"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).
Janet and I spent the morning at the National Missionary Convention of the independent Christian Churches, which is in Tulsa for the first time since 2001. We spent the morning in the first worship session with Mark Moore of Ozark Christian College speaking. Dr. Moore presented an academic sermon about Jesus' first public appearance as a celebrity preacher in his hometown synagogue. He gave some basic background information about historical biblical criticism and the Qumran community in an effort to better understand the context of the account and the emphasis of Jesus' message on that occasion.
Afterwards, we attended a workshop led by Stephanie Reed and her co-workers from Rapha House, a ministry in Cambodia which rehabilitates young women and girls who have been rescued from slave labor and sex slavery. Rapha works closely with International Justice Mission and local authorities who rescue the girls from the brothels. The workshop focused on the need to incorporate the pursuit of justice into missionary efforts. Some people need more than food, clothing, housing, and biblical teaching; they need to be rescued from those who are oppressing them.
Then, we looked through the area with booths from several domestic and international ministries. Janet bought t-shirts from Rapha House for all of us. Each shirt says, "Freedom Fighter: Stop Human Trafficking." (More information about Rapha House can be found at www.raphahouse.org and www.freedomforgirls.org.)
We are not sure whether we will return for the convention later this weekend, but it was another good experience. The convention runs through Sunday morning at the Tulsa Convention Center. You can find out more at www.nationalmissionaryconvention.org.
Showing posts with label International Justice Mission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label International Justice Mission. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Making a World of Difference
"He...must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28).
Every year at this time, federal employees (both civilian and military) have an opportunity to designate a portion of their pay checks for the next year to a variety of charities of their choice through the Combined Federal Campaign. The theme of this year's campaign is Making a World of Difference. These are my choices and recommendations for this year:
Christian Relief Fund (CFC#11862)--The Christian Relief Fund is an organization dedicated to "fighting hunger and poverty internationally by providing food, medicine, educational support, Christian disaster relief and humanitarian aid to children and families in developing countries." More information can be obtained at www.christianrelieffund.org.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC#11481)--Pioneer Bible Translators "work in nine countries to assist native language speakers in translating the Bible, providing literacy training, establish/strengthen churches, and train nationals for partnership." More information can be found at www.pioneerbible.org.
International Justice Mission (CFC#85320)--International Justice Mission "rescues victims of violent oppression including slavery and sex trafficking, ensures aftercare services, pursues perpetrator accountability in local courts and encourages preventative structural change." More information is available at www.ijm.org.
If you are a federal employee, please consider these charities. Each organization helps people in need in different, but necessary, ways. If you know a federal employee, please let him or her know about these organizations. Thanks for reading!
Every year at this time, federal employees (both civilian and military) have an opportunity to designate a portion of their pay checks for the next year to a variety of charities of their choice through the Combined Federal Campaign. The theme of this year's campaign is Making a World of Difference. These are my choices and recommendations for this year:
Christian Relief Fund (CFC#11862)--The Christian Relief Fund is an organization dedicated to "fighting hunger and poverty internationally by providing food, medicine, educational support, Christian disaster relief and humanitarian aid to children and families in developing countries." More information can be obtained at www.christianrelieffund.org.
Pioneer Bible Translators (CFC#11481)--Pioneer Bible Translators "work in nine countries to assist native language speakers in translating the Bible, providing literacy training, establish/strengthen churches, and train nationals for partnership." More information can be found at www.pioneerbible.org.
International Justice Mission (CFC#85320)--International Justice Mission "rescues victims of violent oppression including slavery and sex trafficking, ensures aftercare services, pursues perpetrator accountability in local courts and encourages preventative structural change." More information is available at www.ijm.org.
If you are a federal employee, please consider these charities. Each organization helps people in need in different, but necessary, ways. If you know a federal employee, please let him or her know about these organizations. Thanks for reading!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Just Courage
Gary Haugen, the president and CEO of International Justice Mission (http://www.ijm.org/), senses a restlessness among American Christians. We appear to be dissatisfied with the safety of our routine suburban Christianity in which we pray, read the Bible, attend worship services, and perform small acts of kindness for our neighbors. While none of that is bad and each of those activities is necessary to be fulfilled, we know something vital is missing in such a life.
In his new book, Just Courage, Mr. Haugen argues that many Christians are missing out on the risks and adventure of pursuing justice for the poor. Throughout the world, the poor are suffering from injustice. Little girls in southeast Asia are being kidnapped and enslaved in brothels by adults who will profit from their continual raping by violent men. Widows in Africa are being forced from their homes and property by bullies who would have never had the guts to take on their deceased husbands. Men, women, and children in India are being deceived into slavery and brutally beaten and mutilated so that they remain enslaved.
