Called to collaborate: Lausanne Europe National Movement Gathering 2025

“May the church declare and display Christ together” was the slogan of the fourth Lausanne Congress in Seoul last September. One year later, the national Lausanne movements of Europe met in Valencia, Spain, to explore the final part of the slogan: together.

What does it mean to collaborate? What does it mean to think about global mission in a collaborative spirit? The organisers and regional coordinators of the Lausanne Movement Europe, Jim Memory and Usha Reifsnider, reflected on the difficulty that often arises in giving a truly biblical meaning to terms such as partnership, networking and collaboration, which often end up being overused inappropriately.

The plenary sessions therefore focused on long passages from Paul's letters to rediscover the meaning of biblical collaboration in the context of mission, with an invitation to recognise that the path of discipleship and mission is never solitary, but shared.

The dimension of mutual listening was explored: learning to hear God's voice together, but also to give space and value to the voices of others. Listening was presented as the fundamental posture of those who lead in a Christ-centred way with an attitude of openness, humility and discernment. In this context, leadership is not an exercise of power, but service modelled on the example of Christ.

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The journey then continued by touching on the dimension of reconciliation. Collaboration is often impeded by walls of discord and misunderstanding. Starting from Paul's apostolic model, there was discussion on how to look at the reconciliation we have with God through Christ as the basis for living a life in which the practice of reconciliation is sought and actively pursued for the good of the church and the mission.

The challenge of building bridges with those in positions of influence was also addressed, learning to work together wisely and responsibly. At the same time, the need emerged for collaboration that also knows how to correct, renew and hold each other accountable. Paul never shied away from the personal responsibilities and sacrifices that missionary work required, and when necessary, he did not hesitate to rebuke Peter when he saw that he was ‘not walking straight in accordance with the truth of the gospel’ (Galatians 2:14).

The conference concluded with an invitation to keep our eyes fixed on Him as we walk and serve together, recognising that unity in collaboration does not come from more or less effective missionary strategies, but from the fact that God's children have been called to gather under one Head, invited to be part of one body, whose membership is confirmed by the Holy Spirit.

With an eye to the global mission, the conference focused on the European context, where we operate mainly as a minority within increasingly secularised societies, and where many countries face situations of economic, political and social precariousness and fragility.

The repositioning of emphases already seen in Seoul was also confirmed in the European context, and much attention was given to minorities with whom it has been difficult to collaborate in the context of mission and to the importance of equipping every single believer to live out the mission in their daily lives. For the small Italian delegation present, the challenge is to live out and encourage fruitful collaboration between churches, works and missions in our own country as well.

Chiara Lamberti, communicator, member of the Italian Evangelical Alliance. This article was first published on the Italian magazine Loci Communes and translated with permission. 

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[title]Join us to make EF sustainable[/title]

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[text]At Evangelical Focus, we have a sustainability challenge ahead. We invite you to join those across Europe and beyond who are committed with our mission. Together, we will ensure the continuity of Evangelical Focus and our Spanish partner Protestante Digital in 2025.

Learn all about our #TogetherInThisMission initiative here (English).

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