"Over two and a half billion people around the world would identify themselves as ‘Christians’—nearly one-third of the world’s population. But does this imply that they have understood or embraced the biblical gospel? Not necessarily." states missiologist David Bennett, Global Associate Director for Collaboration and Content for Lausanne.

"Nominal Christians are found in every congregation, every denominational tradition, every theological stream, and every cultural context. Nominalism may take different shapes in Protestant/Evangelical, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox contexts, and in places where Christians as a whole are a minority. But the task of bearing witness to Jesus Christ and all his teaching, in every nation, in every sphere of society, and in the realm of ideas, is no less urgent in nominal Christian contexts," he continues.

ECM worker and thinker Jim Memory has prepared two papers for this conference.

Lausanne has asked people to please pray for this important event as follows:

Jesus Christ, Lord of the Church, we ask you to empower the upcoming consultation with your renewing, creative Holy Spirit. Enable the participants to understand our times, and to know how to awaken and equip the churches and their leaders, so that nominal Christians may understand and embrace the good news of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, so that they and their communities may be transformed.

Find more information here.