Now it is our turn.

On June 9th (just before the World Day Against Child Labour, June 12), or any Sunday of your choosing, we invite you to participate in Abolition Sunday. Your church can make child slavery the focus of your Sunday worship, learning and praying about this issue in the light of Christian faith.

There is a new abolition movement growing. Our goal is that Christians across Canada are leaders in it. You can pray, sign a petition on reducing the worst forms of child labour, and support vulnerable children, helping keep them safe from trafficking and exploitation.

Free worship resources, Bible studies and stories from World Vision’s work with children and communities are available below. Join us!  Learn more!

The Canadian Council of Churches.

Click here for tickets

 Download the Poster

“We could not be more thrilled with this out of the gate success of THE BIBLE on HISTORY,” said Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett.  ”The world is watching right now and we are incredibly humbled by the reaction to the series. This #1 series is a tribute to all those who have helped us to spread the Word. Ultimately THE BIBLE will be seen and felt by billions around the globe.”

THE BIBLE is airing every Sunday on HISTORY over the next four Sundays, culminating on Easter.

Crossroads has been actively involved in promoting the launch of THE BIBLE and will launch a social media contest to promote and run alongside this captivating miniseries to ensure everyone in Canada hears about the program. The “Win Tickets to The Voice” Contest will give participants the chance to win a grand prize that includes a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to Hollywood for a live taping of The Voice and an opportunity to meet Mark Burnett personally.

All you have to do is help spread the word about this series, and you could win. The more people you share the contest with, the greater opportunity you have to win this unique prize.

For full contest details go to www.crossroads360.com/thebible

View the following video editorials on THE BIBLE series by Dr. Tony Campolo

Pilate and Jesus

Abraham and Isaac

This past Thanksgiving, war was declared on Malaria and the Apostolic Church of Pentecost (ACOP) answered the call. 

Rev Wes Mills, President of the ACOP denomination of churches in Canada challenged his people to join the war on malaria by giving $50,000.  Each donation of $10 would provide a treated bed net for 2-4 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, protecting them from the deadly disease which kills 2,000 children a day in Africa alone.   ACOP churches responded generously and when the campaign funds were totaled, congregational giving surpassed the goal, raising over $75,000.

The Thanksgiving Malaria Sunday campaign was inspired by the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA) and World Vision, who have joined the ‘End Malaria Campaign’ with its goal to eradicate Malaria from the world by the end of 2015. Many different denominations from the PCCNA have been encouraging their churches to get behind this push to end malaria, which can be prevented by basic technology such as treated bed nets.

Congratulations ACOP churches and God bless you for rising to the challenge in the war on Malaria.  Thousands of children will be protected from malaria because you answered the call.

Learn more about the End Malaria campaign here

(Picture: Wes Mills and Don Moore of World Vision Canada at the PCCNA annual meeting in San Diego, February 21, 2013)

“In Jesus we don’t just see a presentation of doctrines but an invitation to join a movement that is about demonstrating God’s goodness to the world, “ says Claiborne.

This unique 8 city tour will be comprised of two events.  The first is the “Afternoon Church Leaders Forum” with Claiborne, where he will explore such topics as: In Canada, as it is in Heaven, Forming a Holy Counter Culture, and Dreaming Big – Living Small. 

The second event is an evening concert experience called – “Re-imagine the World.” Attendees will hear Claiborne speak, and also enjoy the stories and songs of artist Jason Gray. 

The first leg of the tour kicks off in March with stops in Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg.  Ottawa and Toronto welcome the tour in April and it wraps up with final stops in Montreal, Moncton and Halifax in May.

The tour will have both a local and international focus, with all ticket sales from the evening in support of the ministry of the local pastors association.  At the evening events will be child sponsorship opportunities to support the needs of children around the world.

Learn More 

According to an article on the website Statistic Brain, these were the top ten New Year’s resolutions (for 2012):

1. Lose weight
2. Get organized
3. Spend less, save more
4. Enjoy life to the fullest
5. Stay fit and healthy
6. Learn something new and exciting
7. Quit smoking
8. Help someone else achieve their dreams
9. Fall in love
10. Spend more time with family

From another angle, the top resolutions fall into the following categories (it’s greater than 100 percent because people chose multiple resolutions):

• Self-improvement or education resolutions—47 percent
• Weight related resolutions—38 percent
• Money related resolutions—34 percent
• Relationship related resolutions—31 percent

The article didn’t mention any resolutions about spiritual growth or spiritual disciplines (although the survey may never have intended to measure resolutions for our spiritual lives).   From Statistics Brain, “New Year Resolution Statistics” (12-31-12)

This Fall World Vision Canada and Crossroads Christian Communications are planning a 6 city Canadian Tour to promote the new This Is Our Love resource – a compilation worship CD and devotional guide featuring the songs of 16 top Canadian worship artists.

