Region: North America

Greetings from North America!

The Church in North America is living in some challenging times. Less than 10% of Canadians attend church once per month. In the last 15 years in the United States, the percentage of self-proclaimed atheists has grown from 8% to 15% (33% of those under 35 identify themselves as either atheist or non-religious). Freedom of religion on many North American campuses is being challenged, and Christian prayers are being curtailed in public venues. Even in the areas where church growth is occurring, our North American lifestyles, character, and relationships often don't look any different than the our non-religious counterparts. Sadly, Gallop Polls that compare "moral failures" between Christians and non-Christians don't show any difference at all.

Certainly, we face a challenge to both live like God's people (integrity) and to share the gospel with an increasingly, unchurched generation (witness). But as we look to the future, we remain hopeful.  As part of the Lausanne Movement, we see God bringing great transformation to our cities and cultures through the power of the gospel. We see it perhaps most clearly in the next generation, which is perhaps the most globally-minded generation of North Americans yet. 120 younger generation leaders gathered to discuss issues the Church in North America is facing and how to move towards collaboration and partnership to see deep change happen in the coming decade.

We hope that all of the web pages below and this Lausanne network encourage you and help you get connected to fruitful partnerships. We are also eager to hear your own stories as well! I invite you to engage with this Lausanne community and to participate in the work of Lausanne in North America.

Warmly,

Tom Lin
International Deputy Director - North America