Our time at the IJM Conference

3 of our team who attended the conference (4th taking photo)

 

 We were excited to travel through to St Mark's Church in Battersea in London yesterday to attend the IJM (International Justice Mission) conference. The focus of the event was to encourage local churches to become a 'Justice Church', where an emphasis and focus is given to not just talking about justice, but actively doing justice - within our own communities as well as further afield. The verse from Micha 6:8

"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Q&A Pannel

By actively doing justice in society, we become more mature in Christ. We actually put into practise  those things that we have learnt. If we love God, we should love the things he loves and hate the things he hates - justice ministry and mercy ministry does just that! 



In the keynote address, President and CEO if International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen gave some moving stories of a couple of people who had been rescued from a life of slavery and suffering. He also suggested that God does not want to make His people safe, rather He wants to make His people brave! Getting involved in justice ministry requires bravery. It requires extravagant compassion, it requires sacrificial courage and it requires tenacious hope!



Gary Haugen - President and CEO of IJM

There was also opportunity for group discussion which helped churches to figure out how this might work for them in their specific context.

The team left the day inspired and eager to pursue looking into how we can do justice better within our church, community and world. I am sure this is not the last we will be hearing about how we as a church can get involved in justice and the work of IJM, so watch this space!

 

If you would like to know more about the work of IJM, please visit their website by clicking here.