Technology was a major feature of Cape Town 2010.

One of the aspects, which I mentioned previously, is the use of technology to facilitate preparation for the Congress as well as to enhance the experience of the Congress for participants, through prepared videos and impromptu videos and vox pops, highlighting the many facets of Congress.

Free wireless internet usage is also available to participants, including access to on-line feedback forms and bar-coded nametags for easy electronic identification.

However, the technology is not just limited to those who came to Cape Town, as 700 GlobaLink sites across 95 countries have been relaying the platform addresses from Cape Town into these scattered venues across the globe.

Unfortunately there were a few hiccups in the internet and GlobaLink relays, which were difficult to identify and we were asked to pray for those investigating the problem.

Our prayers were answered by a volunteer steward, who happened to be a highly qualified IT problem solver. Within an hour he had identified the problem and within three hours he had fixed it. Apparently it was a combination of a virus unwittingly introduced from an iPhone plus cyber attacks with malicious hits from various overseas locations.

However, once these matters were remedied mid-week, the internet systems have been working well and we have been told that there has been more internet traffic with Lausanne III than during the World Cup held in South Africa three months ago!

Bible exposition

The Bible exposition from Ephesians 6:10-24 gave Ramez Atallah (Bible Society in Egypt) opportunity to remind the participants that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers, citing the internet hacking as the work of the Evil One and the power of prayer as one of our weapons.

Although the exposition was not as strongly exegetical as other studies during the week, Atallah spoke passionately about our responsibilities to put on the armour of God which contains the essential values, beliefs and resources that God has supplied.

He was complemented by his wife, Rebecca, who shared a story of the evangelisation and regeneration of the Mokattam Garbage Village in Cairo, where the poorest of the poor live in appalling conditions recycling garbage to eke out a living. Here a layman shared the gospel with his garbage man, who became a believer, and this began a chain reaction of gospel conversations with many nominal Christians becoming active in their faith, so much so that the Coptic Church decided to ordain the layman and establish a church building for them in their village.

Complementarians out in the cold

Interestingly both Ramez and Rebecca modelled a partnership in their presentation where Ramez taught and Rebecca supplemented the talk by way of illustration. This was in contrast to the next plenary session, where partnership was the theme, which saw a husband and wife advocating that the only partnership of real equality was where the woman had no limitations upon her ministry"” equal in every respect to that of men.

This recurring theme in the Congress was disappointing as there was no advocacy, let alone acknowledgment, of the complementarian view of women's ministry (apart from the modelling of Ramez and Rebecca), as if to say that the egalitarian view is here to stay and there is no place for a complementarian view.

One of the discussion questions at the table groups was: 'To what extent are women as well as men being affirmed and released for ministry and leadership in your context?' The subtext is that women are not released nor affirmed unless they are sharing equal leadership with men.

However the other two presentations on partnership by David Ruiz (Guatemala) and Patrick Fung (Singapore) were less controversial and well received, as each presented the biblical imperative for partnership (koinonia) among Christians.

International partnerships

The afternoon sessions had four multiplexes on incarnational partnerships, local leaders and the global church, Scripture in mission and children's ministry. These were followed by regional meetings which provided the Australians and New Zealanders, together with the islanders of the South Pacific, to explore the future of evangelistic partnership in our own countries and region.

The final closing session was a treat of music, dance, video and inspirational addresses. Lindsay Brown, the International Director of the Lausanne Movement gave a stirring address on 2 Cor 4:1-7 in the light of what we had heard and learned during the week, stressing integrity and privilege of preaching the glory of God through Christ, so that we do not lose heart.

Archbishop Henry Orombi presided over the gathering, but since he had lost his voice, Doug Birdsall, the Executive Chair of Lausanne, administered the sacrament"”so effectively we had lay administration, but no one seemed to mind! The 250 voice choir and the 30 member orchestra lifted out spirits with songs of praise and adoration, which became a fitting closing ceremony for such a significant Congress, finishing as we began by singing 'Crown him with many crowns'.

As we said our farewells, we recognised that many at our table groups and others we had met, we were unlikely to see again. We were reminded that some may lose their lives for the sake of Christ, as did one young man shortly after attending Lausanne II. While the joy of a heavenly reunion awaits us, there remains the challenge of finishing the task of reaching all people groups with the gospel of God's grace with its offer of forgiveness and gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It has been a rare privilege to gather with so many believers from so many countries and cultures, and diverse denominations, all united in our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. While one can always quibble over some elements of the Congress (and I have), yet my assessment is that it will be seen as another landmark in world missions for reigniting, re-energising and recommitting Evangelicals to the Great Commission in the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Glenn Davies’ previous Blogs on Cape Town 2010
#1 - “Interactive” Lausanne opens
#2 - The Gospel, The World and The Church
#3 - Moving stories from the world
#4 - A call to action
#5 - Humility, Integrity, Simplicity

(Pictures: Lausanne 2010 [url=http://www.lausanne.org]http://www.lausanne.org[/url])