When I speak at churches and campuses around the country I\u2019m often met with people eager to break out of the \u201cAmerican dream\u201d, and give away their money to the cause of ending extreme poverty. Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2014I welcome their donations, and celebrate this response, but I long to see the day when folks are just as compelled to steward their voices for the sake of the poor, as they are their coin. Enter Micah\u2019s Challenge to Our Next President\u2026<\/p>\n
Our government makes decisions every day (ok, lets be honest\u2014these days it\u2019s once in a while), and some of those decisions have a major impact on the poor! As followers of Christ was can\u2019t just turn a blind eye to what our leaders do, but rather must hold them accountable for their decisions. As a community we have been given a powerful voice\u2013will we squander it, or will we use it to boldly proclaim that extreme poverty must end! At a time when government spending Washington needs to get under control the questions we must ask should include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Are we willing to stop providing life saving medications to 6.9 million people around the world in the name of fiscal discipline?
\n\u2022 Are we willing to stop the distribution of millions of insecticide treated bed nets to save money?
\n\u2022 Are we willing to shut off the flow of over $350 Million a year to trusted Christian organizations who implement poverty focused development aid (World Vision, World Relief, Food for the Hungry, the Salvation Army and many more of our favorite orgs)<\/p>\n
Sadly, even if we stopped all poverty focused development aid for the purpose of reigning in spending we would still be facing massive problems because PFDA only makes up 0.5% of our federal budget! At Micah Challenge we believe it is critical that people of faith steward their God given voices and speak up for those in extreme poverty who lack representation this election season\u2014That is why we\u2019ve launched \u201cMicah\u2019s Challenge to Our Next President\u201d.<\/p>\n
From September 9-October 7 Churches around the country will break the rules\u2013they\u2019re going to talk about politics from the pulpit. OK, they\u2019re not really breaking any official rules, just our social norms regarding church and elections. Micah\u2019s Challenge to Our Next President is not a place for partisan politics, but rather a prayerful, powerful, and prophetic way for churches to engage with the presidential election. It is a time to proclaim that our God is a God of justice who has deep concern for the poor\u2013and that as followers of Christ we share that conviction. Neither candidate or party has it right\u2013we want to make sure both President Obama and Governor Romney know where we as Christians stand, and how we want them to respond to extreme poverty.<\/p>\n