We Are Called to Serve the Global Church

By Ben Hampson

We didn’t meet anyone in Malawi who told us that they were exploited by a major corporation or by an unjust government. But by meeting people who have the highest material needs and through discussions with the team about what it means to help the poorest I realised that I have had far less consideration for the global church than I should have. In this blog, I’ll be going through what God calls us to do and some practical ways we can respond.

What does God call us to do?

God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
“How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked?
Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
    maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 82: 1-4 (ESV)

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.

Proverbs 31:8 (NIV)

I realised that I instinctively prioritise convenience over loving the oppressed or the destitute. It’s more convenient for me to buy the cheaper food, but it’s more loving if I pay slightly more for a product which provides a fairer wage to the workers who produced it. It’s sometimes inconvenient to follow global news, but I’m called to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and how can I do that if I’m not aware of their problems? It’s inconvenient or ‘insignificant’ to email my MP about an important issue, but I’m called to speak up about poverty and injustice whether or not I think the impact will be ‘significant’ or not.

On top of that, I have realised that in the past I’ve heard that God calls us to do these things, but I’ve never taken His words with the reverence they deserve. Whereas I would have been sure to try and keep the ten commandments or to love my neighbour as myself, I wouldn’t have given His call to “Rescue the weak and needy” as much thought or effort. God’s words are God’s words - there’s no scale of importance, whereby one sentence is more important than another. It’s therefore clear to me that I need to take the call to serve the poor and oppressed around the world in a much more sincere way.

Convenience, as I have said, can be in direct conflict with the call to serve others, but I don’t think we have to abstain from convenience entirely. We don’t need to painstakingly research every ingredient of five loaves of bread before we choose which one to buy. Instead we need to understand that convenient decisions are often very selfish, and the quickness with which we make these decisions leaves no time to consider our brothers and sisters across the world. Often, taking those small decisions to serve others instead of ourselves is not ‘painstaking’ at all; it merely requires a little bit of awareness about which options are more ethical than others. In other words, we just need to find out which companies are fairer than others. But even if those choices are costly, that’s not necessarily a reason not to do it either. Ultimately, love is far more important than convenience.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,  for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favour of taking part in the relief of the saints—  and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (ESV)

This loving attitude towards the global church, and working out ways to carry out loving actions, can create a very satisfying feeling for a short while. It can even be fashionable. But it cannot be a humble, fruitful, and life-long endeavour without God’s help. For this to be a genuinely loving and long-lasting attitude, we need to pray for a change of heart; from a heart which looks to always serve ourselves to one which longs to serve others. Instead of being people who ignore the plight of the poorest, we must be people who do what the Macedonians did; respond ‘earnestly’.

How can we respond?

After we have asked God for that heart change, we don’t need to wait. Instead, we should carry out practical responses. The following is a collection of things we can do to serve others around the world.

1. Be More Aware

Being more informed and aware of what’s happening around the world can help us to understand the issues, know that we need to pray for them, and become more impassioned about them.

• Follow the news - Stay informed of the what’s happening around the world, and pray about it.
• Ethical Consumer/The Good Shopping Guide - These are rankings of how ethical companies are. Ethical Consumer has a mobile version of their website, so you can quickly check the site when you’re shopping so that you know you’re making the right decisions. I’d recommend beginning by looking up a few categories that you regularly buy things from (e.g. toiletries) and remembering one or two brands which are more ethical and which ones aren’t.
• Trips to developing countries -  For me, visiting Malawi was certainly the best way to learn about what’s happening in developing countries, and to become more passionate about seeking justice. Trips can vary in length, style, and purpose, so there are plenty of options available. Take a look at what Tearfund and other charities have available.
  
• Learn more about an issue you’re passionate about - There are issues, related to poverty or not, which you may be passionate about. Find out which organisations are taking action about it and then read their website, subscribe to their newsletter, pray, and act. A few great organisations to look at are Tearfund, Open Doors, and Amnesty International.
• Tearfund Rhythms - “By doing small, regular actions, we believe that this generation can change the world together. We look around us at a world full of injustice and want to do something. We are a dreaming generation that want to haul God’s dream for the world into reality. And by taking small regular actions, we don’t just change the injustice around us but we change ourselves, becoming more the kinds of people who can make a difference”.

