Where there has been a strong committee in a country, that link has been very stable and there are great things happening, and as a result, people are networking and sharing resources, dialoguing and building relationship.
What we want to do across the Pacific region is to try and strengthen some of those networks, by means of growing a local committee. We want to grow a local committee in New Zealand and another one in the islands. The issue that faces Australia and New Zealand might be similar but there are differences in our culture and there are differences that need to be addressed by Christians in those countries. In the island [region], the issues they are facing are again different to what we face in Australia or New Zealand.
To just say that one committee can deal with the issues of the whole region is to really underestimate the contribution that others have to make and doesn't recognise the distinct [issues] they face and need to grapple with. So we want to open that up and establish a local committee that can be clearly linked to the international body and which can have a voice at the international level as well as regionally.
[This ensures] that we are not just relying on one person having a complete understanding of what is going on in the region, but that person is able to call on others to draw on their experience and their wisdom [as well as identifying] the opportunities that exist, [which helps] them link into and to network across [the Lausanne international forums].
CT: What's the agenda for the 2010 Lausanne Committee in Cape Town?
DW: We actually don't have that finalised yet. At the International Leadership meeting in Budapest in June 2007 a possible list of topics for the programme was canvassed. There were many more than can be handled in one congress.
One of the difficulties we face is what is important and key to a particular country, or region, may not be a key issue in another place. We need to distil out the global issues that can be addressed from a plenary situation and how that issue can be discussed with a particular region's concerns.
Some of the issues that have been raised and are highly significant to world evangelisation are: HIV and Aids, urban evangelism, holistic mission, using the communication revolution - the whole phenomena on the web and the virtual world, reaching Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims, environmental issues, migrant/refugees, religious pluralism, the uniqueness of Christ, [and] trafficking of people like children at risk.
These are just some of the issues and of course, there are the ongoing challenges such as gender issues, theology of suffering and martyrdom and lack of morality.
