Pattaya 1980 – Pattaya 2004
In 1980 The Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (LCWE) organized a conference in Pattaya, Thailand. One of the mini-consultations at this conference worked with the issue Reaching Jewish People. The outcome of this work can be seen in the booklet Christian Witness to the Jewish People (Lausanne Occasional Paper, No, 7, 1980). It was not least on this background that LCJE was formed and since then has operated as a well-functioning network for individuals and agencies involved in Jewish evangelism.
24 years later LCWE organizes another conference in Pattaya with the
title 2004 Forum for World Evangelization. At first the organizers of
the conference planned 24 issues to be dealt with in 24 issue groups.
A special issue group to work with Jewish evangelism was not part of the
plan. In these 24 groups will persons, related to LCJE, participate and
bring their influence to bear.
At the end of the LCJE conference in Helsinki, August 2003, we were informed
that a number of groups would be added to the program at Forum 2004. When
we heard that, we requested that Jewish evangelism be included in the
program.
The planners of 2004 Forum showed understanding for this wish, which means that Jewish evangelism will appear in the program as the last issue group, namely no. 31.
We will presumably be the smallest issue group at 2004 Forum, since we will be only six persons. Before that, material needs to be collected, so that a document can be published in Pattaya.
The expected outcomes are:
1. Speak to the church on the necessity of Jewish evangelism.
2. Provide an overview of Jewish evangelism worldwide and a paragraph
describing Jewish opposition to Jewish evangelism.
3. Discuss the theological and ecclesiological issues being discussed
among Jesus-believing Jews themselves.
4. Look at methodology and strategy for the future work in Jewish evangelism.
Kai Kjaer-Hansen
lcje.int@gmail.com