Gillean Smiley, CEO of Langham Partnership Australia, recently attended the 4th Lausanne Congress in Seoul, South Korea, a gathering of over 5,000 Christian leaders from 205 nations.
“It was an honour and a privilege to attend,” Gillean shares. “This was the largest global gathering of evangelical Christian leaders in the history of the Church. Together, we affirmed our shared faith and collaborated on closing the remaining gaps in the Great Commission.”
It was also a big privilege to be in Seoul and be served so joyfully by the Korean church. Gillean explains, “There were literally hundreds—perhaps a thousand—on site from early morning to late evening with a smile and a greeting to help us find our way, manage queues, and feed the 5,000. What a beautiful expression of the church in Korea serving the global church.”
The global impact of Langham in the movement
The Congress offered a unique platform for leaders worldwide to engage in pressing discussions on topics like justice, the persecuted church, and evangelism in the workplace. Many of the speakers and participants had deep connections to Langham Partnership, which was particularly inspiring!
Gillean says, “It was encouraging and uplifting to see how many of the speakers were Langham Scholars or otherwise connected to the Langham family. It was very clear that Langham has made a powerful impact in raising up and equipping leaders for the global church.”
Approximately 45 Congress delegates represented Langham Partnership, including Scholars, Literature team representatives, and Preaching program leaders.
Connection across contexts
At Lausanne 2024, delegates were sorted into table groups, people from around the world who sat with each other, engaged in content and prayed together during the conference. Gillean was a table group leader. Her table group included participants from Australia, Ghana, Korea, the US, the Czech Republic, and Curaçao.
Gillean shares, “It allowed for deep conversations and reflection as we got to know each other and fellowshipped together.”
It was also joyful to share in great music as a body of believers, led faithfully by Keith and Kristyn Getty.
Langham leaders in action
One of the Congress’s standout moments for Gillean was a day dedicated to the persecuted church, combining prayers of lament with hope-filled reflections. Patrick Fung, a member of the Langham Partnership International Council (LPIC), spoke about the resilience of faith amid suffering.
Gillean reflects, “Fung spoke movingly of the hope that we have in Christ regardless of our circumstances. He also emphasised the role and importance of the unnamed, the unknown, and the uncelebrated in the biblical explosion of the gospel as well as in mission today.”
Encouraging encounters
While at Lausanne, Gillean met many new people and reconnected with old friends. There were too many wonderful interactions to recount them all, but a few stuck out.
Meeting Finhas
Finhas is a pastor from Pakistan who has dedicated himself to theological education while supporting his family. Gillean was lucky to hear his story when she shared a meal with him at Lausanne.
It took Finhas seven years to complete his theological degree as he had to also work to support his family of a wife and three daughters, but he shared with Gillean his desire for a better theological education.
Finhas says, “I need to be sure that what I teach and preach is biblically faithful, and I must be equipped to respond to the Muslims who question me.”
Finhas has a wonderful resource in the South Asia Bible Commentary, a Langham Partnership initiative to which his Senior Pastor contributed a chapter. Now it is available in Urdu, thanks in part to the generous gifts of Australian donors.
He is also grateful for the leadership in Pakistan of Qaiser, who not only studied in Australia as a Langham Scholar but now heads up the Langham Preaching Program in Pakistan.
Meeting Ronald
Gillean spent time with Ronald, a Langham Scholar who was able to do his PhD studies thanks to support from you in Australia.
Gillean shares, “It was a joy to spend lunchtime with Ronald, our Langham Scholar from Myanmar who is now back home and Principal of MEGST in Yangon.”
Meeting Marina
During meal time on a different day, Gillean met Marina, a participant of the Langham Preaching program in Ukraine! It was a great encouragement to meet her and be in a working group with her during the congress.
‘A foretaste of heaven’
The mix of service, shared purpose, and cultural diversity of Lausanne provided what Gillean described as “a real foretaste of heaven.” Gathering representatives from every corner of the world in prayer, worship, and reflection reinforced the unity of the global Christian mission.
“Can you imagine 5,000 people sharing one space, with every person you see committed to the same vision, the same Lord, and the same objective—to further the Great Commission at home and to the ends of the earth?” she says. “Every interaction is with a brother or sister, despite coming from such diverse cultures and contexts.”