Micah Challenge Edmonton
About the Micah Challenge

What is the Micah Challenge?

Micah Challenge is a global Christian campaign. Our aims are to deepen our engagement with impoverished and marginalised communities; and to challenge international leaders, and leaders of rich and poor countries, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and so halve absolute global poverty by 2015!

Why is the Micah Challenge Important to Christians?

Micah Challenge is a global campaign to mobilize Christians against poverty. The campaign aims to deepen Christian engagement with impoverished and marginalised communities, AND to influence leaders of rich and poor nations to fulfil their promise to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

These two aims - one looking inward and calling on Christians, and the other looking outward and calling on leaders - are interlocked.

For many Christians, churches, and Christian organizations, engagement in political advocacy with poor communities will be a new step built upon a new understanding of Christ's mission for the church. Micah Challenge is encouraging these Christians to explore and embrace 'integral mission' –  the belief that social justice and action are integral to the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel. We cannot separate our faith from our action because the way we live our lives decalres our beliefs. As in the life of Jesus, being, doing and saying are at  the heart of our integral task.

Why is it Important Today?

The MDGs are a pact between rich and poor, and a roadmap to halve poverty. In 2000, all 191 member states of the United Nations, and the global financial institutions, publicly promised to halve poverty by 2015 by achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals. They reaffirmed their promise at the World Summit of 2005.

The Micah Challenge was created to grasp a moment of unique potential. A moment when the stated intention of all of the world's leaders to halve poverty by 2015, echoes something of the mind of the Biblical prophets and the teachings of Jesus concerning the poor. A moment when the world has the means to dramatically reduce poverty and hunger!

With the creation of the MDGs there is a clear commitment and timetable that global leaders have signed up to. The goals include measurable, time-bound targets. They are achievable, but not by 'business as usual'. Micah Challenge seeks to mobilze Christians to work at the local, national and global level to hold our goverments accountable for the promises they've made.

 

The Micah Call

This is a moment in history of unique potential,
when the stated intentions of world leaders
echo something of the mind of the Biblical prophets
and the teachings of Jesus concerning the poor, and
when we have the means to dramatically reduce poverty.

We commit ourselves, as followers of Jesus,
to work together for the holistic transformation of our communities,
to pursue justice, be passionate about kindness
and to walk humbly with God.

We call on international and national decision-makers
of both rich and poor nations, to fulfil their public promise
to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
and so halve absolute global poverty by 2015.

We call on Christians everywhere to be agents of hope
for and with the poor, and to work with others
to hold our national and global leaders accountable
in securing a more just and merciful world.

 

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8