Shalom is Good News

A woman entered our clinic in Somalia and sat down in front of me. She never looked up, keeping her eyes downcast towards the floor. I greeted her and asked her how we could help her and to explain what her health needs were. She did not respond. My interpreter sitting next to me muttered angrily. I felt God prompt me to speak truth to her and said “Do you know that God knows your name”. She immediately looked up at me and peered intensely into my eyes, tears building up and spilling over. I rested my hand on her shoulder and affirmed the truth she so needed to hear, she was someone whom God knew and loved. With this bond of trust established she opened up that her she a prolapsed uterus and we were able to help her medically.

Would our institutional donors consider this proselytism?  Would you feel uncomfortable with this?

Here was a lady in obvious need. Her medical condition had exacerbated her feeling of isolation and worthlessness. Being present with her and out of compassion to her, prompted by God to speak truth, both her emotional and medical needs were reached, plus a spiritual truth declared opening her heart to healing. This was Good News to her.

At no point in this meeting was there any agenda to convert her. Nor was there a mental dialogue going on in my head to ensure I was balancing word and deed. It was a simple act of love springing out of Spirit led discernment.

Integral Mission is action.

Many of us feel comfortable with doing good works. We hesitate with speaking truth, fearing that this will be construed as proselytism. We also need to hear the Good News – speaking truth brings liberation, healing, reconciliation, wholeness and Shalom, not just to those whom we serve and love but to ourselves.

Ethical Position
The real concern is that we do not use a position of power to coerce or manipulate someone to convert. The story above demonstrates well that there was no coercion and no intention to try and convert.

Here are a few principles to guide us: (extracted from Elmer Thiesson’s paper present in Thun)

Dignity of People: to protect and uphold the dignity of every person and community, never treating anyone as a project or means to an end.

Care for the whole person: physical, social, economic, political, intellectual, emotional and spiritual.

Freedom of Choice: being sensitive to the position of power we all may hold, ensure each person and community has the freedom of choice to express and live out their faith.

Live with integrity, truthfulness, straight forwardness, authenticity: never hide who you are in Christ

Humility: share your life with humility, never patronising, never paternalistic, never arrogant, never dogmatic.

Tolerant and accepting: demonstrate sensitivity and inclusion to all

Motivation: be honest about why we do what we do

Equality: invite the free expression of opinions and faiths

Let’s be open to speak truth wisely, discerningly and motivated by love.

Grace and peace
Sheryl Haw
International Director

Micah Statement on the Panama Papers and Corruption

The evolving news since the release of the Panama Papers has highlighted the shocking level of money that has been hoarded in tax havens. Micah has responded to this through the publication of a statement and a call to leaders to act with greater transparency and integrity. Do use this statement to raise awarness in your context and help your church explore this further.

M-Series Launched

The Micah Global publishing arm, "im:press", has published the first two books in our M-Series on Intgeral Foundations:

1) Integral Mission: Biblical Foundations by Melba Maggay

2) Five Marks of Mission: making God's mission ours by Chris Wright

You can order a copy (e-book or a printed version).

Blogging

Continuing to link to blog sites to follow:

Churches Changing Nations: Richard Lister works with Tearfund UK in their UMOJA / CCMP (Church and Community Mobilisation Project). Read up on some of the amazing learning gained on key integral mission topics.

Amanda Advocates: Amanda Jackson, WEA  Women;s Commission Director. Read  her recent note an amazing stories of courage.

Stott-Bediako Forum 2016

The 2016 Annual Stott-Bediako Forum on the Gospel and World Today will be held 13- 14 June 2016, at the Oxford Center for Mission Studies – OCMS, Oxford, UK.  This year’s theme is “The Refugee Crisis: A Shared Human Condition.”

To register and to find our more see here.

ISAAC Asia Regional Conference 2016

ISAAC: International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition

ISAAC (a member of Micah) is an international network of Christians responding to the escalating problem of substance misuse and addiction.

Dates: 10th to 14th October 2016

Location: YMCA International House, Yangon, Myanmar

For more information see Facebook page

To register or ask for further infromation email here.

Ethical Fashion Guide

Extract from Tearfund New Zealand  Their Catalyst Network newsletter

Baptist World Aid have released the 2016 Ethical Fashion guide.  Using an updated research tool, Baptist World Aid rates how ethical the supply chains of fashion brands are.  By using this guide, we can harness our consumer power to reward those brands who are doing well and lobby our favorite brands that didn’t rate so well to improve their performance. To find our more about the guide or to order see here.

Cedar Fund: 25 Years On

Cedar Fund (based in Hong Kong) have been serving the poor and disadvantaged for 25 years. On the 9th July 2016 they will celebrate this as well as welcome in their new CEO. See here for more info.

Annual Prayer Breakfast

The 20th Annual Prayer Breakfast will be hosted by IPMI on the 18th June 2016.

Theme: Impacting Lives and Transforming Nations Through Prayer

Location: New York

Keynote Speaker: Joel Edwards

For more information see here.

Micah Events

Cameroon: Integral Mission Conversation: 7th to 9th July 2016

Rwanda: International School of Reconciliation: 9th to 26th August 2016

United Kingdom: Micah National Coordinators Workshop: 8th to 12th August 2016

Liberia: Integral Mission Conversation: 23rd to 24th August 2016

Honduras: Latin American Consultation: Integral Mission in Violent Places: 5th to 9th September 2016

Kenya: Integral Mission and Tribalism: 22nd to 23rd September 2016

Thailand: Asia Regional Consultation: Integral Mission and the Common Good: 7th to 11th November 2016