Idea Camp: Justice & Compassion

I’m excited about the upcoming Idea Camp this weekend in Washington, DC. I hate that I can’t make it. It looks like it is going to be a great time with a lot of key conversations happening between various leaders.

This camp’s theme is Justice & Compassion. Leaders from organizations like the ones below (and more) will be leading workshops on various justice and compassion issues. Pray for them and pray that the fruit will be greater advancement of gospel-justice in our world!

International Justice Mission,
Help End Local Poverty
Change.org
Charity Water
Eleho
Enough is Enough
Exponential Network
Gift Card Giver
H2O 4 All
Leadership Network
Lemonade International
National Community Church
New Thing Network
ONE
One Days Wages
Prison Fellowship International
Opportunity International
SIM (Serving in Mission)

You can check out the Idea Camp’s social networking site here, follow-us on Twitter, join us on Facebook and watch some previous sessions from Irvine, CA on Vimeo.

[HT: Chris Marlow of Helt End Local Poverty]

Pro-Life and Adoption

In his review of the movie, Lake of Fire, which portrays the Christian response to abortion in a stereotypical and negative light, Zach Nielson ponders what it would look for the church to truly care for the voiceless inside and outside the womb:

What if our churches were teeming with orphans that were given up for adoption or were formerly entrenched in the foster care system? What kind of a picture of compassion would that send to an on looking world? What if the norm in our culture was for churches to be known for their orphan care? If we are really pro-life, why don’t we rescue more kids? If this were the norm for Christians would this not potentially prove to be a viable and winsome option for single pregnant women? I can’t shake the connection between being pro-life and adoption.

Yes we still needs to fight for legislation that will outlaw abortion (and I will do that), but along with that, as Christians we need to fight just as hard to be a gospel-centered witness of compassion and care for those who are voiceless and helpless inside the womb and outside of it.

Read the whole review here.

A Picture of Hunger

I saw in one of their faces my own 2 year old. Please watch and pray. 

(HT: All for One and One for All)

Sara Groves, “I Saw What I Saw”

This makes me want to get on the next plane to Africa…

[HT: Worth the Cost]

“Enough is as good as a feast”

You may have seen this story of the wealthy family in Atlanta that is selling their $1.8 million mansion and giving half the proceeds to charity. It has brought up a lot of good (and frustrating) discussion about how much wealth is really needed and what we can do to make a difference.

This story and Todd’s recent post has challenged me think more seriously about what is “enough” for my family and what that means for us. I am made freshly aware that I am prone to move towards comfort instead of need and my soul needs these regular reminders and stirrings. I have also been thinking about this in light of God’s heart for His people and the poor. It is something that I keep running into in the Word and if there’s anyone in the world that ought to be concerned and broken over the injustice that exists it is God’s people made in His image and specifically called to action.

I can’t help but wonder what this would mean for the poor in our community and around the world if we were take this seriously? I mean, if we really got to a place where “enough” truly was a “feast” to us we would be free to make a difference in a radical way.

The good news to us who are in Christ is that He alone is enough! It has less to do with material things than I tend to think it does and our culture tells us it does. Wow. That is radical.

The richest of all is the one who knows that in Christ he has all the treasures and supplies he needs.