As a Christian, I am often embarrassed by the squabbles that occur within the church. Tangential issues suck up the time, energy and creativity of churches instead of seeking to be the powerful agents of change that we could be. Today I learned of a unifying issue of real significance: ending slavery. The campaign called The Amazing Change is joining together organizations, churches and individuals to bring an end to the terrible forms of slavery that still exist in our world.
This is an issue close to my heart. When I was in Thailand I saw the sex trade in action. It is quite pervasive there. I spent time with girls who had been saved from this degrading life and I learned how they can never go home again. I played with children who were orphaned by AIDS because their mothers contracted the disease in a brothel. Although slavery feels far removed from our shores—it is here, too. I see signs of it in the “beauty parlors” with darkened windows in Chinatown.
I’m not saying that the church in ineffective or that this is the only unifying issue. In my work at religious non-profits I’ve seen amazing things happen through the church and through cooperative church efforts. I am refreshed; however, to be reminded that we are still able to pool our resources and creativity to do God’s will in a very big way.
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