Church Engagement
Mobilise your church to respond to the biblical call to ‘seek justice’.
Here are some specific ways to get involved:
Lead
God offers us the opportunity to lead our communities in the struggle for justice. These IJM resources are a great way to start on the journey.
Pray
Prayer is the vehicle through which IJM staff draw courage, seek God's help and guidance, and give thanks. Become an IJM Prayer Partner to receive weekly prayer e-mails.
Give
Behind IJM's field staff stand thousands of people who believe that every individual deserves a life of freedom and dignity. Stand with IJM as you follow God's call to seek justice in a very practical way.
Serve
The work of justice requires the commitment of people from diverse fields. Discover how you can use your professional training and expertise to respond to God's call to seek justice.
Churches Seeking Justice
As Christians, we worship a God who is passionate to rescue the oppressed. In fact, both the Old and New Testament highlight justice as one of three areas essential for authentic faith:
- “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” - Micah 6:8
- “But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness.” - Matthew 23:23
Justice is close to the heart of God and he has given us a mandate to "seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17) Please join us by sharing with your church the darkness of oppression and God's call for Christians to stand against injustice.
IJM UK is supported by people from all church backgrounds and none. IJM staff (of various denominations) are united by one faith, expressed in the Apostles Creed, which is IJM’s statement of faith.
Endorsements
"The valuable work of IJM, in the words of Matthew 25 - the parable of the sheep and the goats - is to respond to the biblical mandate for justice, by serving Christ among the victims of oppression and injustice in God's world" The Most Revd. and Rt Hon. Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.
"Justice is in the heart of God, and is a significant part of our mission in the world. Every church should hear about the work of International Justice Mission. They will help you make a difference in the world." Dr. Rick Warren, Author, The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor, Saddleback Church.
“As a Christian lawyer I am delighted to endorse a Christian organisation concerned to see justice for the poor, the weak, and the disadvantaged." Caroline Beasley-Murray HM Coroner for the County of Essex and Thurrock.
Educate, Explore, Engage
To bring lasting change to communities suffering from injustice, it is essential to mobilise the global church to action. The church has the spiritual and material resources to bring rescue and restoration to victims, to protect the vulnerable, and to equip national leaders to restore broken justice systems.
Educate
Awareness is necessary to advance the work of justice. Often people are not aware of the specific issues of injustice in the world today nor that they can do something about it. Sharing with your church, friends, and family will result in a growing number of advocates for the oppressed.
IJM sermons focus on the biblical mandate to seek justice, and share inspiring real-life stories of people who have been oppressed and are now free.
IJM resources provide excellent ways in which to develop your understanding of injustice and ground that knowledge within the context of God’s biblical mandate.
For those in church leadership, see resources available at www.ijminstitute.org.
Explore
In order to be an advocate for the oppressed, it is important to learn about the injustices that impact their lives.
In communities in which your church has already sent missionaries, talk with your local partners to determine the type and magnitude of injustices that are faced by the poor in those areas. Train all your short term mission teams to identify issues of injustice while in the field. For more information about short term missions training, e-mail contact@ijmuk.org
Engage
IJM works with churches to develop a custom plan for engagement. Contact us to discuss partnership ideas.
Justice Trips for Christian Professionals are run by IJM UK. To discuss the potential of sending members of your church please contact Terry Tennens: contact@ijmuk.org
Churches can transform entire communities by sending IJM investigators, lawyers, and social workers to “seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). Click here to find out how to give to IJM UK. Please also e-mail contact@ijmuk.org to learn more about how you can partner financially with IJM.
IJM UK wants to encourage and support church leaders as they seek to lead their church closer to the Father’s heart for justice. The IJM Institute is a web based community where leaders can share ideas related to justice ministry and gain access to cutting edge tools, best practices, and theological reflection. You can apply to join the IJM institute at: www.ijminstitute.org.
Tell Us Your Story
We would like to know how your church has been inspired and taken concrete steps to get involved in the work of justice. Please share ways that your church has spread awareness, explored injustice in a specific community, advocated for the oppressed, or supported the work of IJM.
IJM UK Prayer Partners
Prayer plays a vital role in IJM’s work, as the vehicle through which IJM staff draw courage, seek guidance and give thanks. Prayer partners stand alongside IJM by committing to support the vision and work of the organisation to prayer.
Prayer Partners will receive regular prayer update e-mails, as well as notification when urgent prayer needs arise. Contact us and ask to receive these confidential updates.
In addition, there is an annual IJM Global Prayer Gathering. Each year in March or April, IJM Field Office Directors from around the world gather in the Washington D.C. area to join hundreds of IJM supporters to intercede on behalf of the oppressed. Support IJM Field Offices in prayer as you hear about the trials and miracles that shape their work. Be encouraged and broken by the stories of those who have been rescued from violent oppression, and leave with a renewed passion for God’s justice.
Oliver Wright attended the GPG in 2008:
“The excuse to spend a long weekend in Washington, DC is always a welcome one. However, the impact the GPG had on me will now act as a far more significant motive for returning in years to come. Some people at the event were still very new supporters of IJM, unaware of some of the realities of its case work. I felt I was already well informed but the new stories I heard, especially those given first hand from victims, challenged me in new ways. Indeed when travelling back I felt that life could no longer include justice as one of my many interests, but rather, seeking justice must become part of my lifestyle. The GPG was an opportunity to feel what it is to be a justice generation in all we do because it demonstrated how sharing in God’s broken-heartedness and passion should be a natural part of our worship of him.”
