What is meant by “the Whole Church?” 
 By Ray Bakke

The idea came from the Lausanne Covenant Article ⁶ "The Church and Evangelism" which talks about breaking out of ecclesiastical ghettos and is primary. Then we read: "world evangelization requires the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world."

The church is understood to be the whole people of God and not one institution, culture, social or political system. When written in 1974, it was a clear message to the so-called "Younger Churches" that mission was not just for the western churches, but for all churches.

In subsequent meetings around the world, and in my own understanding, it was helpful to follow Billy Graham's practice of asking that the whole church of every city be represented on his sponsoring committees and on the platform. So that since 1964 or so, he always intentionally included Catholics, Mainline, Orthodox, Evangelicals and Charismatics, which are essentially the five major families of the church in the world.

In my experience there are godly, biblically motivated, evangelistically concerned leadership and laity in all five families, and I have always intentionally reached out to all. About half of the world's evangelicals are in so-called Mainline or what I prefer to call conciliar denominations, primarily WCC related; such as the Anglicans world wide, the Methodists, Lutherans, Reformed and state churches of Europe et al. Another half can be found in the free or independent church traditions. Some groups are self-intentionally in both groups.

My approach in the spirit of the Lausanne Covenant and Graham is to never play defense or put boundaries or boxes around my events. I "never play defense". I run up the flag of urban mission, evangelization and biblical justice and partner with whoever salutes. I always thank those who won't partner with us for reaching people we will never reach.

God's peace,
Ray Bakke