CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Jerry
Rankin is maintaining a low profile. He has neither sought nor been given
program time at Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World
Evangelization. But the recently retired president of the International Mission
Board (IMB) hasn’t retired from missions.
He and wife Bobbye are among the 4,000 participants at the congress.
Rankin has been the featured speaker at hundreds of mission conferences in
recent years, but most of the Christians from 198 countries at the Cape Town
International Convention Center are unaware of the visionary mission leader who
was at the IMB helm for 17 years.
Rankin’s attendance at the invitation-only Lausanne Congress was already locked
in before he retired Aug. 1. “I hope to gain some insights to share with IMB
leadership and others,” Rankin said. “There is so much happening globally that
we need to be aware of.”
Southern Baptists need representation at Lausanne, Rankin said.
“The real advantage is broadening our understanding of what is going on among
Christians worldwide,” Rankin said. “Networking and joining others in what they
are doing is also important…. Southern Baptists are firmly grounded in the
fundamentals of faith; we should contribute to these global gatherings.
“God is raising up a great Kingdom people,” Rankin added. “If we are truly committed
to the Great Commission, we need to know what God is doing through others.”
The concept “hidden peoples” was first introduced by missiologist Ralph Winter
at the original Lausanne congress in 1974, Rankin recalled. Reaching those
hidden people — now referred to as unreached people groups — is central to
Southern Baptists’ international missions strategy.
Rankin also observed that organizers of the Cape Town congress, in their
attempt to attain diversity of participation, failed to invite “some of the key
minds and mission leaders to the table.”
Of the congress’ 4,000 participants, 1,000 are from the host continent of
Africa. Forty percent are in their 20s, 30s and 40s. One-third are women in
leadership roles. There are 2,400 pastors, missionaries and church leaders,
1,200 scholars and academics and 600 professionals from business, government,
medicine and the media.
There are only 400 participants from U.S. churches and organizations, including
about a half-dozen International Mission Board workers.
Rankin expressed a personal hope for Cape Town 2010: “I want to have my own
vision enlarged.” His involvement in Southern Baptist mission endeavors has
been so consuming that it has not allowed much opportunity for him to attend
conferences such as this, to listen and learn what other groups are doing.
But Rankin also is interested in learning about future ministry possibilities,
even though he is already scheduled months in advance with speaking engagements
and is authoring another book.
Bobbye Rankin — in addition to participating with her husband in the plenary
sessions, table group discussions and other optional sessions — found time to
slip away to the Women’s Tea Room and participate in a prayer focus on Latin
America. “I am enjoying gaining a broader understanding of what other groups
are doing,” she said.
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Lee is a freelance writer from Asia.)