Tour stops and events will include:

November 6, Winnipeg – Eastview Church, 3500 DeVries Ave, East St. Paul
November 7, Calgary – Eastside City Church, 1320 Abbeydale Drive SE
November 8, Abbotsford – Central Heights Church, 1661 McCallum Rd.
November 20, Burlington – Compass Point, 1500 Kerns Road
November 21, Ottawa – Cedarview Alliance Church, 2784 Cedarview Rd, Nepean
November 22, Halifax – Grace Chapel, 255 Ross St.

Unique Evening Public Worship Event – featuring Jody Cross & Steve Geyer.  The evening will include stories and songs from the CD and in select locations will include guest appearances from artists featured on the CD.  Learn more

“Release the Song” Worship Leaders Afternoon Workshop  – Hosted by Dr. Jody Cross, this workshop will examine why people don’t sing and will discuss how to turn spectators into passionate participants.  Learn More

I encourage you to read it and pass it on.

A NEW DAY e-booklet

I’m fighting to end child slavery in the world.  I’ve just returned from Cambodia and Thailand where I met young children who, from sunrise to sundown, feed clay into the jaws of brick-making machines with their bare hands.  The day before I arrived, one machine had chewed a girl’s arm off.

I met boys who hold a daily council meeting in their slum community to swap intelligence about strange men who’ve sauntered into the area.  Children as young as four learn that such men use candy and cell phones to trick children into sexual slavery from which many can’t escape.  How’s that for early childhood education? 

This week, as World Vision joined many Canadians in observing World Day to End Child Labour, I see these children in front of me.  They’re standing beside the checkout counters at the stores where I shop.  Did one of them lose an arm so I could buy the item in my cart?  They’re in every conversation I have with a friend travelling to Asia.  Is someone supporting a hotel that allows travelling sex offenders to bring children into their rooms?

As of last Sunday, these children will also be standing in my church.  World Vision invited churches across Canada to participate in the first “Abolitionist Sunday,” exploring the issue of child slavery in the world – and how the church can act.  I visited a church other than my own, to see what one of these events looked like.

Walking into St. Anne’s Anglican Church in downtown Toronto, I prepared to hear members muse about switching to Fairtrade coffee for after-church social hour.  I happily considered the number of adults who would sign World Vision’s petition, asking the Canadian government to take a strong stance in combating child slavery around the world.  Both these things happened, as did an amazing Sunday school activity where children learned about factory work by carrying heavy bricks.  

What I wasn’t prepared for was a sermon that rocked me to my core.  For the message made me realize that my World Vision work is only the very beginning of my responsibility to help end child slavery.  As a church member, I have a special calling to do everything I can for these children.  From now on, the girls and boys I met in Asia will be standing beside the communion table – where I feel the full power of God’s love for me, and for the world.

“Jesus’ blood on the cross has offered us new life,” preached guest speaker Robert Crosby-Shearer.  “But blood continues to spill as millions of children all over the world are still in slavery.  We must act as Jesus’ hands in the world.”

Crosby-Shearer, a Christian social justice advocate, went on to describe his visit to sweat-shops in Mexico.  Here, people work for pennies a day to produce the goods we in Canada joyously call “cheap”.   I found myself gripping my church bulletin until it crumpled as he described his visit to the Texas-Mexico border, where each year American and Mexican Christians meet on either side of the giant fence separating the two countries.  They push communion tables up to the barrier and, with surveillance helicopters hovering overhead, share this sacred meal – literally throwing bread over the top of the fence.

I left the church feeling overwhelmed – yet somehow tingling with excitement.  I felt ready to join church leaders and members throughout history, who have recognized that combatting slavery means reaching across borders of all kinds.  I recalled the words of Christian politician William Wilberforce, who for 18 years campaigned in Britain’s House of Commons to have the trade in slaves from Africa abolished. 

“You may choose to look the other way,” said Wilberforce, “but you can never again say that you did not know.” 

I can’t.  I won’t.

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?

What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go….hmm…where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.

Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

Makes you stop and think ‘where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you!

- ANONYMOUS