The Concept of Hope for Europe


The conceptual framework of Hope for Europe includes the following elements:

1 Hope for Europe, grounded on the Lausanne Covenant, is motivated by an evangelical theology of hope, maintaining the biblical tension between the present (already) and future (not yet) aspects of the kingdom of God.

Christian hope is rooted in Jesus, (1 Timothy 1:1;Col.1:27), looking both backward to his atoning death and triumphant resurrection, as well as forward to his return in glory at the consummation of history, when God's purposes for creation will be restored.

While Christian hope is not utopian concerning the remainder of history, it does expect the progress of the Kingdom (Mark 4:26-32). It recognises that if the future Kingdom of God is characterised by love, justice and peace, then these values must also be God's will for human society now; that the Christian's responsibility is to pray and work to see God's Kingdom come, and his will being done on earth. The church is "like an arrow sent out into the world to point to the future"(J.Moltmann, Theology of Hope).

In concrete terms, God wills his will to be done among the peoples of Europe, as it is in heaven. As the people of hope, we are to cooperate with God to further his purposes. We are to seek God's Kingdom first, and pray for his Kingdom to come and his will to be done in Europe. Our mandate is nothing less than to disciple the peoples of Europe, teaching them to obey and glorify God (Matthew 28:19). Our perspective is thus hopeful and optimistic as to God's future actions in Europe, rather than despairing and pessimistic.

God is watching over his word to perform it, and this is to be our chief consolation, as John Calvin wrote:
"Whatever resistance we see today offered by almost all the world to the progress of the truth, we must not doubt that our Lord will come at last to break through all the undertakings of men and make a passage for his word. Let us hope boldly, then, more than we can understand; he will still surpass our opinion and our hope".

2 Hope for Europe aims to develop pan-European specialist networks to facilitate transnational partnerships and information sharing.
The development of vibrant pan-European networks is vital in this phase of European development. Since the Reformation, protestant churches have developed primarily within national boundaries. As a body, the church of Jesus Christ in Europe has thus relatively few transnational ligaments. While businesspeople, politicians and the young MTV generation think increasingly pan-European, Christians must also rise above nationalism in order to become a relevant force to influence the new Europe.

The purpose of these networks is to encourage cooperative relationships between key representatives of churches and agencies actively involved in a specialty area, in order to promote vision, set concrete goals and establish strategies leading to effective action and specific prayer.

Hope for Europe Networks and proposed networks are:

Apologetics / Artists / Broadcasting / Business as Missions / Business & Professions / Children / Church Planting / Church Renewal / Cities / Communications / Culture, Values and Politics / Disabilities / Education / Evangelism / Families / Healthcare / Leadership Development / Men / Missions / Prayer / Reconciliation / Refugee Highway / Relief and Development / Sports ministries / Theology / Women in Leadership / Worship / Youth

Networks are encouraged to convene pan-European (truly consultative) consultations, where deemed appropriate, drawing together broad representation from the evangelical constituency in both East and West Europe.

3 Hope for Europe aims to encourage nation-wide evangelistic strategies and consultations where possible under the auspices of existing evangelical alliances.
While transnational networks are essential in a Europe with open borders, the nation-state remains the "bucket" into which we place the cities, unreached people groups, language groupings, etc.. The nation, with its legal structures, common history, education systems, common languages, and so forth, is still the most convenient framework for strategies above the local level. Hope for Europe aims to encourage existing and new initiatives by denominations, organisations, local Lausanne committees, national Evangelical Alliances, New Eastern Europe for Christ, DAWN, the Alliance for Saturation Church Planting, etc., in focussed, cooperative efforts.

Hope for Europe also aims to encourage regional/ neighbourhood/ city-wide strategies towards the goal of saturating every region, neighbourhood and people group with the hope of the gospel. E.g. "There is Hope" campaigns, Brussels '91, Christian Action Networks in England, Shaping London's Future, the DAWN district strategies, etc..

This will involve creative cooperation between local churches, denominations, organisations and missions. The success of such grass-roots initiatives is crucial to Hope for Europe, as the vast majority of Christians and local pastors is not concerned with national or pan-European initiatives. Without such local strategies, Hope for Europe will not succeed.

4 The Hope for Europe process has been co-sponsored by the European Evangelical Alliance, the Coalition for the Evangelisation of Europe and the Lausanne Europe Committee, and is coordinated by a Working Group appointed by the HfE Round Table.

The Round Table is the annual gathering of convenors and sponsors for relationship building, inspiration, reporting, evaluation and planning.

The name and logo of Hope for Europe can be used as a generic banner by all participating bodies on publications, conferences, campaigns, etc., to help promote a climate of partnership and common purpose, e.g. "A Hope for Europe event"; "A Hope for Europe initiative"; "A Hope for Europe publication"....

The standards of Hope for Europe are to reflect biblical integrity and truthfulness, as affirmed in the Lausanne Covenant.

5 Hope for Europe is committed to partnership, to the promotion of a spirit of unity with diversity,
respect and cooperation, relationship and trust, the resolution of tensions in a biblical way, and the promotion of each other's ministries and activities.

Hope for Europe strives to realise the biblical principle of synergy, the power of cooperative action (Ps. 133; John 17:23; 1 Cor. 12:12-31). Paul uses the root word in the original Greek (sunergeo) as he refers to being "co-workers with God", or to "my fellow-workers". Spiritual unity releases a power of which our enemy is very aware. Historically in Europe, the enemy has divided and conquered, often through nationalism and denominationalism, effectively robbing the church of this power.

Hope for Europe exists therefore to encourage a climate of trust and cooperation to assist the Body of Christ in Europe to function as a body with all its "limbs, organs and ligaments", in unity with diversity.

In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity