Ten Things Men and Boys Can Do to Stop Human Trafficking

Photo by Eric Parker

Here's a great post from over at the Ms. Blog Magazine by Jewel Woods.  I'm not familiar with Woods or the site, but I really like this list and encourage you to give it some thought.  I do know that the post is not written from a Biblical perspective, so there is opportunity here for Christ-followers to read, reflect, and recreate a list with a Christ-centered worldview.

When I was recently at the American Society of Missiology symposium on human trafficking, this was an issue that was raised front and center.  If we want to get serious about the problem of human trafficking, we must get serious about dealing with the demand.  While the government can legislate and NGOs can bring aid, rescue and aftercare, only the Church can deal meaningfully with the moral issue of man's demand for sex slaves.

I hope you will take the time to check out the full article at Ms. Blog Magazine, where Woods provides a lot of solid insight and explanation.  For now, let me just give you here top ten:

1. Challenge the glamorization of pimps in our culture.
2. Confront the belief that prostitution is a "victimless crime".
3. Stop patronizing strip clubs.
4. Don't consume pornography.
5. Tackle male chauvinism and sexism online.
6. End sex tourism.
7. Talk to men and boys about men's issues in male spaces.
8. Support anti-human trafficking policies.
9. Support creation of John Schools.
10. Raise sons and mentor boys to challenge oppression.

A great list, to be sure.  I would love someone out there to rethink this list and provide a Christocentric one.  Let me know if you have thoughts!

The Displacement of Syrians is Leading to a Massive Sex Trafficking Crisis

Lord, have mercy!

The Syrian refugee crisis is a global emergency.  May the United States, Canada, and many other nations step in immediately and provide humanitarian aid, security support, and resettlement.

The following videos will disturb you.  Here's what we've been saying.  The refugee crisis resulting from the violence in Syria has created an overwhelming refugee crisis.  The camps are overcrowded and growing every day.  Most of the refugees are women and children (like 75-80%).  They are vulnerable and now evil men are taking advantage of the situation.  Unless drastic action is taken immediately, we may be on the verge of one of the worst trafficking situations in history.

After watching, let me encourage you to share this post with others.  Also, if you are a church leader (or if you know a church leader) read and share my post on how churches should prepare for the coming Syrian "tidal wave".  Then, read and add your endorsement to my "Open Letter to Displaced Syrians".  Or you can check out all my posts on the Syrian crisis here.

Syria's Sex Slaves


The Price of Refuge

You Can't Just Plant Churches!

Thoughts are formulating in my heart.  


My mission board, which I love, is energized.  Zealous to plant churches.  Hundreds.  Thousands.


I cringe when the well-intentioned talk sounds too much like denominational franchising.  But at the end of the day, that isn't my largest concern.  I am encouraged that people like me (and people far better than me) are intentionally given seats at the table -- even prominent seats.  When my leaders invite my critiques and the critiques of many of my wiser colleagues, I am given hope.   They want the accountability.  They sincerely desire to advance the gospel and not just the Southern Baptist Convention.


So that's good.


But on a deeper level, I am concerned about the passion to just plant churches.  In Chicagoland, the zip code with the highest number of churches per capita is also the one with the highest crime rate.  However you interpret that (i.e. there is more crime there or perhaps there is something wrong with the way the justice system works there), the point is made.  We don't simply need more churches.  We need the Kingdom of God.


So, I have been listening carefully to what my friend, Andrew Jones, has been saying.  He's a hippy who actually lives in a yurt.  So there's that.  And I just saw Titanic for the first time a couple weeks ago, so I have a tendency to feel more comfortable on the anti-bandwagon bandwagon.  So, I don't think I'm reading Andrew because he is cool.  He is cool. And that's kind of intimidating for someone who still thinks that clothing from the eighties is better off left there.


But I digress.  Sorry, haven't blogged since Easter and am still shaking the cobwebs off.


Mission strategies -- even sweeping church planting strategies -- must account for the brokenness of the world.  That is, if the multiplication of churches does not mean the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel as good news where people need it most, then, well, perhaps God won't bless it.


So, a while back, Andrew posted this article about a community of Balinese ex-prostitutes who are finding new life in Christ.  A quote:


Like the young ladies who have been cooking breakfast for us each morning, without complaint. Shining brightly as God's new people. They still have HIV but they are cleaner than anyone around them. They shine. They are new creations. They are the children of God. According tothe Bali Times, one quarter of Bali's 8,800 sex workers are HIV+. The other major HIV+ group in Bali is the businessmen who visit the prostitutes . . . and their wives. Add to that group the HIV+ drug addicts and you have a sizable group of people who need the grace of God.

And I'm just thinking that if our mission strategies don't include that kind of "bringing the Kingdom to bear", then I am not sure they are really from God.  I'm not saying that they will necessarily be from Satan.  They may indeed be derived from insights gleaned from the Bible and good traditions.  But we may not be able to confidently say, "This is what God is saying to us!"