"The sin of injustice," Mr. Haugen writes, "is defined in the Bible as the abuse of power--abusing power by taking from others the good things that God intended for them, namely, their life, liberty, dignity, or the fruits of their love or their labor" (p. 46). He goes on to argue that Christians need to stand up against violent perpetrators of injustice. Feeding the hungry and providing medical care for the poor are good deeds, but sometimes the world's poor need something more: they need to be rescued from their oppressors, and they need men and women who will risk personal harm to stand between them and their oppressors. They need courageous Christians who will love and protect them.
In the last chapter, Gary Haugen writes, "There are two things that are always the will of God and almost always dangerous: telling the truth and loving needy people...Doing what Jesus does--telling the truth and loving needy people--is inherently unsafe in a fallen world of lies and selfishness...It's not safe to love people in need...It's messy, untidy, unsafe, and even dangerous. And yet, paradoxically, Jesus tells us this is where the deepest joy is found"(pp. 115-116).
Just Courage is a small book with a powerful message. If you are bored with your Christianity, this could be the book for you. You just might be inspired to join International Justice Mission in its efforts to rescue slaves and prosecute oppressors. You might be inspired to serve the poor in some other way. You will be challenged to have the love and courage to
"Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17, NIV).
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Inspirational Churches in Asia
The latest edition of the Christian Standard contains a couple of inspiring articles about Christian Churches in Cambodia and China that I would like to share.
At http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=907, you may read the article "CHURCHES WITHOUT STEEPLES: Near the Gates of Hell." In the story, you will read about a church being planted in a former Cambodian brothel. The Christians in that country are working with International Justice Mission to rescue and care for the child sex slaves of their nation. They are working and worshiping in one of the world's darkest environments.
At http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=908, you may read the article "CHURCHES WITHOUT STEEPLES: Planting a Workplace Church in China." In the story, you will read about a young American Christian woman who traveled to China in order to work in a factory so that she could share the message of Christ with the Chinese people. As a result, a church was established in the factory.
When I think about such people, I'm inspired to keep going. Also, I'm encouraged, because I know that such stories are just the tip of the iceberg; how many other good things are being done by followers of Jesus Christ around the world that I do not know about?
At http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=907, you may read the article "CHURCHES WITHOUT STEEPLES: Near the Gates of Hell." In the story, you will read about a church being planted in a former Cambodian brothel. The Christians in that country are working with International Justice Mission to rescue and care for the child sex slaves of their nation. They are working and worshiping in one of the world's darkest environments.
At http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=908, you may read the article "CHURCHES WITHOUT STEEPLES: Planting a Workplace Church in China." In the story, you will read about a young American Christian woman who traveled to China in order to work in a factory so that she could share the message of Christ with the Chinese people. As a result, a church was established in the factory.
When I think about such people, I'm inspired to keep going. Also, I'm encouraged, because I know that such stories are just the tip of the iceberg; how many other good things are being done by followers of Jesus Christ around the world that I do not know about?
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Jesus and Justice
In 1994, Gary Haugen was a Harvard-educated lawyer working for the U.S. Department of Justice when 800,000 people in Rwanda were slaughtered in an 8-week genocide. He was loaned out to the United Nations to direct its investigation of the murders.
His investigation changed his life. His eyes were opened to suffering and injustice in our world on a scale he had never seen. A few years later, Gary Haugen founded the International Justice Mission, an organization committed to freeing victims of oppression, prosecuting perpetrators, securing safe places of caring for victims, and changing communities so that injustice is no longer acceptable.
In his book Terrify No More, Mr. Haugen wrote,
"In former jobs I had traveled the world, witnessing the results of injustice, from abusive and murderous police and soldiers in the Philippines to South African apartheid to genocide in Rwanda. I had frequent conversations with attorney friends from church about a gap that existed in the great humanitarian efforts established worldwide. Wonderful organizations addressed many needs of the poor---providing comfort, housing, medical care, and food. But an obvious question emerged: Why don't we rescue them when they are being abused?
"There were, for instance, efforts in Cambodia to feed the hungry, heal the sick, shelter the homeless, and preach the gospel; some of these ministrations were offered within yards of the brothels of Svay Pak. Although some of these efforts might reduce the risk of some children being sold as sex slaves, what about the kids who were inside the brothels and getting abused now? Who was going to get them out? And who was going to do the most powerful thing to prevent it from happening again; that is, who was going to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice? What were we doing when the poor suffered because of the abuse and oppression of other people?
"The question became even more acute as I considered the commitments of my community of faith, and especially as I considered the teachings of Scripture on the matter. When I was directing the UN's genocide investigation in Rwanda, it became clear in the aftermath of those massacres that at the point of most critical need, as blood-hungry mobs circled the churches in which the victims huddled, those victims were not crying out for food, medicine, or housing. They were crying out for someone to restrain the hand of the oppressor. And likewise for the girls in the brothels of Svay Pak; their very souls were crying out for someone to rescue them from the hands of those who, day by day, abused them in ways that cannot be described in polite company. Who was going to respond to that need and see that the purveyors of such brutality were actually made to pay a price for their crimes?" (pp. 33-34).
