Do Not Be an Enabler of Evil! Lessons from Lausanne

By Julio Severo

In the first Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in 1974, idealized and supported by Billy Graham, left-wing theologians from Latin America, especially René Padilla, took advantage to bring the Theology of Integral Mission (TIM), which is the Protestant version of Liberation Theology.

In his capacity of Lausanne moderator, John Stott, who is passionately praised by Latin American advocates of TIM, adorned this Marxist theology, by applying face powder and lipstick. So, fully charming and transformed, TIM was launched internationally, by using Lausanne as a platform, even though under a fierce conservative resistance led by Peter Wagner.

Wagner, who is the main leader in the global apostolic movement, fought TIM not only in Lausanne, but also in the first Padilla congresses in Latin America, years before Lausanne. Wagner was the first theologian to make resistance to TIM in Latin America.

Nevertheless all resistance decades ago, TIM grew internationally. Today, thanks to Stott and his incredible work of make-up and enabling, TIM dominates Lausanne as an elegant social theology. Wagner’s resistance has been forgotten and TIM Latin American theologians have prevailed.

In 2014, Lausanne paid Wagner’s resistance back in the same coin, by holding in Brazil a meeting of Lausanne leaders against Wagner and his apostolic movement. The meeting was led by TIM leaders, especially Rev. Valdir Steuernagel.

After the first and second Lausanne congresses, Billy Graham realized that the TIM Latin American advocates used Lausanne as a platform. So he stopped funding the event. But it was too late. The damage was already done.

Wanting or not, by adorning TIM in Lausanne, John Stott enabled the expansion of this evil in the Global Evangelical Church.

Portuguese version of this article: Não seja um facilitador do mal! Lições de Lausanne

Source: Last Days Watchman

Recommended Reading:

Karl Marx’s Spirit in Lausanne: Theology of Integral Mission

Lausanne, Theology of Integral Mission and Israel