Lausanne's groundbreaking commitment to nurturing future leaders
Preparing Tomorrow's Leaders: How the Lausanne Movement Empowers Younger Generations
Ready for the lowdown on what the Lausanne Movement's up to after the fourth global world congress held last autumn in Korea? Let's chat with Justin Schell, director of the Younger Leaders Generation (YLGen).
Born with a fresh dose of visionary idealism, Schell, formerly a university student turned Christian, responded to the call when he discovered only 2% of US missionaries were serving Muslim communities. Like a moth to a flame, he was drawn to the Lausanne Movement.
His friendship with Michael Oh, the current Lausanne CEO, started at the 2006 Younger Leaders Gathering in Malaysia, and their bond endured. In 2013, during a family health emergency, Oh welcomed Schell aboard to plan the 2016 Younger Leaders Gathering in Indonesia.
Ah-ha! What Oh suggested wasn't just a week-long event—it was the kickoff to the Lausanne Movement's long-term investment in fledgling leaders.
Since the 2016 gathering, YLGen has thrown nearly 100 webinars and 20-plus discussion cohorts, offering a sense of community and fostering growth for younger leaders. They've also launched two additional development programs:
- Lausanne Leadership Journey: An intensive, 18-month program designed for rising leaders, providing tools and resources for complex leadership roles.
- Lausanne Emerging Theologians Initiative: This program nurtures younger theologians, with the first cohort convening during Lausanne 4 in Korea.
As Schell shared his experiences mentoring the young, he emphasized that today's leaders face familiar struggles. "Young people are feeling lonely, anxious, wrestling with impatience, sexual sin, or pride. It's Genesis all over again," he said.
Instead of chasing the next big thing, he encourages seasoned leaders to keep it simple—focus on the fundamentals, especially Scripture. "The churches I know that are making a lasting impact with Gen Z are those anchored in God's Word."
For the upcoming Sao Paulo conference, the goal is to gather 1,200 younger leaders and 250 mentors. They're also recruiting fundraising coaches for attendees who need financial aid to attend. "We don't want any emerging leader to miss out because of money," Schell said.
Now, let's meet some of the outstanding younger leaders enhanced by this global movement:
- Maria Kamran (Pakistan) co-leads Act4Him, a program that combines technical training with spiritual mentorship for underprivileged young adults. She credits the Lausanne Movement for inspiring her to view her career as a calling. "God has used Lausanne not just to transform my career, but my heart," she said.
- Marion Ndeta is a development and advocacy specialist in Nairobi, Kenya. With support from the Lausanne Movement, she's pursuing a doctorate in organizational change and administration. "The Lausanne Movement isn't just a program, it's a global, Christ-centered community. It's equipped me for life and ministry," she said.
- Daniel Kyungu, a Congolese pastor, attributes the peer mentoring—and spiritual growth—he's experienced since 2016 to the Lausanne Leadership Journey, saying, "The Lausanne Movement believes in ordinary people like me, and I pray I can continue passing that blessing forward."
- Bami Betiku's role within the Navigators ministry in Nigeria has grown thanks to the peer mentoring he's received and the Lausanne Leadership Journey. He's part of the planning team for the upcoming Sao Paulo conference.
- Clara is the academic team lead at a Chinese theological education organization. She finds the Lausanne Emerging Theologians Initiative specifically valuable because it fosters an international cohort, allowing everyone to contribute and learn from one another in various contexts.
Through empowering programs like the Lausanne Younger Leaders Gathering (YLG 4), the Lausanne Movement seeks to equip, connect, and commission 1,200 emerging leaders from around the world in Brazil, March 16-22, 2027. Let's continue supporting these young leaders as they carry the torch for global evangelization!
Through the Lausanne Movement's programs such as the Lausanne Leadership Journey and the Lausanne Emerging Theologians Initiative, young leaders like Maria Kamran, Marion Ndeta, Daniel Kyungu, Bami Betiku, and Clara are engaging in education-and-self-development and personal-growth, preparing them for significant roles in global evangelization. The Lausanne Movement's focus on empowering younger generations is crucial for fostering personal growth among tomorrow's leaders.
