Urban Evangelization: A Lausanne Strategy since 1980

In June 1980 the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE) held the Consultation on World Evangelization (COWE) in Pattaya, Thailand. COWE was structured around a score of mini-consultations, one of which was the Mini-Consultation on Reaching Large Cities, chaired by Raymond J. Bakke. Participants in this mini-consultation prepared for the Pattaya gathering by compiling data, research materials, and models pertaining to urban ministry in many of the world's largest cities. At Pattaya this material was evaluated, biblical reflections were shared, a report was drafted under the title Christian Witness to Large Cities (Lausanne Occasional Paper #9), and a follow-up program was proposed. Dr. Bakke was appointed a Lausanne Associate, with the assignment of coordinating and servicing an extensive program of consultations on urban ministry around the world. In the following article, Bakke describes the nature and extent of this program. Of special interest is his emphasis on a process approach (rather than a “how-to” approach), and his effort to deal with the sometimes dubious role of the “outsider” mission specialist.