Yesterday I left my flip flops behind and headed west to check out the Thursday night worship service held by Reformation, the high school student ministry at the Calvary Chapel Worship Center in New Port Richey, Florida. During the month of March, Reformation dedicates each Thursday evening service to a different social justice cause.

In the past they have featured organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Compassion International and yesterday, Youth Pastor John David Harris invited me to speak with the group about ONE and our efforts here in Florida to press government leaders to fight extreme poverty and preventable diseases.

After the worship service Pastor Harris asked me to come up on the stage where I fielded questions about how to get involved with ONE locally and what keeps me personally inspired to fight for better and increased assistance for poor countries. Pastor Harris then spoke about the importance of giving back to the community and becoming informed about poverty and preventable diseases in developing countries. He encouraged and reminded the group that “anybody committed to their community, dedicated to justice, driven to worship, with a passion for devotion is not only a part of Reformation, but is the living and breathing Reformation.”

I also had the opportunity to speak about ONE Sabbath, ONE’s initiative to help provide opportunities within the faith community to learn more about global health and poverty issues. I encouraged everyone there to get involved with ONE Sabbath and begin planning different ways they can continue to engage their peers and inspire the community to take action against poverty.

By the end of the night nearly everyone there had signed up to be ONE members and promised to remain committed to making a difference in the fight against extreme poverty. It was an amazing experience and as I drove home last night I couldn’t help but feel even more inspired by this amazing group of revolutionaries!

-Sara Paterni, ONE Field Organizer

“His form of worship is to be the eyes of the blind and the feet of the lame. Rich Stearns is much more than a powerful voice in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty, he is an action hero.”

-Bono, Musician and co-founder of the ONE Campaign

In his endorsement for my new book, The Hole in Our Gospel, Bono calls me an ‘action hero’ in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty. While I love action heroes – Superman, Spiderman, Batman and all the others, (and even have my very own collection of vintage comic books) I hardly deserve such praise from the founder of the ONE Campaign.

Like many who read this blog, I am just one person who is deeply concerned about the poor in the developing world, and the world of frightening headlines in which we live: genocide in Darfur, violence in Gaza, and many, many others. Not to mention global economic crisis, and, here at home in the U.S., skyrocketing unemployment and increasing home foreclosures.

In light of these issues, my goal in writing “The Hole in Our Gospel” was to confront people with the implications of the Christian faith. Twelve years ago, I was living my own version of the American Dream as a corporate CEO. I went to church every Sunday and gave money to worthy causes. I was very content in my faith. But I had never truly answered what I believe is the most important question every Christian must eventually address: “What does God expect of us?”

My response to that question – and my career change in becoming the CEO of World Vision US – transformed my life and my world, a world I previously had never known. Rather than chairing meetings in the boardroom, this new world found me in meetings with AIDS orphans and impoverished widows living on less than $1 a day.

The Christian faith was never meant to be an anesthetizing tonic designed only to soothe our souls. Instead, it was intended to be a medicine so powerful that it could challenge the legion of social illnesses that plague the human race – poverty, alienation, hatred, corruption, apathy and injustice. If the gospel is the medicine, then we are the EMTs (emergency medical technicians) called to respond with urgency to the wounded and hurting in our world.

But it often seems that our sirens are turned off and our red lights aren’t flashing.

We have the power to change the headlines and even the course of history – but only if we take seriously the very specific things Christ asked us to do.

Unfortunately, action heroes like Superman, who fight injustice and change the world with their super powers, don’t exist. But what about you and me?

Can we make a difference? Can we change the world? I believe we can; indeed, I believe we must. As Bono repeatedly has said – “It’s really up to us.”

I’d like to hear what you’re doing to make a difference. Please share your thoughts. Maybe others can learn from you. Visit my website at www.theholeinourgospel.org for additional resources.

-Rich Stearns, President, World Vision, United States

Moody Radio, based out of Chicago, had me on their program ‘Prime Time Chicago’ yesterday to talk about ONE and our ONE Sabbath efforts. I also told them a little about my own faith journey as pastor and advocate in fighting extreme poverty. It was a bit of a hectic start however– the radio transmitter (and its backup!) were both down for the afternoon until ten minutes before I went on. Fortunately, the problem with the transmitter was fixed in time so my interview could hit the airwaves. Many thanks to Steve Hiller, the host, and Michelle Strombeck of WMBI.

