PARTNERING WITH LOCAL CHURCHES TO COMBAT SLAVERY IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Jesus instructed His disciples to pray for the Heavenly Father’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. He also instructed them to pray for protection from evil/the evil one. The sin of slavery is wicked to its core. It’s a scheme of Satan carried out through the sinful deeds of mankind. The fight against slavery must begin with prayer. We must pray fervently and without ceasing that He would change the hearts of mankind and protect us from the evil one.

Anti-slavery legislation is vitally important. Enforcing that legislation is critical. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news of His life, death, resurrection, ascension, current reign and future return—is the key to ending slavery because it is the solution to all sin and brokenness in our world. As the Holy Spirit leads us and provides opportunities, we must boldly proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples as Jesus commanded.

The bride of Christ—the Church—should be the most formidable foe of slavery worldwide. She must be equipped and exhorted to protect those at risk of becoming slaves, rescue those currently living as slaves, and restore those who have survived slavery. The Church must also work to disrupt the supply chain—the networks of sellers, buyers and victims—in every legal, God-honoring way imaginable.

From the sinful hearts of mankind flow deeds of darkness (Mark 7:21-22). Slavery is a sin that thrives in darkness. Jesus said that He is the light of the world (John 8:12), and He calls His followers to be light in the world as well. We must engage our culture with the truth about the evils of slavery and how Jesus is the one true hope for its perpetrators, victims and survivors.

As God stirs the hearts of individuals to engage in the fight against slavery, we must cultivate that calling. The eradication of slavery will take all of us working together to end the demand for slaves, rescue those currently held captive in slavery, and restore those who’ve been rescued from it.