How to follow the Third Lausanne Congress in Cape Town
Friday, October 15, 2010 at 8:33AM 
It is now just 2 days until we kick off with the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC)! We have been working on this congress since early in 2007, and the pace has picked up considerably among our working teams here in South Africa, and elsewhere in the world, over the last few months.
I've been here at the CTICC for the last few days undergoing some orientation and training with hundreds of volunteers, stewards and staff.
I have the great privelage of attending Lausanne as one of the 50 invited participants from South Africa (as a theologian in part, since I serve on the Lausanne Theology working group, but also as a ministry practitioner and new media / social media strategist).
However, I am also on the Lausanne staff as the Social Networking Manager within the digital communications office. I'll also be speaking on Friday and participating in two of the 'streams' (the Marketplace / World of Work group and the Resource Mobilization Working Group).
What makes this Congress different from the previous two is that we now have the technology to allow much broader direct participation from all over the globe! First a one or two points that have stood out for me; among the 4500 participants more than 25% are from Africa. In fact the majority of participants are from the 'two-thirds' world with a strong emphasis upon younger leaders (headed by Grace Sampson from Nigeria / South Africa), and the input of women.
This is truly the most theologically diverse group of persons I have ever had the chance to gather with. Among the participants are notable 'conservative' Christians such as Jon Piper, and at the other end of the spectrum on of the best known names in the Emerging Church movement, 'Andrew Jones' (better known as tallskinnykiwi).
So, there is a wide range of culture, a good mix of age and gender, and a great deal of theological diversity.
Back to participation: I'm not sure if you realise this, but this is the first time in history that we are able to truly contextualise the inputs, discussions and outcomes of a gathering such as this? No matter who you are, or where you are in the world, your voice can be heard! You can have a direct input into the plenary, multiplex and discussion sessions through the Global Conversation site.
Moreover, when the Congress is done the conversation is NOT OVER! In fact, that's when we can truly shape the strategy and theology of the Lausanne movement through our participation.
So, how do you get involved?
1. Follow the Lausanne Congress on twitter @CapeTown2010 and Facebook.
2. Join in on the Global Conversation (all of the video, audio and reports will be posted here and you can comment, discuss and engage with millions across the world on the issues and the presentations).
3. Go to a Global Link site (if there is one in your area).
4. Encourage others to blog, tweet, and post their ideas and feedback on their own sites and feeds. We would ask you please to consider using the hash tags #LCWE and #CapeTown2010 in your posts so that my team can track what you're saying and highlight it to the rest of the world!
Below is an encouragement from Andrew Jones (tallskinnykiwi):
The global mission event of the century is only a week away! Its the Third Lausanne World Congress on World Evangelization also known as Lausanne 3.
Its HUGE!. We're talking 5000 invited delegates from all over the world.
Its bigger than Lausanne 1 and even bigger than Lausanne 2.
Its bigger than Edinburgh 1910 and 2010
Its the most wired, webbed, blogged, twittered, streamed missions event EVER!
Its also more SOUTHERLY than any missions conference you have ever followed. It happens in Cape Town, South Africa and it starts next week. Like Oct 16 - 25th
Its time to point your computer towards Cape Town for a MEGA MISSION RUSH that's going to:
TURN your tiny view of the global church upside down!
SMASH your small ambitions into pathetic, wriggling inadequacies!
REAWAKEN your inner William Carey into the 21st Century!
REPOSITION your priorities into the groove of what God is doing NOW in the world that He loves!
Here are the links you need:
Official Lausanne Cape Town 2010 website and blog
Tall Skinny Kiwi blog right here for happenings, thoughts, images, trivia, whats for lunch, the coolest haircuts and the dorkiest ties and worthy blog moments in general. I arrive in Cape Town on Oct 14th and leave Oct 26th and I will deliver the congress to you in blog sized bites.
Notes on Lausanne - Outreach Magazine's dedicated blog page for Cape Town featuring ME and my more profound thoughts and responses to the presentations, speakers, events and takeaways for you and your church.
Follow CapeTown2010 on Twitter. Add the column to your Tweetdeck.
Watch these Twitter hashtags: #CapeTown2010 #LCWE #CapeTownIdeas #CapeTownQuotes
Join Lausanne on Facebook
Stay tuned and I will keep you streamed with all the right stuff.
UPDATE: Thanks Jon Hirst for these others links:
GlobaLink locations:
Online Participation:
RSS of CT2010 news (includes Lausanne blog)
Video Podcast which is also on iTunes and an
Audio podcast which you can also get straight from iTunes,
All congress video and an email newsletter (for daily news summaries/highlights):
And here is another one from another one of our Lausanne Blogger Network team, Stephen Murray:
In just over four days time the most significant evangelical congress to ever take place on South African shores will kick into action. Over 5000 participants, volunteers and staff from all over the world will converge on the Cape Town International Convention Center to participate in hearing and adding their many voices to some of the most pressing issues in world evangelism today.
You can follow the events as they unfold through the following links:
Cape Town 2010 official website
Alongside this you can follow @capetown2010 on Twitter or join the official Facebook page.
I, along with some colleagues will be onsite observing and microblogging the event live through the official twitter feed and on the Facebook page. The aim of the congress is to truly allow for global participation through technology and various forms of media. So we really want to encourage you to follow the congress and interact with the content through the various platforms.
Finaly! If you are a member of the Lausanne Blogger Network, a participant or a volunteer at Cape Town 2010, then please make contact with me! We are planning a tweet-up during the congress! It'll be great to connect with everyone who's been tweeting and posting about Lausanne. Please DM me @digitaldion or give me a text message or call on +27834564855.
Reader Comments (2)
As a matter of interest, who do you represent, and who extended the invitation (trying to understand the inner dynamics of representation).
Hi Oliver,
Thanks for the comment!
I am a South African participant - I am a theologian (I have a PhD in theology and science). In this instance my research into ministry in the marketplace / faith at work is one area in which I'll be giving input. Then, I have written some books and articles on issues of suffering, justice and HIV/AIDS - which is the other area in which I shall be participating.
The process for becoming a participant was one of nomination. Any person could be nominated as a participant. The nomination would have to be supported by some references. A regional (in our case, South African) committee received the nominations and then made their selection based on various criterion. Obviously these included pragmatic issues such as suitability to participate in the congress (e.g., training, experience, level of leadership etc.) However it was also important to ensure that the overall spread of delegates at the congress included a good range of gender, age, and culture.
I hope that offers some insight!
Rich blessing,
Dion