Here’s the segment for you to listen to in full.

-Adam Phillips, ONE’s Faith Outreach Coordinator

We just witnessed a historic election that has the possibility of transforming American politics and our world for the better. President Obama has already committed to cutting domestic poverty by half in ten years and achieving the Millennium Development goals that will dramatically reduce extreme global poverty. But as people of faith and conscience our work is not over.

Even the most committed president will face incredible pressures and obstacles in making domestic and global poverty reduction a priority, particularly during this economic crisis. As active supporters of ONE’s important efforts to end global poverty and treatable diseases, I’d like to invite you this April to The Mobilization to End Poverty – a gathering where thousands of faith-based and other anti-poverty leaders will engage in a transformative experience of education, worship, community, and activism in Washington, D.C.

With the support from ONE and other sponsors ranging from World Vision and Convoy of Hope to Oxfam, this initiative is shaping up to be one of the largest and most diverse anti-poverty coalitions. Together we’ll call on President Obama and the new Congress to make overcoming global poverty a political priority and to develop a national plan that addresses this moral and spiritual crisis. Obama has been invited to speak among other leaders.

The Mobilization to End Poverty is just the beginning of an ongoing initiative dedicated to transforming the spiritual will of committed people into the political will of our government that ends extreme poverty. And we need you to be there, every step of the way.

I hope you’ll take the time to check out www.sojo.net/mobilization for more information and support this movement by registering.

-Jim Wallis

Jim Wallis is the founder and president of Sojourners, the largest network of progressive Christians in the United States focused on the biblical call to social justice. Wallis is also author of the New York Times bestseller God’s Politics, which electrified Americans hungry for a new kind of politics in America. His latest New York Times bestseller is The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post–Religious Right America.

Yesterday morning the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services launched a major campaign to confront global poverty. Dubbed Catholics Confront Global Poverty, the Campaign aims to mobilize one million U.S. Catholics to advocate to end poverty, hunger and disease around the world.

Bishop Howard Hubbard, Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace at the USCCB and Bishop of Albany, NY, launched the campaign along with Mr. Ken Hackett, President of Catholic Relief Services. Bishop Fernando Bargallo of Merlo-Moreno Argentina and Ugandan Archbishop John Baptist Odama took part in the event as well. Archbishop Odama closed his message with a charge for “people of good faith and good will to advocate for the promotion and defense of human dignity.”

The launch took place at the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, held on Capitol Hill here in Washington. I attended the event along with hundreds of leaders from across the US. They are in town this week to share, learn, advocate and strategize. It was an exciting moment where local and national leaders joined together “in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the developing world.”

The Catholics Confront Global Poverty initiative is built on the foundation of the earlier Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty that started in 2005. To learn more about the initiative, visit www.usccb.org/globalpoverty and www.crs.org/globalpoverty.

I was able to talk with Bishop Hubbard after the event and he offered his thoughts for you in this video message:

-Adam Phillips

Faith leaders from many traditions are taking up the challenge to preach against global poverty. If you haven’t heard about the ONE Sermon Challenge yet, take some time to check out what we have up so far. So far we have some great Christian, Jewish and Buddhist messages on the site. If you are a preacher or if you haven’t gotten the chance to encourage your local faith leader to deliver a message on the fight against extreme poverty, it’s not too late to do so.

Through mid-April the ONE Sermon Challenge will continue to accept original and inspirational sermons related to global poverty and collect them online at ONE.org. Through the ONE Sermon Challenge, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders have the chance to share their message to ONE’s millions of members and congregations nationwide, inspiring advocacy and action.

Over at the ONE Sermon Challenge site, you may want to check out Sensei Anthony Stultz’s “Liberating Message of the Dharma,” or take a listen to Rev. Steve Price’s “Springing Up,” or Rabbi Eric Solomon’s call to action, reflecting on the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. There’s a lot of great stuff over on the site so make sure to take a moment to visit the Sermon Challenge page.

