If you have been around this ministry or myself in the last two years you already know that we have raised a banner that reads, “God is Active”. It is more than a statement but reality all over the world. In fact, there is not a sweeter thought than this hour, this minute and even this second the activity of God is all around us. Knowing the Lit Conference was going to be centered on the activity of God, myself along with others from the team began to ask a question, what is God doing in this new movement? It didn’t take any theologians to figure out one of the dominant areas God is moving is within the marginalized, oppressed, and the outcast. This is nothing new, all throughout the scriptures you find God defending the voiceless, bringing justice to injustice, feeding the poor, and providing for the homeless. You can’t seem to read an entire chapter where it does not command us to go and serve the world around us. Whether the issue is poverty, orphans, malaria, aids, cancer, genocide, sex trade, or clean water God is burning within the hearts of this generation a discontent to leave the world this way.
So we decided to bring in a 15-year-old student from my hometown of Atlanta, Zach Hunter. Zach is an abolitionist. He has given his life to end modern day slavery all over the world. As expected, when you chose to join the God of the oppressed, be prepared to be used by Him. So it is with Zach, God has seen fit to carry him all over the globe teaching our generation, writing books and starting a non-profit. From CNN to Good Morning America (above video) to festivals and conferences, God is using Zach to end slavery. If you are like me, living in Atlanta it is hard for me to know what is going on out side my own front door let alone the world. Our “Christian ghettos” as Campolo puts it, are blinding us with riches, safety and comfort. Did you know there are 27 million modern day slaves in the world today? Zach wrote a book on this called, “Be the change- your guide to freeing slaves and changing the world.’ I actually just put it down. Great short read, my kind of book! Zach’s passion is that our generation would be known as the justice generation. He started a non-profit called Loose change to Loosen Chains. The idea is that somewhere around 10.5 billion dollars in loose change is lying around U.S households. If we can get a hold of the change we could fund organizations like International Justice Mission and others that actually do the hands on work of freeing slaves. I can’t tell you how stoked I am Zach is going to be with us. You will want to be at session one as Zach kicks off Lit Conference 2008. In the meantime, pick up his book, get the change out of your couch, and support this cause to end slavery. Zach we love you bro! May God see it fit to rise up our generation to be the justice generation! -Cody
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