2. Speak up

• Prayer - “…in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” - Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
• Petition - It was, in large part, a petition which led to the abolition of slavery in the UK in 1833. They take very little time to sign but can have a very big impact. Remember that it’s also important not to just sign a petition and forget about the issue - keep up to date with it and pray about it.
• Protest - This was something I felt very challenged about during the trip. Would I protest about something? I realised that I’ve not had a very good image of protestors and I’ve always thought it’s ‘not for people like me’. But my ultimate conclusion is that if I feel passionate about an issue then it’s only right that I speak up about it.
• Talk about issues with your friends - By talking about issues that you care about, you can inform others and spark others to find out more and to do something as well. Another great way to spread the word is by using social media. Share what you’re passionate about.
• Email your MP - I volunteered for an MP, responding to letters and emails which came in. Whilst she didn’t read every letter, she did receive a summary each week of how many people have written in about which issues. This does make a difference because it puts pressure on your MP to actually go to the debates about that issue and speak to the relevant ministers. After all, they want you to vote for them! So a short letter or email to your MP does help. You can find out how to contact your MP, and their voting record, at TheyWorkForYou.com
• Email companies - Whilst it’s important to shop right, it’s also important to let companies know why you are or aren’t buying their products, and what you hope to see changed in the future. Don’t just focus on the negatives - praise companies for their good practices as well. I’m considering having a day or week every year where I write to MPs and companies, praising them for what I agree with and asking them to improve in certain areas. Again, the email doesn’t have to take a long time to write - a concise point is all you need to make to influence the company.
• Fill out company surveys - Cafes and shops often have surveys or comment cards. This is a clear opportunity to request Fairtrade foods and drinks, or to make them aware that you think they ought to pay their workers a living wage.

3. Use Your Money

• Every time you spend money, you’re voting for something. Company decisions are largely based on what the bottom line says, so when you decide to spend your money on one item or rather than another, or in one place rather than another, you’re speaking with your money. When others do the same, the effects can be dramatic. The fact that Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance products are widespread is only because people began to ask for it in shops and because people continue to buy it.

• Move Your Money - After looking at this website and finding out what my bank, Barclays, has been up to, I’ve begun the process of moving my money to the Coventry Building Society. I don’t want my money to be in a bank which has manipulated rates, paid very little corporation tax, and had a very poor human rights record amongst other things. Interestingly, my current account at the Coventry will have almost exactly the same features (online banking, VISA debit card etc.) as my Barclays account does - I had thought that it would be missing something, but it doesn’t. Moving is now easier than ever [link] as well, so there’s barely any inconvenience to me.
• Kiva - By lending to someone, through Kiva’s approved organisations, you can help them invest and move their small business forwards. The loan is repaid to you, and then you can keep re-lending that money over and over again. You can loan just $25 (£15) and it takes just a few minutes to do! If you sign up now at Kiva.org/MiddleEast they actually start with you off with $25 for free.

• Free 2 Play - A simple but clever idea. Every time you play something you enjoy, put £1 aside and donate the total to a charity.
• Give As You Live/Easy Fundraising - I recently installed this toolbar, which gives a small amount to charity every time you shop at a participating retailer online (e.g. Amazon or John Lewis). It’s very unobtrusive too - it only pops up when you’re on a website which participates in the scheme.
• Tearfund have a few more ideas here.

Conclusion

Change does happen because of grassroots movements. In the past four years, the number of militia-run mines in Congo has reduced by two-thirds, because consumers put pressure on lawmakers and companies, like Apple and Intel. Recently, regulators are finally capping the rates and fees short-term loan companies like Wonga can charge after media and public pressure to say changes made. H&M now have an ‘organic’ range, with green tags on them, as part of their efforts to become fairer and more sustainable - it’s not perfect, but it’s a move in the right direction because of consumer pressure. As I’ve mentioned above, there are more Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance products now than ever before. Already, big changes are happening because more and more people are speaking up and making better choices with their money. 

I want to make sure that being informed, making better choices with my money and speaking up is something important and ongoing in my life, not just something that I do as a feel-good gimmick for a few weeks or months. Ultimately, that won’t come about merely by my own strength or persistence - it’ll come as a result of God’s intervention in my thinking. It’s what He calls us to do, and therefore something which He delights to see us do - to become a church prioritising justice over convenience.