Let's be thinking about it.  More to come.

Human Trafficking Video

This video was also shown at Cape Town 2010.  It focuses on the topic of human trafficking.

Alvaro Unpacks My Day and Puts it in Historic Context

I don't really know where to begin.  Perhaps from the end?

Alvaro was sitting near me on the bus to the hotel.  I felt that I was just about finished talking for one day -- there was so much already on my heart and mind.  But the choice to not strike up a conversation is, I am beginning to think, nearly always a mistake at Lausanne. We were talking about how God was speaking here in the Congress.  He was reflecting on the message by Ruth Padilla, the theme of reconciliation, and his own context of ministry among the indigenous people of Mexico.  Then he sort of tossed the ball back to me.

I said that I wasn't really sure how I could take several more days of this.  It's not that I feel that too much information is being given to me.  It's just so much substance, weightiness.  I told Alvaro how I'll often find myself at big Christian meetings of various kinds and in passing through the crowd I'll overhear snippets of conversations -- the latest trend, the insider denominational gossip, the political stuff, the mind-numbing small talk.  But something different is in the air here.  Today, I walked down a crowded hall and overheard phrases like -- "Evangelism!"; "It's about discipleship!"; and similar things. I looked around and saw that it would often be people from different continents locked in the most intense conversation, praying, hugging, laughing.

As I walked that hall (and now, as I spoke with Alvaro), I had in my mind a captivating conversation that I had earlier with Mahima*. Mahima is from a nation in east Africa.  She spent two years as a missionary in Nepal. And now, she was planning to go to a completely different part of the world to find Nepalis there and work among them - sharing the hope of Christ.  We talked intensely for two hours (during which time, I actually broke a chair), prayed, and parted.

So, I told Alvaro (remember, we're still on the bus), "I've just been thinking for the past hour about how weighty and significant and Spirit-filled my encounters with other people have been this week.  And that as I walked the hall, I realized that what I've been experiencing -- which is nothing less than the most significant encounter with God that I've ever had -- is multiplied by about 4,000!" I told him, "The Holy Spirit is here."

Alvaro sat back in his seat and effortlessly began a discourse that not only took us all the way back to our hotel, but through a significant amount of the history of mission.  He told stories. He quizzed me. But here's what stood out most:  "I was almost at the first Lausanne in 1974," he said with a hint of longing in his voice. "I had the papers in my hands.  I knew Dr. Ralph Winter." Alvaro proceeded to talk about Winter's historic "people groups" speech at Lausanne '74. "That speech has shaped my life for the last 36 years of ministry!  And that's Lausanne! That's what this is!"

So, coming back to my room.  I'm beginning to think that perhaps I'm not so naive as I thought.  Alvaro has been around the block a few times, and he just likened this Congress to the Jerusalem Council. Is this what it feels like to consciously participate in something of truly historic significance?  Will I look back in 36 years, when so many of the implications of this Congress have been realized and say, "I just knew it!"

Questions that arise . . .


Can TIBM (our local ministry here, in case you're wondering) do something of significance in response to HIV/AIDS? Global sex trafficking? Modern day slavery? The Hindu caste system?

What is God really saying to me about reconciliation?

Who do I really need to buy souvenirs for?

And now for something completely different . . . 

I talked with a friend today who is neat and cool for a lot of reasons.  One of those being that she is actually, really and truly a friend of Don and Lori Chaffer (whose music is my all-time, no-contest favorite and woven into the very DNA of my marriage). And Christy told me that Don and Lori are working on producing a musical that Christy, who's in the biz, says is "Really good!" and she honestly thinks it could make it to Broadway! The musical is based on the Khrusty Brothers.  So I'm smiling about that.  Also, Christy thinks that Don would like me . . . Did you hear that, Don?

Okay, that's all. Sorry it's not more of a blow-by-blow. Such is not what I need to be writing right now.  Thank you for reading.  Thank you to everyone who has taken time to talk with me and bless me in so many ways -- even some people who have sought me out.  I appreciate that. To the guys from ITeams who invited me to hang out tonight - please invite me again.  I will take you up on it next time.  To the Nepali delegation, thanks for the invitation to eat lunch with you all tomorrow.  May the Lord richly bless our time together.  To my new connections on the Lausanne Global Conversation, thanks for adding me.  To the great people of Cape Town, thanks for being so friendly and helping me to learn a bit of Xhosa.

Good night!




(* pseudonym) 


(Note:  I'm sorry that so many people are having to wait a bit longer for the Lausanne videos, etc to be available online. I know they're working hard and around the clock trying to get it going. Pray. I know you remember that it isn't just you that wants to see them -- it's thousands of people around the world.  Until then, there are a bunch of us bloggers that are doing our best to help you know what's happening here.)