The Lausanne movement’s tentmaking network aims at mobilizing more churches and organizations to send tentmakers. The network has now formed a strategy for how to expand its work in the coming years.

“The Lausanne Tentmaking Network exists to empower the world-wide church to send more professionals, businesspeople, and students who will serve God through life and work around the world,” states the strategy that has been formed by the network.

“Lack of resources has made it difficult for us to reach out. We are working to change this situation now,” says Steinar Opheim. He is one of three catalysts for tentmaking in the Lausanne movement and the director of Tent International.

Cape Town and its surroundings will be the playground when Tent South Africa and Tent International invites a worldwide retreat for tentmakers in September. 

“Cape Town in the springtime gives great opportunities for new experiences. There will be good room in the program to rest from stressful work that you may have. At the same time, we will use the outdoor arena to start creative processes that can help us to look in new ways at challenges we may face, and help us to refocus on Jesus and the passion and calling he has given to us,” says Tent South Africa’s director, Elize Strauss. 

No matter where you live, Christmas may be the best time to share about Jesus with the people in your workplace. 

“What kind of psychology did you use yesterday? I was nearly convinced that what you shared was true.”

Some friends had come over to our Caucasian home for afternoon tea the day after Christmas. They had been there on Christmas day as well and we had all experienced something unexplainable. Our living room had been more than fully crowded. It was all messy and noisy as people were sitting everywhere and kids were either crying or running around. Our guests were colleagues, neighbors, and friends we got to know during the few years we stayed in our city. Although next to none of them were followers of Jesus, they had all said yes to come and celebrate Christmas with us. 

When I stood up to share what Christmas is all about, the room went totally quiet. The change was so immense and came so fast that none of us really understood what happened. I felt a holy presence as I told a short version of how and why Jesus came to our world. 

When Roman Lacho and Johan Brenkus came back to Slovakia after several years abroad, they felt a strong calling to mobilize others for missions. In November they organized the first ever GO Equipped course in Slovakia.

“People from Eastern Europe can go to places where others cannot,” say Roman Lacho and Jozef Brenkus. Tentmaking and business as mission are key strategies when Slovakian churches now mobilize for missions. 

Three years ago, Brenkus and Lacho returned to Slovakia from long-term ministries abroad. They belong to the same denomination, but the calling from God took them in different directions. Brenkus went east to Asia, whereas Lacho went west to America.

Similar re-entry challenges knit them close together after they both returned to Slovakia with their families in 2018. In the weeks and months following their return they both also sensed a new calling from God: They were to mobilize new missionaries from Slovakia.

“We did a Kairos course in November the same year as we returned. The course made us understand that God wanted us in a new role as mobilizers and that he would use us to stir something in the hearts of people here,” says Josef Brenkus.