CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (ANS) -- Planning is now in the late stages for the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, an historic gathering of evangelical leaders known as 'Cape Town 2010', to be held in South Africa in October 2010.

Founded by Billy Graham and John Stott, The Lausanne Movement -- which has met twice before to discuss current thinking and strategy for world evangelization -- will be gathering again in Cape Town, South Africa, October 16-25, 2010.

The Executive Chairman of the Congress, appointed in 2006, is the Rev Douglas Birdsall, who has spent over 20 years as a career missionary in Japan with Asian Access, serving more recently as its President.

"This unique -- and we trust historic -- gathering will draw 4,000 evangelical leaders and influencers from 200 nations, with thousands more taking part virtually throughout the world as part of the Cape Town GlobaLink," says Doug Wicks, Print Media Manager of 'The Global Conversation,' in a media release.

"These are unparalleled times," Wicks said.

He continued: "The concept of truth is now finally dead, according to deconstructionists. The tectonic plates of major world religions are shifting. There have never been greater people movements -- with over 50 percent of the world's population now living in cities and huge-scale emigration."

He added: "New and profound questions are being raised by the emerging technologies and the whole basis of Western civilization is eroding. The implications for the Church and its call in world evangelization are far-reaching."

Wicks said media wanting to cover the Congress will receive the first of a series of news releases in the second half of June, following the Lausanne biennial leadership meetings in Seoul, Korea. It will name the main speakers for 'Cape Town 2010.'

Wicks will soon be writing to media outlets with an invitation for them to carry a series of major articles on the Congress themes, starting in their October 2009 issue.

"These articles invite your readers to join an online global conversation -- we believe the first of its kind. The global conversation will help sharpen the Congress discussions. We are working in partnership with Christianity Today magazine on these articles."

He said media can expect to receive more details on this in about two weeks. There will be no charge for these articles.

Wicks said he would like broadcast producers to also receive the above articles too, and they are welcome to use the article content to stimulate ideas for programs around these themes or to post on their Web sites.

Wicks said credentialing for media wishing to be present at the Congress in Cape Town(October 16 - 25, 2010) and drawing news feeds from it, will begin in October 2009.

Further information may be found on www.capetown2010.com  (for the Congress) and on www.lausanne.org  (where the Global Conversation will be hosted from October 2009).

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael has traveled to Albania and the former Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany and the former Czechoslovakia, Israel,and Canada. He has reported for ANS from Jordan, China, Russia, Jamaica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.'