We encourage you and your local congregation to send us their original and inspirational message with ONE. If you are a youth leader or youth pastor, check out ONE partner Youth Specialties podcast video, hosted by Adam McLane, and take the challenge as well.

-Adam Phillips

In 2009, ONE is engaging faith communities through its ONE Sabbath effort, which gives local congregations and believers opportunities to respond to such global challenges as AIDS, malaria, lack of clean water and children out of school, and informs congregations about the proven solutions that can save lives and transform impoverished communities.

This weekend, Lebanon Valley College and ONE hosted a ONE Sabbath Forum exploring the special role faith communities play in responding to the consequences of global poverty, hunger and preventable diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

The forum was moderated by the Rev. Sandra L. Strauss, the director of public advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and included panelists from various faith traditions: Sensei Tony Stultz from the Buddhist community; the Rev. Dan Donmoyer from the Lutheran Church; Samia Malik, director of communications for the Council of American Islamic Relations; Patrick Walker, regional director for Church World Service; and Rabbi Paula Reimers from the Jewish community.

The panelists were asked how their faith traditions are responding to the issues of poverty and disease on a global and personal level, and how faith communities can work together to respond. The forum was a great success and many were in attendance. All of the panelists agreed that acting together as ONE is critical in the fight against global poverty and disease despite people’s differences in faith traditions.

Comments were also made by some of the panelists speaking out against apathy and the danger that exists when people do not participate in advocacy. At the end of the forum people from the audience were permitted to ask questions and Lancaster, PA ONE Member Fran Gouveia enthusiastically reminded everyone in attendance that ONE members have and continue to be some of the best advocates for people in the developing world!

After the forum concluded, guests stopped to sign the ONE Declaration and picked up information on ONE Sabbath. Many commented on the importance of people working together despite their differences whether it be faith, politics, or occupations and that having the visual of different faith leaders sitting together arriving at similar conclusions was inspiring!

-Brian Sweeney

(Read rest of Rev. Sandra Strauss’s op-ed below.)

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ONE member Melissa Sweeney landed a terrific letter to the editor in yesterday’s western Pennsylvania’s Lebanon Daily News. In her letter, Melissa underscores the work of people of faith through efforts like ONE Sabbath, to lift up their voices and take action in the fight against extreme poverty. Check it out, below:

February 12, 2009

Group looking to act as ONE

Editor:

One of the most basic callings of my Christian faith is to serve those in need. Lending a kind hand turns faith into action.

Nearly all faiths share a similar calling of compassion and service. The Torah teaches that we should care for the poor through acts of compassion and loving kindness. Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew that how we treat “the least among us” is the measure of how we treat God. Zakat, serving the suffering of humanity, is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Congregations and believers across Pennsylvania have a unique opportunity to channel their energy into the movement to save lives and combat extreme poverty around the world. An effort called ONE Sabbath aims to raise awareness within communities of faith about the challenges of global poverty and provide resources for congregations to respond meaningfully to these challenges.

ONE Sabbath, an effort by the anti-poverty group ONE, gives local congregations and believers opportunities to respond to such global challenges as AIDS, malaria, lack of clean water and children out of school, and informs congregations about the proven solutions that can save lives and transform impoverished communities.

The ONE Sabbath effort, which includes Jewish and Christian congregations and encompasses ONE Sadaqa in the Muslim community and ONE Seva in the Hindu community, will run through the first 100 days of President Barack Obama’s administration, a critical time when America’s role in the world and our foreign policy and budget priorities will be set.

ONE Sabbath aims to turn our faith into action for the 12,500 people who will lose their lives today from AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis in the poorest parts of the world; action for the 1 billion people who struggle to live without access to clean water; action for the millions of children who, when the sun sets in Africa tonight, will go to bed without a mother or father due to preventable, treatable diseases.

Today we have the technology and the proven, effective solutions to save millions of lives. Malaria can be stopped with something as simple as a $6 bed net. Dehydration, which unbelievably kills 5,000 children each day, can be treated with a hydration tablet that costs pennies.

The solutions have arrived. We’re waiting for the moment we all say, “We will not allow people to die from diseases we can prevent. We will not allow children to die in a world of plenty from a lack of food. No longer.”

