Social Justice and New Churches

Pre-conference Intensive: Social Justice and New Churches

When: Monday, April 21, 1pm - 5pm and Tuesday, April 22, 9am - 11am

Leader: Troy Jackson, University Christian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio

Other speakers:

  • Kirsten Strand - Director of Community 4:12 at Community Christian church in Naperville, IL.
  • Mary Nelson - Retired President of Bethel New Life, a west side Chicago faith based community development organization with a national reputation for cutting edge initiatives.
  • Alvin Bibbs - Executive Director of Multi-Cultural Church Relations for the Willow Creek Association in South Barrington, IL.

Description:
Over the last decade, a passion for Social Justice has grown exponentially in our culture and our churches. Following the lead of celebrities from Bono to Oprah to Bill & Melinda Gates, and of Christian organizations like Sojourners and the Willow Creek Association, issues of race, poverty, genocide, global trade, HIV/AIDS, the environment, and peace have become pervasive. To be relevant in 2008, your new church must wrestle with these social justice concerns. Further, a close reading of Scripture makes clear that a passion for justice is not only demanded by our culture, but is also mandated by God.

This pre-conference intensive seminar will help you consider how to make social justice part of the DNA of your new congregation. We will explore ways to move beyond concern to concrete action that will excite and inspire your attendees and lead people in your community who had written off the church as unconcerned to take a new look at Jesus.

This intensive will consider these questions facing your new church:

• How prominent should social justice be for our new congregation?

• Is social justice best understood as a new and relevant apologetic or as a mode of evangelism, or should social justice have an even greater role in our new church?

• Should we engage national and local politics, or avoid politics altogether?

• How can our congregation move from awareness and concern to actually making a difference in a hurting world?

• What resources can our church use to be better engaged, informed, and involved in making a difference globally for God's Kingdom?