Effectively Supporting the Poor and Those in Need
Effectively Supporting the Poor and Those in Need
Elstal – The church carries responsibility for the poor and those in need. How can we work together to improve their opportunities and living conditions in the longer term? How are these concerns part of our Gospel mission? These issues were at the core of a two-day Consultation of the European Baptist Federation’s aid consortium, EBAid, on the campus of the Elstal Educational Centre. This centre, located in Wustermark-Elstal near Berlin, belongs to the Union of Evangelical Free Churches (Baptists) in Germany (BEFG). Birgit Fischer (Elstal), the co-coordinator (with Helle Liht, EBF/Prague) of EBAid and the coordinator of German Baptist Aid, reported that representatives of an increasing number of the European Baptist Federation’s (EBF) East European partner unions are saying: 'Don’t bring us fish, teach us rather how to fish!'
Rupen Das (Beirut/Lebanon), Canadian Baptist Ministries’ development consultant who led the Consultation, explained what it means to live in poverty without a functioning governmental social system. Das had previously been the Director for Catastrophic Aid for 'World Vision' in Canada. He made clear that poverty has more than a simple material dimension, for it encompasses all aspects of human existence. Poverty also means a lack of education, mobility, living space, freedom of religion and opinion as well as an absence of social relations and access to the political structures. If Baptists intend to meet these challenges, then they should participate actively in society. Rupen Das added that partnerships with other aid organisations and the active participation of local people directly affected are essential.
Such an understanding of the struggle against poverty has implications for applications made to EBAid. Local partners would need to ask themselves if they were starting a programme which has at its heart the possibility of sustainable development. The sole objective of meeting an acute lack of funding in the short-term would no longer suffice. It would also need to be investigated whether cooperation with non-Christian partners was advisable. Pastor Gunnar Bremer (Brackenheim), a participant at the event, explained to European Baptist Press Service a holistic and spiritual perspective on human need as described in the Bible was required. EBAid wishes to work with Unions and congregations to develop this more inclusive and holistic understanding of Christian mission.
The members of the EBF Division of Theology and Education, and the Chair of the EBF Division of Mission and Evangelism, Michael Kisskalt (Elstal/Germany), took part in Consultation in order to give to the Consultation the theological depth and to take the discussion further among the EBF member Unions.
The EBAid consortium networks Baptist organisations desiring to support aid and development projects primarily in Europe. Its members include, besides the EBF, BWAid, the relief agency of the Baptist World Alliance in Falls Church/USA, German Baptist Aid (Elstal), Hungarian Baptist Aid (Budapest), BMS World Mission (Didcot/England), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Atlanta/USA), Canadian Baptist Ministries (Mississauga/Canada), Baptist Union of Norway and Interact (Örebro/Sweden).
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Rupen Das (Beirut/Lebanon), Canadian Baptist Ministries’ development consultant who led the Consultation, explained what it means to live in poverty without a functioning governmental social system. Das had previously been the Director for Catastrophic Aid for 'World Vision' in Canada. He made clear that poverty has more than a simple material dimension, for it encompasses all aspects of human existence. Poverty also means a lack of education, mobility, living space, freedom of religion and opinion as well as an absence of social relations and access to the political structures. If Baptists intend to meet these challenges, then they should participate actively in society. Rupen Das added that partnerships with other aid organisations and the active participation of local people directly affected are essential.
Such an understanding of the struggle against poverty has implications for applications made to EBAid. Local partners would need to ask themselves if they were starting a programme which has at its heart the possibility of sustainable development. The sole objective of meeting an acute lack of funding in the short-term would no longer suffice. It would also need to be investigated whether cooperation with non-Christian partners was advisable. Pastor Gunnar Bremer (Brackenheim), a participant at the event, explained to European Baptist Press Service a holistic and spiritual perspective on human need as described in the Bible was required. EBAid wishes to work with Unions and congregations to develop this more inclusive and holistic understanding of Christian mission.
The members of the EBF Division of Theology and Education, and the Chair of the EBF Division of Mission and Evangelism, Michael Kisskalt (Elstal/Germany), took part in Consultation in order to give to the Consultation the theological depth and to take the discussion further among the EBF member Unions.
The EBAid consortium networks Baptist organisations desiring to support aid and development projects primarily in Europe. Its members include, besides the EBF, BWAid, the relief agency of the Baptist World Alliance in Falls Church/USA, German Baptist Aid (Elstal), Hungarian Baptist Aid (Budapest), BMS World Mission (Didcot/England), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (Atlanta/USA), Canadian Baptist Ministries (Mississauga/Canada), Baptist Union of Norway and Interact (Örebro/Sweden).