Today Gary Haugen and his team of private investigators, attorneys, and social workers risk their lives to rescue victims of abuse and oppression around the globe.
In many ways, he is following the example of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of his ministry, Christ announced,
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19, NIV).
At the cross, Christ gave his life to rescue us from the abuse, oppression, and slavery of sin. He defeated Satan and his co-conspirators of injustice. He built a church to provide a safe place of caring for victims. His actions continue to change the world as more and more of us are no longer satisfied in doing nothing while our neighbors are being oppressed by sin.
His investigation changed his life. His eyes were opened to suffering and injustice in our world on a scale he had never seen. A few years later, Gary Haugen founded the International Justice Mission, an organization committed to freeing victims of oppression, prosecuting perpetrators, securing safe places of caring for victims, and changing communities so that injustice is no longer acceptable.
In his book Terrify No More, Mr. Haugen wrote,
"In former jobs I had traveled the world, witnessing the results of injustice, from abusive and murderous police and soldiers in the Philippines to South African apartheid to genocide in Rwanda. I had frequent conversations with attorney friends from church about a gap that existed in the great humanitarian efforts established worldwide. Wonderful organizations addressed many needs of the poor---providing comfort, housing, medical care, and food. But an obvious question emerged: Why don't we rescue them when they are being abused?
"There were, for instance, efforts in Cambodia to feed the hungry, heal the sick, shelter the homeless, and preach the gospel; some of these ministrations were offered within yards of the brothels of Svay Pak. Although some of these efforts might reduce the risk of some children being sold as sex slaves, what about the kids who were inside the brothels and getting abused now? Who was going to get them out? And who was going to do the most powerful thing to prevent it from happening again; that is, who was going to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice? What were we doing when the poor suffered because of the abuse and oppression of other people?
"The question became even more acute as I considered the commitments of my community of faith, and especially as I considered the teachings of Scripture on the matter. When I was directing the UN's genocide investigation in Rwanda, it became clear in the aftermath of those massacres that at the point of most critical need, as blood-hungry mobs circled the churches in which the victims huddled, those victims were not crying out for food, medicine, or housing. They were crying out for someone to restrain the hand of the oppressor. And likewise for the girls in the brothels of Svay Pak; their very souls were crying out for someone to rescue them from the hands of those who, day by day, abused them in ways that cannot be described in polite company. Who was going to respond to that need and see that the purveyors of such brutality were actually made to pay a price for their crimes?" (pp. 33-34).
Today Gary Haugen and his team of private investigators, attorneys, and social workers risk their lives to rescue victims of abuse and oppression around the globe.
In many ways, he is following the example of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of his ministry, Christ announced,
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19, NIV).
At the cross, Christ gave his life to rescue us from the abuse, oppression, and slavery of sin. He defeated Satan and his co-conspirators of injustice. He built a church to provide a safe place of caring for victims. His actions continue to change the world as more and more of us are no longer satisfied in doing nothing while our neighbors are being oppressed by sin.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Human Trafficking Awareness Day
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19, NIV).
In recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Day (http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/110/sc/sc40.pdf), I would like to share the following information from an e-mail from Shared Hope International:
*Human trafficking is 'modern day slavery' and women and children are trafficked in nearly every country---even in the United States.
*The marketplace for sex trafficking works like a shopping mall, and when demand exceeds supply, traffickers will manipulate, coerce, and force victims to meet demand. The only way to stop sex trafficking is to end demand. Learn more at http://www.enddemand.org/.
*The average age of entry into prostitution in the U.S. is 12 years old. These are innocent children who need our protection. Join the Defenders today! Learn more at http://www.thedefendersusa.org/.
*Shared Hope International is actively combating sex trafficking by rescuing and restoring women across the globe. To learn more visit us at http://www.sharedhope.org/.
I am also aware of the work of the International Justice Mission (http://www.ijm.org/), which works around the world to end slavery. These organizations are working hard to help the oppressed gain freedom around the world.
because he has anointed me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19, NIV).
In recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Day (http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/bills.text/110/sc/sc40.pdf), I would like to share the following information from an e-mail from Shared Hope International:
*Human trafficking is 'modern day slavery' and women and children are trafficked in nearly every country---even in the United States.
*The marketplace for sex trafficking works like a shopping mall, and when demand exceeds supply, traffickers will manipulate, coerce, and force victims to meet demand. The only way to stop sex trafficking is to end demand. Learn more at http://www.enddemand.org/.
*The average age of entry into prostitution in the U.S. is 12 years old. These are innocent children who need our protection. Join the Defenders today! Learn more at http://www.thedefendersusa.org/.
*Shared Hope International is actively combating sex trafficking by rescuing and restoring women across the globe. To learn more visit us at http://www.sharedhope.org/.
I am also aware of the work of the International Justice Mission (http://www.ijm.org/), which works around the world to end slavery. These organizations are working hard to help the oppressed gain freedom around the world.
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