Have you heard or read something like this before? A Christian organization that says…
- “Our mission is to the poorest of the poor”
- “We work only with women and children who are the victims of domestic and sexual violence”
As noble as these statements sound, they are profoundly mistaken. Let’s see if I can get you to agree with me (’cause I bet that right now, you may not!) Even though I could get up on a soap box on this one, I’ll try to spare you and be brief.
Any work that we as Christians and Christian organizations do to “make the world a better place” must be a part of what God is doing in the world. Call that what you want – building God’s kingdom, extending His covenant, redeeming His creation, spreading His gospel – but what God is doing in the world is a RECONCILING work, a work in which He calls us to participate as ministers of reconciliation. For example, if we work with the poorest of the poor, than we must work for the RECONCILIATION of these poor with those around them who are less-poor, the very people who may, in fact, be exploiting them.
The same is true of any truly Christian work with female victims of domestic violence. Here, our aim must be to assist these women to heal (in every way) in order that they may be reconciled – to men (though not going back into their old roles and lives with the men who endanger them) as well as to God. And in order to bring about that reconciliation, we have to work with men, whether we like it or not!
After all, men are the ones perpetrating this evil on women! God wants them to stop, to change, to be reconciled – to women, and to Himself. So if a ministry says that it works only with women or girls, it may sound noble, but it is short-sighted and ineffective. If a ministry says that it works with only the poorest of the poor, you should ask yourself “Does their definition of ‘poorest’ include the husband who wastes the family’s income on booze and gambling, leaving his wife and kids much poorer than himself? Does ‘poorest’ include the relatively well-off village chief in the poor village, who pockets a lot of money the government gives for village development projects?”
Take a look at this short “advertisement” which ran in India, produced by a (I think secular) organization combating domestic violence in India. The message is effective (engaging men in combating domestic violence) and also culturally appropriate (a clear but non-confrontational approach). More videos like these are available here on the Christian Century website: