In an age when information travels at the speed of light, truth is seen as subjective and every person “is a god unto themselves,” how do Christians present the Gospel and the Person of Jesus Christ in an effective and loving way?

These were the issues Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne World Congress on Evangelization was grappling with this morning as it entered its first full day.

The four panelists—Carver Yu, Michael Herbst and Os Guinness—shared their thoughts during the first plenary session of the Congress.

As thousands of delegates arrived in South Africa for the beginning of Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (www.capetown2010.com), a packed program of world mission-related topics lay before them.

The Congress kicked off this evening with the Opening Celebration. Four thousand participants from almost 200 nations are taking part in the international event, which is being held in Africa for the first time.

Looking out my hotel window, I can see Cape Town’s impressive Table Mountain in the distance as I write this. The Cape Town Official Visitors’ Guide 2010 describes the mountain as such, “It has been there since the beginning and presides over Cape Town’s history, with the stories of the city etched into its form.” That same guide encourages readers to join a web campaign to name Table Mountain as one of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature.”.

It is a wonder, and here in its shadow, the organizers of Cape Town 2010: The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization are setting the table for dialogue and hopefully consensus on issues confronting the 21st century church. They have in fact quite literally set up 750 tables adorned with light olive green tablecloths. More than 4,000 participants will gather around those tables every day for one week to discuss six cores issues: truth, reconciliation, world faiths, priorities, integrity and partnership. Inasmuch as possible, the six people at each table will represent a cross section of the Congress participants, with diversity in age, gender and nationality.

The Lausanne Covenant that emerged from the original Congress, Lausanne 1974, has greatly impacted the evangelical world. Congress organizers hope that a significant document will also result from this Congress. To that end, a group of respected theologians was assembled in December 2009 to shape the first part of the statement. The rest of the statement will be written during the Congress.

On the eve of the Congress opening, I am praying that as Table Mountain presides over this city, even more so will the Father preside over the Congress. All glory belongs to the One who created the heavens and the earth … and Table Mountain.

Imagine Christians from 197 countries assembled to worship, fellowship and wrestle with issues facing the 21st century church. That’s the plan for The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization that will be held October 17 to 24 in Cape Town, South Africa.

In 1974, the Swiss Alps welcomed 2,700 Christians from more than 150 countries who gathered to discuss world evangelization.

The Lausanne [lō-ˈzän] Congress for World Evangelization – held in Lausanne, Switzerland – came into being because of Rev. Billy Graham’s vision for evangelicals to unite to reach the world with the Gospel.

The first congress brought into being the Lausanne Covenant, a detailing of Christian principles and missions.

In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, students protested in Tiananmen Square and Christian leaders met in Manila, Philippines, for The Second Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization.

Welcome to the digital age.

The 1974 and 1989 Lausanne Congresses on World Evangelization took place before the world united under three W’s and URL addresses.

This year, more than 4,000 Christian leaders representing 200 countries will converge in Cape Town, South Africa for the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization—the first congress in the digital age.