it should be in the UK! It's not just another organisation, rather a global missions collective that has emanated from the four worldwide Lausanne Congresses of the last 50 years. 

I first came across it at Spurgeon’s College where we studied the progression from its first Congress in 1974 through its more wholistic development at the Manila and Cape Town Meetings.  

Why might it be relevant to Baptists? Because it connects key players with new ideas for outreach that will help the churches make disciples, become accessible to all, grow Christ-like leaders, and see God’s Kingdom impact in every sphere of society.

It is inclusive, diverse and wholistic in its approach. Leaders are drawn from every region in the world, spanning generations and bringing expertise in the most pressing missional issues facing the church today. 

The staff team facilitate the work of three types of leaders, most of whom work voluntarily: they are regional directors, the issue network catalysts, and the inter-generational team workers. There is a special section for younger leaders, and regional gatherings they can attend.

There are 27 'issue networks' covering topics as broad as student outreach, creation care, children at risk, migration, freedom and justice, mission through business etc.

And there is one for health ministry. Each issue network has two or three “Catalysts”, leaders who connect people working in their field with others doing similar things throughout the world.  

The health issue network has been ably led until this year by Dr Michael Soderling, with Martha Mwendafilumba and Karen Bomilcar. Their terms of service have now come to an end and after a fairly rigorous process, three new catalysts have been appointed…Dr Steve Ko, a paediatrician and pastor in Boston MA, Dr Joy Wilson, a mental health counsellor in Guyana, and me, a Baptist minister with regional mission and a nursing and public health background.

It’s a five-year, volunteer appointment which involves connecting people who are already involved in health ministry, encouraging them and amplifying their work so that it can be replicated more widely. I will also be exploring ways to help churches become more interested in health as a means of outreach. 

Three months ago the Lausanne global leaders invited me to attend the intensive one-week impact gathering in Panama. That was an amazing experience, engaging with leaders from around the world who were passionate about both the gospel and particular aspects of its application globally. As you will see from the list of issues there is much opportunity for collaboration across networks as well as within them, and it was good to see this happening too. 

I was also privileged to attend the European regional gathering in Spain last month, and to meet 135 leaders from every European country, listening to one another and worshipping together in around 30 different languages! 

But most of the work is done online, and the staff team are an amazing bunch whose sole purpose is to facilitate communication and administration for those of us involved in the specialist networks. 

You might be asking how this all affects the work of Baptist churches in the UK? I am sure that in your congregation you have people who are passionate about at least one of the 27 issues. And they could be deeply encouraged by connecting with others who share the same sense of vocation. That might open up the possibility of new energy and resources both for your community and beyond.

Why not suggest to them that they look up the website, www.lausannne.org, download the Lausanne Action Hub and get connected with people of like-mind?

Personally I see this as an amazing opportunity to bring to the global table all that I have learned together with the Parish nurses and Faith Community nurses around the world, as they have sought to pioneer health promotion and whole-person health support as an outreach ministry from their churches over the last 20 years. I also look forward to receiving the wisdom of other Christian health initiatives, cultures and issue networks. 

Your prayers for me as I move into this work will be much appreciated; for wisdom in developing relationships, for ordering priorities, for opportunities to bring people together, and for these efforts to be of good use in God’s Kingdom work. 
 

The Revd Dr Helen Wordsworth founded Parish Nursing Ministries UK in 2005. She is a former regional minister in both the Central and Heart of England Baptist Associations 

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