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Desert Mentality
The Church (Ecclesia): A people called out to take responsibility.
After years of slavery and bondage, the Israelites are led out of Egypt with signs and wonders, with miraculous provision and the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey.
God wanted to bless them so that they would be a blessing, so that he could demonstrate his character to all, so that they would be a light to the nations. God had great things on his heart for the people of Israel. But, despite all of this, the Israelites hardened their hearts and ended up wondering around the desert for 40 years. In fact only 2 people from those saved out of Egypt entered the Promised Land.
The analogy for us as believers today is challenging. We can be called out of darkness and embrace the salvation that Christ brings, but never enter into the promises that God has prepared for us – The Kingdom of God. In other words, we are saved but never used – we never leave the desert.
Insurance only: seeing the Gospel as a 'get out of hell' card will leave us in the desert. Reducing Christianity to a spiritual experience and not walking in the blessing which leads to living out the Kingdom of God, will trap us in the desert.
Desert Mentality: how do we get this? Perhaps we abuse grace – we flirt with sin, we get addicted to convenience, we prefer the safety of tradition, we fear the consequences of change, we see obstacles and allow doubts to dictate our actions.
Hebrews 3:7-19 is a warning and a calling to us to not harden our hearts but to exercise a radical and even outrageous faith that has the eye on the Kingdom of God and moves into it with boldness and confidence that God will make a way and that we can be a blessing to all around us.
What does this mean for all of us in Micah in 2016?
A Clear Vision of the Kingdom of God: focus on what the Kingdom of God looks like in our lives, our families, our communities and nations. Let’s decide today to move towards this vision.
A Strong Conviction to live a life of integrity: let’s stop flirting with darkness. Embrace Micah 6:8 daily as we make choices.
A Persistent Walk Together: let’s choose to pursue justice and righteousness, to disciple our nations, to seek the common good for all our communities – let’s do this intentionally and purposefully together.
Our hope and prayer in Micah for 2016 is that we call people out of the Desert; into all that God has for us in the Kingdom of God.
May we be a people called out to take responsibility.
Happy New Year!
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Launch: GlobalChurch Project
While every statistic available today shows the church in the West is in multi-generational decline, the opposite is true almost everywhere else.
Non-Western cultures are now the Majority World.
The churches of these cultures have seen extraordinary (and sustained) growth for decades. Places like Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Oceania and the Caribbean. The Middle East and Eastern Europe. First Nations and Indigenous communities. Finally, diaspora and immigrant Christian communities are also going through a time of growth and revitalization.
Insights from churches in these cultures can help renew the worldwide church. They can invigorate other Majority World churches, as they learn from each other. And they have the power to invest Western mission, worship, and discipleship strategies with new vibrancy.
The GlobalChurch Project founder - Graham Hill - has travelled the globe to meet and interview hundreds of church leaders from the Majority World. This GlobalChurch Project resource website is their voice.
Each interview is accompanied by small group resources, curriculum for college classes, books, blog posts and more. Whether you're a pastor, a student, a teacher, or a church planter, these voices are for you.
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Micah Global is excited have partnered with Graham Hill on this important project. You may have met Graham at our recent Global Consultation in Lima or speaking at Voices for Justice in Australia.
We encourage you to learn more and spread the word about these resources using this inspiring introductory video and using the GlobalChurch Project website: www.theglobalchurchproject.com
Micah members will receive a 10% discount on resource subscriptions through the GlobalChurch Project. To make the most of this discount, please send an email to coordinator@micahnetwork.org.
Graham's latest book Global Church is also now available through InterVarsiy Press.
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COP21 Joint Statement
In our recent newsletters, we have been highlighting the UN Climate Talks COP21. Several Micah members were represented and actively engaged in this event in December.
The World Evangelical Alliance, A Rocha International, Tearfund and the Lausanne Creation Care Network have published a joint statement welcoming the Paris Agreement and committing to hold world leaders to account for its implementation and to continuing to speak out for climate justice.
You can read the full statement here.
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Europe Regional Consultation
Micah Global is excited to be co-hosting the CCD Conference 2016 as our Europe Regional Consultation.
The theme for this year will be Doing Church God’s Way: Rethinking Faith and Development and registration is now open!
Dates:
Monday May 30th – Friday June 3rd, 2016
Location:
Christian Conference Centre Schoenblick, Schwaebisch-Gmuend, Germany (near Stuttgart)
Guest speakers include: Jayakumar Christian (India), Jenny Yang (USA), Ash Barker (UK), Rosalee Velloso (Brazil), Johannes Reimer (Germany) and many more...
A draft timetable is available here.
Register early to be sure not to miss out on this unique opportunity to learn and share together!
Any enquiries about the conference or the registration process can be sent to: rhauer@aem.de
We hope to see you there!
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Member Events
Carriers of Peace
January 14th-17th
Kiev region, Irpin Str. Suvorov 1, the Association "Spiritual Revival", Ukraine
Keynote Speaker: Johannes Reimer
More information: Send an email
Fundación Kairos and Casa del Ciruelo
Pies en la Terra (Feet on the Earth)
February 6th - 9th, 2016
Córdoba, Argentina
An opportunity to share experiences working in Care of Creation.
More information: click here
Global Connections Integral Mission Forum
Are We Really Inclusive?
February 23rd, 2016
6 Marshalsea Road, London, United Kingdom
A Biblical and practical response to including people with disabilities in our relief and development programmes.
More information: click here
HNGR symposium 2016
A Well-Watered Garden: Cultivating Hope and Transformation
February 25th - 27th, 2016
Wheaton College, IL, USA
Keynote Speaker: Dr Melba Maggay
More information: click here
ForMission College
A Sustainable Future: A serious look at the new Sustainable Development Goals
March 5th, 2016
Bournville College
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Aimed to motivate you, introduce you to the SDGs and enable you to take sustainable action in your community.
More information: click here
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Sustainable Development and Human Flourishing
Call for Papers
Theme: Sustainable Development and Human Flourishing
An invitation from the Christian Journal for Global Health for authors seeking to participate in conversations about heath, human flourishing, development, community health evangelism, social justice, and global health access to share their insights, reflections and research.
Deadline: February 31st
More information and submission details: click here.
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Resources
Scars Across Humanity: Understanding and Overcoming Violence Against Women
Elaine Storkey
Combining rigorous research and compelling personal testimonies, Elaine Storkey investigates the different forms of violence experienced by women across the globe today.
An Other Kingdom: Departing the Consumer Culture"
Walter Brueggemann, Peter Block & John McKnight
"We need a new narrative, a shift in our thinking and speaking"
An Other Kingdom takes us out of a culture of addictive consumption into a place where life is ours to create together.
The Core Humanitarian Standards
The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is an internationally recognised tool for any organisation involved in humanitarian response.
The CHS sets out Nine Commitments that organisations and individuals involved in humanitarian response can use to improve the quality and effectiveness of the assistance they provide. It also facilitates greater accountability to communities and people affected by crisis.
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Membership News
Membership Applications
As we continue to refine our new identity as Micah Global, we have simplified our Micah membership application form and updated the application process for 2016.
You can download the application form and corresponding documents online here.
Contributions
With the start of a new year, we are once again calling on all current Micah members to make their annual membership contribution.
Completing this payment early in the year helps us to budget accordingly for the year's activities.
Not a member? You are welcome to contribute by making a donation via our contributions page here.
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