Covid-19 spurs creative mission strategies

Ron Anderson, a pastor and church planter in Spain is taking Mathew 10:27 literally and proclaiming the gospel from his rooftop.

He lives in a densely populated area in Madrid, where every evening at 20.00h. people applaud their health workers from their windows and balconies. After he and his wife offered their services as neighborhood chaplains, Ron placed his 35-year-old speaker in an attic window and broadcast a short message of hope and encouragement, ending with the Lord´s prayer. Each night as he concludes, an increasing number of neighbors respond with a loud round of applause.

This and other stories are being used to inspire reflection on mission in the context of Covid-19 as part of the Lausanne Europe 2020 Conversation and Gathering.

Lausanne Europe 2020 is all about sharing the dynamic Gospel in the new Europe and the driving force of the LE2020 Conversation are what are being called Impact Groups. The Impact Groups are made up of pastors, church leaders and Christian influencers from all walks of life.

They meet once a month, either face-to-face or online. The goal is, over the coming months, to form some 800 Impact Groups to discuss the crucial issues for mission in Europe today, important issues like migration, nominalism, climate change, but also new challenges like Covid-19.

And alongside the discussion of those crucial issues the groups will also reflect on discipleship mobilization for mission in Europe today, and engage with scripture and prayer.

Another important discussion right now is whether to move the Lausanne Europe 2020 Gathering, planned for October in Poland, to next year. A decision is expected in a few weeks.

Given the current situation for the church in Europe, Lausanne Europe want to make the most of the Conversation, so participation in the Impact Groups is being opened up beyond the circle of delegates to the Gathering.

If anyone want to start an Impact Group with a group of pastors, Christian workplace professionals or others, all the materials and instructions can be found on the Lausanne Europe website. The materials for the April Conversation are all now available in French, Spanish and German.

Let’s take every opportunity to shout the gospel from the rooftops. What a great example of the message of LE2020: bringing the dynamic gospel to the new Europe!