The CBWC’s Justice & Mercy Network seeks to inspire and equip churches in their theological vision of the kingdom of God so that we all pursue right relationships with God, with self, with others, and with the world. We seek to provide a thoughtful and wise social analysis of injustice, and to offer various resources that help inform decisions about justice.
Engagement
Justice is an essential aspect of God’s kingdom. It is personal and social, public and private, political and religious, and human and nonhuman. The Justice & Mercy Network is attentive to justice movements in our world and seeks to provide information and resources to equip CBWC churches in engaging in their contexts. Biblical justice is grounded in God’s redemptive and restorative actions in world for the sake of his kingdom.
Creation Care
Scripture calls Christians to live as stewards and caretakers of creation. Living this out, in an increasingly industrialized and commercialized society, presents us with a host of challenges and questions.
The pursuit of environmental justice is a way of considering how our activities and choices impact the ecosystems we inhabit and the global community. We hope to practice robust theology, foster conversations, share resources, and consider what steps we might take as citizens and kingdom agents.
Poverty
Poverty is the dire lack of resources for many in our world to meet the basic needs of life. It is rooted in the brokenness of our world, and our inability to faithfully steward and share God’s abundance. It is an essential absence of shalom intended by God in creation. The poor are our neighbours. They are global neighbours. They are local neighbours. The church has a responsibility to acknowledge and engage the reality of poverty in our world and an opportunity to come alongside the poor in God’s name and build relationships that resource, empower and restore God’s dignity.
Racism
Anti-racism
Every person is created in the image of God, wholly equal and entitled to equal life in our churches and communities. Race and racism are social constructs created and sustained for the benefit of some and the marginalization of many. The church is meant to be the manifold witness of unity among those of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Through discipleship churches strive for reconciliation and solidarity.
Homelessness
It’s easy to reduce homelessness to one or two prominent reasons, yet it is more accurate to note that people are often pushed into homelessness by a range of diverse social and economic drivers. The issues surrounding homelessness as defined by the United Nations is a great starting point in understanding the complexity of our homeless problems, and all that it entails. There is more to the issue and most importantly is what God’s word teaches us about loving the least of these. As Micah 6:8 says, we are to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before our God. This passage involves our lives, not just the marginalized and poor of our country. Come join us on the journey of learning more about how to love people back into wholeness and healing.
Indigenous Issues
As part of the wider Canadian culture the church has, consciously and unconsciously, supported systemic injustices like the appropriation of land, the forced relocation of Indigenous communities, the creation of the reserve system, and continued economic and political exploitation. Attitudes and policies of colonization in Canada, which we have long endorsed by our silence and inaction, have led to painful and enduring consequences, including a practical apartheid in this country between Settlers and Indigenous peoples. The work of the JMN seeks to help churches understand these issues and to respond to God’s call for repentance (2Chron.7:14), just action (Micah 6:8) and living in peace together (Rom 12:18; 2 Cor 5:18-21).
Refugees
The CBWC has been a Sponsorship Agreement Holder for the Canadian Government for over 40 years. As the number of displaced persons multiplies exponentially around the globe, so has the interest of our churches grown to offer hospitality and a new home for refugees.
The Refugee Coordinator is ready and eager to assist your church in sponsoring refugees to Canada. There is a great need to assist persecuted Christians such as those from Pakistan who have fled to Thailand with few resources and support. Iranian Christians face great danger in their home country. Civil war have caused Syrians, Sudanese, Eritreans and others to seek refuge and pray to find new hope in Canada. Many churches already have sponsored refugees and now want to assist additional family members to join their families here. We can assist with these Private Sponsorship and walk you through the application process. There are also pre-approved Government sponsorships that churches can partner with the Canadian Government to support. There is no limit to the number of these sponsorships that we can offer, but the CBWC does have a cap on the number of private sponsorships that we are allotted each year, and so your request to sponsor may be put on a waiting list until allocations are made available. Click on the resources below for more details on how to become a refugee sponsor, educational materials or contact the Refugee Coordinator at refugees@cbwc.ca for assistance.
Contact us.
mdoerksen@cbwc.ca