Pentecost 2008 in Washington, D.C. by Akele Parnell

So I just got back from the Pentecost 2008 conference in Washington, D.C., sponsored by Sojourners. It was a gathering of over 230 people, from a variety of Christian traditions (and a few from other faiths) for the purpose of equipping leaders to become agents of change in their churches and communities. Through faith-based advocacy and organizing the leaders of the conference hope to mobilize a faith based constituency around the issue of poverty, who are capable of influencing congressional and presidential priorities around domestic and global poverty, in order to end extreme poverty. The conference’s slogan “Training for Change,” captures the practical focus of the conference as well as its lively, activist nature. All these aspirations manifest themselves in the Vote Out Poverty Campaign. The major action plan of this campaign is to get voters to get out and to vote on the issue of poverty.

It was wonderful to see hundreds of Christians gathered together to live out their faith by responding to the injustice of poverty. The conference was challenging―in that I was urged to act in ways which cause me to step outside my comfort zone― as well as encouraging to see so many likeminded Christians―meaning, likeminded in our commitment to living out our faith by taking action against injustice.

We should all be encouraged to know that we have brothers and sisters out there who are actively engaged in the fight for justice and paving the way for a just future for all those ravaged by poverty. I sometimes get discouraged because it seems as if those who see the Biblical call to justice and act on it, are too few far and in between.

However, I left the conference encouraged, re-energized and with a new perspective. When faced with the lack of co-laborers, I find wisdom and encouragement in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he said “almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” When I can’t see the end he reminds us that “faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase,” and when faced with the doubt that my work is fruitless I realize that just as Christ rose from the grave “that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” Christ is redeeming the world and we can be a part of that now. What’s more, we can be actively engaged in loving our brothers and sisters who are suffering, by speaking out for their rights and getting engaged in the struggle for justice. Finally, although we don’t always see the fruits of our labor we can be sure that what we are doing is making a significant change, of eternal value.

Akele Parnell is a first year Masters of Divinity student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.