Through ONE Sabbath, we have the chance to get hundreds of congregations and thousands of voices speaking out and taking action. Visit ONE.org/ONESabbath to get your congregation engaged.

-Melissa Sweeney, ONE Member, Jonestown

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King saw his role not simply as a Civil Rights leader, but as a preacher – he called it his “first calling and greatest commitment.” History remembers Dr. King’s voice, whether from the church pulpit or in the public arena, as a powerful instrument for social change.

As a preacher myself, I often sweated the challenge of bringing an inspirational message to a congregation to help spur on faithful action. What always encouraged me, however, was seeing colleagues and friends doing the same thing and lifting up their voices in their houses of worship. Seeing preachers speak out and engage their congregations motivated me to do the same. That’s why I invite you and your local faith leaders to join a new effort to speak out to your congregation and help inspire action on behalf of the world’s poor.

The new effort is the ONE Sermon Challenge. Starting today, The ONE Sermon Challenge will accept original and inspirational sermons related to global poverty and collect them online at ONE.org. Through ONE Sermon Challenge, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders have the chance to share their message to ONE’s millions of members and congregations nationwide.

The challenge is part of ONE Sabbath 2008-09, ONE’s effort to mobilize people of faith to speak out and take action for those struggling against poverty and disease around the world. Preachers from all faith traditions are welcome to make submissions and fully incorporate their own tradition into their messages at:

http://www.one.org/onesabbath/sermonchallenge

Over the next few days as sermons come in, take a look at what others have shared. If you are a preacher, join the effort. If you’re not a preacher, ask your pastor, priest, rabbi or imam to join the ONE Sermon Challenge. We ask that the sermons be recent or are slated to be preached in your congregation over the next two months. If you do, we’ll then ship you a ONE Sabbath Action Pack, with ONE bands, literature, T-shirts and other materials you can use to host your own ONE Sabbath event. If you’ve already held a ONE Sabbath, then the pack will help keep the conversation and anti-poverty work going. If you submit a video of your sermon, we’ll include the book “On The Move,” Bono’s address at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006.

Visit the ONE Sermon Challenge on the web and then come back often to see what other ONE members of faith are saying. Invite your priest, minister, rabbi, imam, pastor or other faith leaders you know to join the ONE Sermon Challenge and share their preaching on global poverty.

One word, one sermon, one challenging message on what we can each do, can make a significant difference. So whether it’s a sermon in worship, a sermon message at your youth worship, a d’ivrei torah, or a Friday khutba, add your voice and help inspire action in the fight against global poverty.

-Adam Phillips

Nearly 500 students from some 20 Christian colleges and universities attended the three day Faith and International Development Conference at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. The theme was “Partnership: United in Service.”Students were there to learn more about development issues, including the role of advocacy, and how their faith impacts their efforts. By the end of the weekend, those in attendance not only grasped the many development issues in the Global South but were able to act as advocates for progress in the fight against global poverty and treatable, preventable disease.

Featured Plenary speakers included Abikök Riak from World Vision as well as Katherine Marshall from the Berkley Center at Georgetown University and the World Faiths Development Dialogue – both stressing the importance of partnerships between the NGO and faith communities In the afternoon I’ll be leading a couple breakout sessions on Advocacy as ONE and the opportunities ahead of us in 2009-2010 to act effectively in the fight against global poverty and disease.

The weekend was also about collaboration among many organizations working together to end global poverty –World Vision, Bread for the World, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, World Hope International and Food for the Hungry are all here. Students from Indiana Wesleyan, Hope College, Calvin College, King’s University, Michigan State University, and many others were able to interact with the organizations throughout the weekend in forums, breakout sessions, and at a Fair Trade Fair.

As the soundtrack to the conference, we were also treated to some great music acts. K’Naan, brought his mix of hip-hop, rock, and world beats coupled with his lyrics on growing up in Mogadishu, Somalia and The Psalters displayed their diverse sound and socially conscious message.

Check out Isaac Fuchs, Calvin student and co-director of the 2009 conference sharing his thoughts on the work of ONE and partnership for development.

-Adam Phillips