A trio of Christian ministries have launched a video resource to inspire the world's Christians to help end the agony of 1.4 billion people suffering extreme poverty. The International Director of Micah Challenge, Rev Joel Edwards fronts 'The Jesus Agenda' which aims to make the worldwide Church aware of God's passion for people to speak up for the poor.
Christian Aid, Compassion and Micah Challenge have released the 9 mini-videos which include supporting comments from world figures such as ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Alpha Founder Nicky Gumbel. Joel said: "Extreme poverty is a modern day evil. There are an estimated 2 billion Christians in the world which is an unstoppable force to end the plight of the 1.4 billion people suffering extreme poverty. The Jesus Agenda aims to mobilise the worldwide church to speak up for the poor and speak out against the evil of extreme poverty.”
Geoff Tunnicliffe, Secretary General of World Evangelical Alliance which represents 600 million Christians welcomes the resource. He said: “This unique study raises some provocative questions and asks us to re-imagine how Jesus’ words should inspire and motivate the Church today.”
Joel has reason for placing hope in today’s Church: He added: “Words and deeds truly belong together… the Good News straddles all of life. Social action, justice and human rights – once dirty words for many Christians – are now seen as integral to the gospel.”
One interviewee, Pastor Dario Lopez Rodriguez (Peru), explains that Christians are increasingly recognizing their role as citizens, linking their worship with their everyday lives and community involvement. Asked what kind of Jesus he preaches, Lopez said: “God is the God of life. God loves poor people. God loves justice.”
The Jesus Agenda is part of Micah Challenge's wider plan to mobilise Christians to remind world politicians to keep their Millennium Development Goal promises made in 2000 to halve extreme poverty.
Watch the Lopez Rodriguez interview at vimeo.com/micahchallenge/tja1
For more information see thejesusagenda.org.
Micah Challenge, an initiative of the World Evangelical Alliance and Micah Network, is a global movement active in over 40 countries whose aim is to encourage Christians to be committed to the poor, and hold governments accountable to the Millennium Development Goals, signed by 189 countries in the year 2000 which committed to halving world poverty by the year 2015. For more information, go to www.micahchallenge.org.
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