Evangelical Leaders Meet U.N. Chief
WASHINGTON – Top evangelical leaders from the United States and the Global South met with the head of the United Nations to discuss social change Thursday, marking the first day of the Global Leaders Forum just outside Washington.
The two-day gathering brought U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon together with representatives of aid groups and mission organizations – including the forum's conveners, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and Micah Challenge USA – as well as prominent theologians such as Center for World Mission president David Jang from South Korea, where Ban also hails from. Ban is the first U.N. chief to be invited to an NAE summit.
"I know you are familiar with this war," Ban told the evangelical leaders including Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and Geoff Tunniclifffe, international director of the World Evangelical Alliance.
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"Christian evangelicals have pursued a similar calling for more years than the United Nations have existed," he acknowledged.
While Ban's presence was certainly a highlight of the forum, evangelical leaders were quick to emphasize that the focus of the two-day gathering, which ends Friday, is not on the high-profile U.N. speaker but rather on the teaching of the Gospel.
"We are not here for the secretary-general," stated Anderson ahead of the dinner speech. "We are here for the people who are poor, hurting and marginalized."
During the meeting, Ban praised the evangelical movement for delivering aid, urging the cancellation of debt, and fighting AIDS around the world.
"More than ever, we need the National Association of Evangelicals, the Micah Challenge and others in the faith communities to help the goals to be achieved," Ban said.
"Your engagement can push governments to follow through on their commitments," he added.
The secretary-general also recalled the long history that faith-based organizations have had with the United Nations.
In 1945, out of 42 non-governmental organizations involved in the creation of the United Nations, 14 were faith-based. Now, there are about 4,000 NGOs accredited with the United Nations of which 400 are faith-based organizations.
To those who have been wary of the NAE's increasingly active efforts behind issues often associated with more liberal Christian groups, Richard Cizik, vice president of government affairs at the NAE, declared that their cry "is a cry for biblical justice in the time of need."
"We are reaching out," Cizik said. "This is not mushy, social gospel. This is not hogwash. This is what Jesus himself said."
David Beckmann, president of the anti-poverty ministry Bread for the World, also defended the NAE's decision to invite Ban to speak at the Global Leaders Forum.
"It makes sense for the NAE to invite the United Nations to come and tell about the Millennium Development Goals," Beckmann told The Christian Post.
The United Nations, which is made up of 192 member states, has the power to convene countries and have them proclaim that dramatic progress against poverty, hunger and disease is feasible over the next ten years.
"I think the event has been better than I expected because it is another clear demonstration of the growing involvement of evangelicals working for justice for poor people around the world," said Beckmann.
On Friday, after hearing the U.N. secretary-general's address, leaders will discuss issues including poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, bioethics, human rights, creation care, torture, and peacemaking.
