The Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative (LOI) is a mission-oriented dialogue between Orthodox and Evangelicals. It has held three global consultations in Albania and Finland (2013-15), a regional consultation in Ethiopia (2016), and a specialist consultation for theological educators in Cambridge, England (2017) – They are convening a North American regional gathering in Boston on June 5-7 on discipleship and Christian formation.

UniteBoston has been invited to lead the conference’s evening prayer on Thursday June 7th from 5:00 to 5:30pm. We would love to have a strong local presence from Evangelical and Orthodox pastors and leaders at this conference; please email her at kelly@uniteboston.com if you’d like to help lead this prayer time! For your participation, UniteBoston can subsidize a portion of the overall registration fee if you’d like to join in the other conference sessions.

This consultation aims to explore how the Evangelical and Orthodox traditions can coooperate in forming disciples, drawing upon the experience and teaching of each tradition. The command to make (and, preceding it, to be) disciples lies at the heart of Christ’s commission to his Church (Matthew 28), and thus at the heart of the mission of God in which we participate. Sessions will:

-Lay down some key biblical, theological, and pastoral principles about why discipleship matters;

-Introduce Orthodox and Evangelical approaches to forming disciples;

-In an event open to the public, apply biblical teaching about discipleship to the workplace;

-Explore what can be learned about discipleship from those on the margins of church communities;

-Reflect on the issues raised for discipling by cross-cultural mission contexts;

-And consider how far our two traditions can work together in making disciples.

Speakers include Archbishop Angaelos (Coptic Orthodox Church), Dr. Joshua Bogunjoko (SIM-USA), Dr Gordon T. Smith (Ambrose University), and Fr. Luke Veronis (Holy Cross).

The consultation begins at 3 p.m. on Tuesday June 5, and ends at 8.45 p.m. on Thursday June 7. Sessions, as well as the midday and evening meals, will be at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. 

If you consider yourself to be a mission leader, church leader, or theologian, and come from the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, or Evangelical traditions, please consider joining us. We acknowledge the differences that separate us, but believe that we can learn from each other and help dispel misunderstandings about one another’s traditions.

Please send the registration form to Tim at lausanneorthodox@gmail.com by May 18 so the school can adequately prepare for the group.