Living out our vision

Earlier this year, Global Connections launched a new vision statement. We wanted it to be something that was birthed in the global Church and that the whole network, in all its diversity, could gather around.

Global Connections’ vision is to play our part in seeing the whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole world; hand in hand with the global Church. This is a statement that has its roots in the Lausanne 2010 Cape Town Commitment.

As we explore how we can seek to live this vision out as a network, we decided it would be valuable to hear from one of the authors of that original statement. At our annual Passion for Mission event in October, Dr. Chris Wright shared with us about the origin and biblical basis of this vision. We also spent some time discussing together about what it might look like to live this out in communion and collaboration with one another. This vision is far too large for any one organisation to fulfil by itself. God calls us to seek his kingdom together as one body.

Here are some of the main points from Dr Chris Wright’s talk:

Whole Church

The Church is not merely a gathering of individuals who believe in Jesus; it is a community called into existence by God, shaped by His mission, and destined for His glory. From Abraham and Sarah to the multitude in Revelation 7:9, the Church is a story of God’s people growing from a family into a global, multiethnic body.

We are a community of blessing, chosen not for privilege but for purpose. God’s covenant with Abraham was that through his descendants, all nations would be blessed. That promise finds its fulfilment in the church, which receives and shares God’s blessing with the world.

We are a community of faith and obedience, marked by trust in God’s promises and a willingness to live distinctively in the world. Our ethical lives—our salt and light—are part of our witness. Holiness is missional, showing the world what God is like.

We are a people who know the story we are in. The Bible is not a collection of disconnected truths but a grand narrative of redemption. We are part of that story, chosen not for ourselves alone but to be a light to the nations.

We are the dwelling place of God, reconciled through Christ and united across cultural and ethnic lines. The Church is a prototype of diversity, equality, and inclusion. These are gospel words that reflect the power of Christ to unite what the world divides.

And we are witnesses to the living God, to the crucified and risen Christ, and to the hope of new creation. Our mission is not just to tell our personal testimonies but to proclaim the truth of the gospel.

The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. These creedal affirmations are not abstract theology—they are missional realities. The Church is one in Christ, holy in character, universal in scope, and sent in mission. Every member is called, every life is part of the mission, and every gift is needed.

Whole Gospel

The gospel is not a narrow message confined to a few verses, it is the good news of what God has done, is doing, and will do through Jesus Christ. It is the story of salvation that spans the whole Bible, from creation to new creation.

The whole Bible constitutes the whole gospel. God has revealed Himself to us in love and grace. It is a narrative of redemption that addresses the depth of human sin and the breadth of God’s saving work. And it is good news in its central witness, Jesus Christ, in whom God reconciles the world to Himself.

The gospel is good news for all of life. It tells us that we are created with purpose, that our sin is real and serious, but that God has not abandoned us. From Genesis to Revelation, we see God’s commitment to life, justice, compassion, and redemption.

It is good news that God chose Abraham to bless the nations, that He liberated Israel from oppression, gave them His law in grace, and dwelt among them. It is good news that God’s justice and mercy are perfectly revealed in Jesus, who lived among us, died for us, and rose again.

The gospel is a story to be told, a message to be proclaimed, a truth to be defended, a new status to be received, a transformed life to be lived, and a divine power to be celebrated. It is not just about personal salvation, it is about the renewal of all things.

Paul’s vision of the gospel includes ethical transformation, reconciliation between peoples, and the cosmic redemption of creation. The gospel is the hub of the wheel, everything in mission connects to it and flows from it.

Whole World

The world, in the Bible, is both the good creation of God and the fallen realm of human and satanic rebellion. Mission must engage with both realities - the beauty and brokenness of the world.

The Bible speaks of the world as:

• Creation: The physical universe, made by God, sustained by Christ, and destined for renewal.

• Humanity: The nations, cultures, languages, and peoples whom God loves and calls to Himself.

• Rebellion: The world of sin, injustice, and suffering that stands in need of redemption.

• Salvation: The object of God’s mission, through Christ, to reconcile all things.

• New Creation: The world to come, where righteousness dwells and God lives with His people.

Mission is not just about reaching individuals, it is about engaging with societies, cultures, and creation itself. The gospel is good news for people, for communities, and for the planet. It addresses personal sin, social injustice, and ecological degradation.

God’s plan has always been for all nations. From the promise to Abraham to the vision in Revelation, the nations are central to God’s mission. The Church is not plan B, it is the expansion of Israel to include the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s original promise.

God’s plan is also for all creation. Christ is Lord of all. He created all things, sustains all things, and reconciles all things. The gospel is to be preached in all creation, because it is good news for all creation.

The world to come will not be a blank slate but a redeemed and renewed creation, enriched by the purified treasures of human civilisation. The glory of the nations will be brought into the city of God, and we will enjoy and build upon it for eternity.

To read more on this subject please access the latest updated edition of Dr Chris Wright's book 'The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's grand narrative', published in October 2025.