A significant fruit of the 2004 Forum is the recently released Lausanne Occasional Papers (LOPs), which provides research, analysis and Biblical reflection on 31 issues identified as barriers to world evangelism. All the issues have been discussed on the 2004 Forum by teams of 30 to 70 people, so-called Issue Groups (IGs).
Some of the examples of these 31 issues include globalisation, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the persecuted church, ministry to Unreached People Groups and the disabled, media and technology, and making disciples of oral learners.
The International Leadership Team meeting in Hong Kong is going to continue the discussion based on LOPs, according to Birdsall.
In the news release, Dr. Tetsunao "Ted" Yamamori, Lausanne International Director, said the top concern of all discussions would be "how best can we ensure the dissemination of the information about Lausanne and the implementation of action plans proposed in the LOPs?"
Rev. Greg Parsons from the U.S. Centre for World Mission will present an overview of the LOPs to help contextualise the documents.
Birdsall wrote that on the meeting, leaders would assess the past with the aim of helping provide a concrete foundation on which to chart the course of the Lausanne movement for the coming five years. The Leadership Team will also begin making plans for the Third Lausanne World Congress on Evangelism to be held in 2010.
Other smaller agendas include an overview of the recently renovated Lausanne website (www.lausanne.org), perusing the recently published Lausanne post-Forum magazine, screening a new Lausanne video and previewing a new online publishing venture with the Institute of Strategic Evangelism at Wheaton College (http://bgc.gospelcom.net/ise).
Birdsall is due to present a "State of Lausanne" analysis with the Leadership team during this week’s meeting as he will soon complete his first year as Executive Chair.
The Lausanne International Leadership Team meeting in Hong Kong is hosted by Dr. Leung Wing Tai, chair of the Lausanne Communication Working Group, and CEO of Breakthrough Ministries.
Hong Kong will also host a follow-up meeting for the Fourth International Lausanne Researchers Conference from 30th September to 7th October 2006, according to the LCWE newsletter April Edition.
