The Cape Town Commitment: a Confession of Faith and a Call to Action
“Major turning points in the life of God's people are always characterised by a fresh understanding of God, a humble recognition of past failure, and a renewed commitment for the future” said Tim Gunn (Woodlands Evangelical Church, Derby) at the recent follow-up meeting to Lausanne III in London. The Cape Town Commitment has all three elements. It is totally God-centred, totally grace-centred and marked by humility. A truly remarkable document.
The WEA have said: "We urge you to prayerfully read this document. We are urging all our members to distribute this document widely for serious reflection and stimulation”. It is now available online.
The conclusion of the Commitment states: “We sought to listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in his mercy, through his Holy Spirit, Christ spoke to his listening people. Through the many voices of Bible exposition, plenary addresses, and group discussion, two repeated themes were heard:
- The need for radical obedient discipleship, leading to maturity, to growth in depth as well as growth in numbers;
- The need for radical cross-centred reconciliation, leading to unity, to growth in love as well as growth in faith and hope.
We discern the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ in these two challenges because they correspond to two of Christ’s most emphatic words to the Church as recorded in the gospels. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus gave us our primary mandate - to make disciples among all nations. In John’s Gospel, Jesus gave us our primary method - to love one another so that the world will know we are disciples of Jesus. We should not be surprised, but rather rejoice to hear the Master’s voice, when Christ says the same things 2,000 years later to his people gathered from all around the world. Make disciples. Love one another.”
The Cape Town Commitment is set out in two parts:
PART I - FOR THE LORD WE LOVE: The Cape Town Confession of Faith
PART II - FOR THE WORLD WE SERVE: The Cape Town Call to Action
To help you share the document it has been published in the Didasko Files series.
