Christian Aid pitches funding appeal to evangelical and new churches
-18/02/05
Leading UK development agency Christian Aid is to launch a financial appeal specifically geared for the ënew churchesí ñ independent and networked evangelical, charismatic and pentecostal congregations.
The ëAct Justlyí appeal (which takes its title from a phrase coined by the ancient Hebrew prophet, Micah) will be launched at Christ Church and Upton Chapel, London, on Friday 18 March.
As the official agency of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Christian Aid has mainly worked with the traditional Christian denominations in the past. However, since the Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt campaign a wide variety of newer churches have expressed an interest in campaigning for a more just world.
Christian Aid has spent the past five years developing fresh relationships with churches outside the usual ecumenical framework.
Resources for the appeal will include a booklet containing six study sessions for small groups. These provide biblical and practical angles on the issues raised by the Make Poverty History campaign – HIV/AIDS, debt cancellation, fair trade and trade justice.
The booklet and appeal will be accompanied by a video, narrated by Baptist minister Steve Chalke. The video tells the story of a trip to Uganda in October 2004 by new church leaders. It includes interviews with US radical evangelical Tony Campolo, Louise Donkin (of Ekklesia partners SPEAK), Jim Wallis (Sojourners) and Bishop Tom Wright of Durham, who is also a well-known biblical scholar and populariser.
The appeal aims to raise money for Christian Aidís partner AIDS Care Education and Training (ACET) in Uganda. Joseph Weyusya from ACET will also be at the launch.
ìGod requires us to ëact justlyí and to ëloose the chains of injusticeí,î says Roger Allen, Christian Aidís adviser for new churches in Britain and Ireland. ìMore and more new churches are taking action to tackle the root causes of poverty and the global injustices of our world.î
ìWe believe this is a very good time to be talking with these churches about justice issues and the root causes of global povertyí, adds David Muir, new church coordinator for Christian Aid in London. ìEvangelical and pentecostal churches have previously gravitated towards other relief agencies but in recent years people have become less concerned with ecclesiastical labels.î
Nancy Goudie from New Generation Music and Mission (NGM) was one of those on the trip. ìI have just returned from Uganda and the people I met there, with their stories of hope, have had a profound effect on my life,î she said.
Goudie is encouraging friends in the new churches ìto help Christian Aid and their partners by getting involved in the Act Justly appeal and support[ing] them in any way you canÖ Letís give of our money, our time, our prayers and together letís make a difference.î
Also supporting the venture is Gerald Coates, leader of the Pioneer network of churches. Steve Chalke, whose book The Lost Message of Jesus has caused some controversy in conservative evangelical circles, is hosting the launch.
Churches Together n Britain and Ireland has had no direct involvement in the Christian Aid initiative, but welcomes it. CTBIís Churchesí Commission on Mission has been working with new and ëemergentí churches for some years as part of its Building Bridges of Hope missionary congregation project.
Christian Aid pitches funding appeal to evangelical and new churches
-18/02/05
Leading UK development agency Christian Aid is to launch a financial appeal specifically geared for the ënew churchesí ñ independent and networked evangelical, charismatic and pentecostal congregations.
The ëAct Justlyí appeal (which takes its title from a phrase coined by the ancient Hebrew prophet, Micah) will be launched at Christ Church and Upton Chapel, London, on Friday 18 March.
As the official agency of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Christian Aid has mainly worked with the traditional Christian denominations in the past. However, since the Jubilee 2000 Drop the Debt campaign a wide variety of newer churches have expressed an interest in campaigning for a more just world.
Christian Aid has spent the past five years developing fresh relationships with churches outside the usual ecumenical framework.
Resources for the appeal will include a booklet containing six study sessions for small groups. These provide biblical and practical angles on the issues raised by the Make Poverty History campaign – HIV/AIDS, debt cancellation, fair trade and trade justice.
The booklet and appeal will be accompanied by a video, narrated by Baptist minister Steve Chalke. The video tells the story of a trip to Uganda in October 2004 by new church leaders. It includes interviews with US radical evangelical Tony Campolo, Louise Donkin (of Ekklesia partners SPEAK), Jim Wallis (Sojourners) and Bishop Tom Wright of Durham, who is also a well-known biblical scholar and populariser.
The appeal aims to raise money for Christian Aidís partner AIDS Care Education and Training (ACET) in Uganda. Joseph Weyusya from ACET will also be at the launch.
ìGod requires us to ëact justlyí and to ëloose the chains of injusticeí,î says Roger Allen, Christian Aidís adviser for new churches in Britain and Ireland. ìMore and more new churches are taking action to tackle the root causes of poverty and the global injustices of our world.î
ìWe believe this is a very good time to be talking with these churches about justice issues and the root causes of global povertyí, adds David Muir, new church coordinator for Christian Aid in London. ìEvangelical and pentecostal churches have previously gravitated towards other relief agencies but in recent years people have become less concerned with ecclesiastical labels.î
Nancy Goudie from New Generation Music and Mission (NGM) was one of those on the trip. ìI have just returned from Uganda and the people I met there, with their stories of hope, have had a profound effect on my life,î she said.
Goudie is encouraging friends in the new churches ìto help Christian Aid and their partners by getting involved in the Act Justly appeal and support[ing] them in any way you canÖ Letís give of our money, our time, our prayers and together letís make a difference.î
Also supporting the venture is Gerald Coates, leader of the Pioneer network of churches. Steve Chalke, whose book The Lost Message of Jesus has caused some controversy in conservative evangelical circles, is hosting the launch.
Churches Together n Britain and Ireland has had no direct involvement in the Christian Aid initiative, but welcomes it. CTBIís Churchesí Commission on Mission has been working with new and ëemergentí churches for some years as part of its Building Bridges of Hope missionary congregation project.