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Changing Behavior is Hard: A Perspective from the United States of America

May 13, 2011 in Enviroment, Faith, LWF together - the earth needs you, North America, Poverty, Poverty/Affluence, Youth

This is a post that first appeared in the LWF together: Guidebook.

By Allison Beebe

In North America, people know about the need for making environmentally friendly choices. However, this knowledge does not often change our actions. We are well informed. News from all over the world is available whenever we would like to access it, and yet our habits toward the environment remain the same.

It is often the case that North Americans care, but not enough to change. People want to make a difference by taking the bus, but not as much as they want their independence by driving their own car. People want to conserve water, but not as much as they’d like to take long, hot showers in the morning. People want to buy food which is grown locally and sustainably, but not as much as they want the best price at the grocery store. People want to travel in an ecologically friendly way, but not as much as they would like to fly quickly across the country. Read the rest of this entry →

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Youth refuse to fulfill quotas…

April 7, 2011 in Africa, Church, Evangelism, Faith, HIV/Aids, Justice, LWF, Poverty, Poverty/Affluence, Spirituality, Youth, Youth Ministry, Youth participation

…but want to participate in the life of the global communion. This is one of the many challenging statements that were given today by young leaders participating in the LWF African Leadership Consultation in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Young people also highlighted the continuing plight of unemployment for many young people. They strongly advised the present church leadership to prioritize the issue if they don’ want to risk an estrangement of young people in their churches.

The young leaders also spoke to the way they see leadership. It should be free of any kind of corruption, free of “leadership conflicts, power struggles, external forces, repression of staff members (conflict managements), nepotism, tribalism … etc.”

Please read the full text of the thought-provoking and challenging message here or as pdf. Read the rest of this entry →

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Oxfam with hymns – How is Christian help different?

November 24, 2010 in Church, Ecumenism, Faith, Justice, Life, Poverty, Poverty/Affluence

If a person helps another person, does it matter that the helper is a Christian? And does somebody who is a Christian help differently from a Non-Christian?
While these question maybe look quite strange applied to individuals, they make a lot of sense if we discuss them in connection to organizations. There are many situations in which people are in dire need. Catastrophes like in Haiti or Pakistan come to mind. In many places with persistent poverty help is also needed. Luckily, there are also organizations who provide help often beyond the capacities of the governments. They include churches, Christian agencies and secular NGOs. Does the way they help differ? Read the rest of this entry →

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One on One with LWF General Secretary-Elect, Rev. Martin Junge

July 15, 2010 in Life, LWF, Poverty, Pre-Assembly, Youth participation

by Anthony Tucker, Sierra Leone

I want to congratulate you on behalf of the LWF Youths on your appointment as the General Secretary of the LWF.

Thanks for your words and for the opportunity to be here at the LWF Youth Pre-assembly. It is a great privilege to serve the communion as the general secretary. I feel humbled by the confidence that churches have shown and I am ready to take on this task with all its duties.

The strongest backbone of the communion is the young people. What do you plan for us as young people of the communion?

I am very happy to hear that you say that youth are the backbone. I have always had some questions when I hear that youth being referred to as the future of the church. The youth is present in the church, we see so much energy, and we see much love in what youths bring into the communion. We have a commitment as LWF to youth in life of the communion. With our strong concern for the neighbor and particularly for the suffering neighbor, I think we have very strong resources to bring into the political discussion.  One thing is clear to me; it can’t go on as it is now.  In Curitiba in 1990 we made a  strong commitment to youth participation in the life of the communion.  We continue to work on these commitments and try to implement them. Youth and women in many of our modern churches are the pillars of the congregations and are keeping them alive in many respects. So it is only natural that as we come together that they will also have a space and a role to play.

So what are your immediate plans for the communion as the LWF General Secretary Elect?

Again, I would like to reiterate that I would like to come in as a General Secretary who listens what the churches encourage as a communion of churches. And for our ongoing spiritual journey it is quite evident that we have some tasks which we have to deal with.  First of all, we are at a stage where the global communion is a reality.  Sixty years ago when the LWF was founded, Lutheran churches and the federation were located only in certain parts of the world, now it’s a global reality and we have many regional centers with churches confronting their own contexts.  At the same time, I think we are recognizing the challenge of communication and facilitating transcontinental dialogue between churches located in various parts of the world. So I think we will have to work towards creating the methodology and the instrument so that we can better be in dialogue. There are see some of the challenges that I have. Read the rest of this entry →

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