Christians make their voice heard

Two major Christian events will impact Australia's political landscape later this month, bringing the concerns of Christian voters to the very seat of power.

Some 318 delegates representing 98 electorates will meet more than 100 politicians as part of Micah Challenge's Voices of Justice conference in Canberra from June 19 to 22.

Micah Challenge is an evangelical Christian organisation established globally to to inspire and equip Christians to speak out against poverty and injustice. In particular MC asks governments to achieve the Unite Nation's Millennium Development Goals and halve global poverty by 2015.

In Australia, Micah Challenge is asking the Australian government to:

• Give more aid - a timetabled pre-election commitment to increasing aid to 0.7% GNI
• Give better aid - specifically towards child and maternal health
• Tackle climate change and the impact it is having on the world's poor

Micah Challenge National Coordinator, John Beckett, has called on churches to 'pray for Voices of Justice participants, our politicians, and the poor around the world for whom (and with whom) we are advocating (and for our organising team!)

'This year we have unprecedented access to politicians in Parliament House. We are issuing a call to prayer on Sunday, June 20. We want thousands of voices bringing us before God as we bring the message of justice for the poor before these leaders,' Mr Beckett said. 

'Pray that our message will be heard and our Government will take the action that is needed to overcome poverty in our region and beyond to end the pointless suffering of millions. Pray that we will all be transformed to live more justly and with compassion.'

As of today, 262 churches across Australia have registered for Make it Count, a national webcast of Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott organised by the Australian Christian Lobby for Monday evening, June 21.

The event will be webcast from old Parliament House where Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott will address churches across the nation and answer questions from Christian leaders at the venue.

'The political landscape has changed rapidly over the past six months and pundits are now predicting that this year’s election is up for grabs and that whoever wins, neither major Party will have a majority in the Senate,' an ACL spokesperson said.

'This is why it is vital that Christians tune in to the live Make It Count webcast with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

'By turning out in big numbers on Monday, June 21 we will send a message to politicians that there is a large constituency in the Christian community to be won. We will also be honouring the commitment Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott have made to us by giving their time to this event.'

Click here to register for the event or to find participating churches.