Introducing the Quito Call to Action on Children at Risk

The Lausanne Consultation on Children at Risk was held in Quito, Ecuador, on 17-19 November 2014. We were gathered with more than 60 of the foremost experts in the area of children-at-risk, including church leaders, theologians, missiologists, and NGO representatives. The two documents that emerged are the fruit of our collaborative work from this gathering, and I am happy to present them to you on behalf of Anne-Christine Bataillard (Senior Associate for Evangelism among Children) and the Lausanne Children at Risk Network.

‘Who are Children-at-Risk: A Missional Definition’

The term children-at-risk has been used by Christian organizations for almost twenty years. While it has a “strong intuitive meaning,” to date it has no agreed-upon definition. Nevertheless, the below definition and the following discussion should provide a sufficient starting-point for those who are new to this conversation, and we invite others to join us in our struggle. Read the full document.

Quito Call to Action on Children at Risk

The Lausanne Consultation on Children at Risk took place from 17-19 November, 2014 in Quito, Ecuador. More than sixty church leaders, theologians, missiologists, and representatives from child-focused non-governmental organizations gathered from five continents. The event was held in response to the Cape Town Commitment (CTC), which emphasizes ministry with the poor, enslaved, and oppressed. It also calls the people of God to engage in study, training, and action on behalf of children-at-risk. Our goal was to better understand what it would look like for children-at-risk to be meaningfully incorporated in the mission of the Church. Read the full document.

This Call to Action will be our inspiration and encouragement to implement actions together with the global church. Our next step will be to write a Lausanne Occasional Paper (LOP) on Children at Risk.

We also plan to use the Call to Action as a major reference document for workshop discussions at the 2016 Younger Leaders Gathering. We strongly believe that the younger leaders of Lausanne have a strategic role and immense stake in charting the church’s actions and response to the urgent concerns of highly vulnerable children. Thus we need their significant input, biblical reflection, and committed actions.

We pray that these documents will be dedicated to and used for the glory and honor of our Lord Jesus Christ. Please also read Dave Scott’s report on the Lausanne Consultation on Children at Risk to learn more about the gathering.