Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization - Issue Group 24

Empowering Women and Men to Use Their Gifts Together in Advancing the Gospel
First Presentation from Main Stage

Gender forum leaders offered the following words of challenge to delegates at the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization

I. A parable, by Cecilia Yau:

A man going on a journey called all his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one maid-servant he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to her ability. Then he went on his journey.

The maid-servant who had received one talent went at once and put her money to work and gained one more.

The one with the two talents was looked upon with suspicion. People told her, “For women, the lesser the talents, the more virtuous they are.” “Women are emotional, they can’t be trusted with talents.” As a result, she buried one talent and put the other talent to work and gained one more.  

The maid-servant with the five talents could not believe what she got. The Master must have made a mistake! The head-servant also warned her that it was against the will of the Master for a woman to use the five talents. In submission she buried the five talents.

After a long time the Master returned and settled accounts with all His servants. The maid-servant with one talent brought the other one talent. “Master, you entrusted me with one talent. See, I have gained one more.”

Her Master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master’s happiness.”

The maid-servant with the two talents also came. “Master, you gave me two talents but I know I only deserve one. I was told the extra talent was your test of my humility and modesty as a woman. So I buried one and used the other to gain one more.”

Her Master was displeased and replied, “You unfaithful servant! Why did you put more trust in man’s word than My words ? I was going to put you in charge of many things. But now you have lost the chance.”

Then the maid-servant with five talents came. “Master,” she said, “I knew you had made woman to be inferior than man and that she should submit to him. So I went out and buried your talents in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”

The Master replied, “You foolish servant! Didn’t I tell you that each one of you shall be accountable for what I have entrusted to you? Why did you honor man and fear him more than Me? Take away her talents and throw her outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

At last, the Master called the head-servant and rebuked him, “You wicked servant! Why did you stop others from faithfully using their gifts to build up My church? Take him away and throw him outside, into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

II. As Issue Group 24, we offer the following challenge to all Christians:

In order that the whole Church may take the whole gospel to the whole world, we the issue Lausanne Issue Group 24 “Empowering Men and Women for Ministry” affirm that more laborers, both men and women, must be released to exercise their God-given gifts for ministry and leadership. More than half of the body of Christ are women who are the most undervalued and under utilized resource of the Church.

At this critical time the Church urgently needs to empower the ministry of women and men in full partnership. We recognized that the Bible teaches that women and men are equally:

• Created in God’s image and likeness and entrusted with dominion

• Redeemed through the death of Christ

• Gifted for ministry by the Holy Spirit

• Called to ministry and servant leadership

• Held responsible for using their gifts to advance the Kingdom of God

As the Church we need to:

• Repent of anything that devalues women or men.

• Embrace the teaching and example of Jesus regarding women and the Spirit-given basis for all ministry

• Affirm the biblical basis for the equal value of men and women in advancing the gospel
  Pray that God will break the barriers that inhibit ministry and build bridges that enable authentic partnership

• Model, promote and celebrate mutuality in ministry

• Invest resources that advance gift-based rather than gender-based ministry

Second Presentation from Main Stage