Christians must not be silent because the “victory” of the sexual revolution spreads the world over, but neither should they condemn others, the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization has heard.
Rev Canon Vaughan Roberts, rector of St Ebbe’s, Oxford, told hundreds of Christians gathered in Incheon, South Korea, that the sexual revolution had led to “the virtually complete collapse of family life in our culture”, with “devastating effects” on families and kids.
“And paradoxically it hasn’t even delivered the self-fulfilment that it was most designed to advertise,” he said.
“Look on the younger generation: isolated, confused – the anxious generation. The time after I was having to make a decision what subjects I might study onwards, we’re asking them to make a decision: what’s your sex, what’s your sexuality?”
He said that the reply to the challenges lay in offering the world the love of Christ in a spirit of humility and compassion, versus “Christian morality” and “a wagging finger”.Â
Speaking of his own experience with same-sex attraction, Roberts recalled being transformed by the love of Christ.
“Conservatives are likely to be strong on repentance and holiness but too often we give attention to moral rules somewhat than the wonderful relationship which Christ got here to supply to us,” he said.Â
“It wasn’t that I used to be suddenly gripped and excited by Christian morality. I used to be gripped and excited by Christ. I loved Him – and loving Him, I desired to live for Him. So we’d like to supply to the world, not before everything Christian morality, however the Bible story – it is a love story.”
He added, “Brothers and sisters, don’t just preach morality. Certainly don’t just preach condemnation. Preach and live Christ for the glory of His name.”
Later in his address, he asked Christians to be mindful of their manner of engagement with people living by different beliefs and practices.Â
“Such people aren’t just within the West, they are not just on this planet. They’re on this congress. They’re in your country. They’re in your churches. And too many feel unable to be open and honest concerning the struggles they feel for fear they’ll be dismissed and rejected.”
He continued, “Brothers and sisters, once we talk about these issues in church, will you usually keep in mind that people you are talking about are within the room. Does the tone and manner through which you speak invite them to be honest and open? Or does it force them right into a secret, lonely isolation which is able to only be an incubator for the shame and sin?”
With the impact of the sexual revolution being felt far and wide, Roberts suggested there was no a part of the world where Christians might be complacent. Rather, he said there was an “urgent” need for all churches to be able to respond.
“We churches desperately needn’t to be silent – we have got excellent news to share,” he said.
Christians within the Majority World were urged to wish for believers within the Western world as they seek to reply biblically, while Christians within the Western world were asked to wish for Majority World believers, that they’d remain faithful.
Roberts cautioned churches not to present in to the temptation to compromise, warning that revisionist churches were “in terminal decline” and that such “adaptation” was not only “missionally ineffective” but lacking in “theological integrity”.
Rev Roberts was speaking on the primary full day of Lausanne 4, which is happening in Incheon, near the South Korean capital of Seoul.
The weeklong congress has brought together over 5,000 Christians to strategise about the right way to fulfil the Great Commission and convey the Gospel to the entire world.
It is the primary global congress to be held by Lausanne since Cape Town 2010.
