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Mar 09, 2015 | Lambeth Palace

"Seismic shift" required to equip all Anglicans as evangelists, says Archbishop Welby

 

[ACNS] Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has set out his vision for a Church in which every Christian shares "the revolutionary love" of Jesus Christ.

 

In the inaugural Lambeth Lecture, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby focused on the third of the priorities he announced on taking up his ministry two years ago: evangelism and witness.

 

He described evangelism as “the Good News of the coming of Jesus Christ into this dark world… not simply [good news] because without this light we are in the dark, but also because it comes to us unwarranted, unsought, without our initiation.”

 

The Archbishop stressed that he had a “particular passion, priority and focus” to root evangelism in the life and witness of the local church and most specifically in the life and witness of every Christian, “not only the professionals”.

 

“In fact all we endeavour to do is done with the intention that we serve and enable the lives of every follower of Jesus to be faithful witnesses to the transforming love of God,” he said.

 

“I am under no illusion as to the seismic shift that needs to take place in order for this to happen. But a seismic shift is what we need. For this country will not know of the revolutionary love of Christ by church structures or clergy, but by the witness of every single Christian.”

 

The Lambeth Lectures series of talks will feature guest speakers addressing key issues for the Church. 

 

Read the full text of the lecture.