What Can the Church Do to Address Human Trafficking?

HOW SHOULD THE CHURCH RESPOND TO THOSE ENSLAVED TODAY?

“Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.  Remove your evil deeds from My sight.  Stop doing evil.  Learn to do what is good.  Seek justice.  Rebuke the oppressor.  Defend the rights of the fatherless.  Plead the widow’s cause” (Isaiah 1:16-19).

The church cannot ignore the issue of human trafficking.  The church is called stand against evil, seek justice, care for the least of these, and rebuke the oppressor.  Our God calls us to speak out and to reach out.

AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, HE CALLS US TO BE AGENTS OF JUSTICE AND TRUTH… OF LOVE AND GRACE.

What can the church do?

• Care enough to get involved.
• Begin paying attention and being aware of those that may be victims of human trafficking.
• Avoid the temptation to blame the victims for their situations.
• Be willing to reach out and offer a hand of help and hope to someone victimized by trafficking.  Offer unconditional love and remember that the chains of sin are not always broken quickly.
• Realize that breaking the chains of trafficking will not come easy; it will require time, patience, and endurance.
• Understand that not every situation will result in success, but through the power of God, victories are possible.
• Address the issue of pornography honestly with your church from the pulpit and in small groups.
• Begin men’s and women’s groups, where individuals can find a safe place to share their struggles and be freed from pornography’s hold through transparency, accountability, biblical study, and prayer.
• Train church, children, and youth leaders to recognize the signs of abuse and trafficking vulnerability; and seek to increase awareness how perpetrators utilize extortion and weak areas to exploit the vulnerable.
• Utilize MinistrySafe and their five-part system that provides a framework for sexual abuse prevention in your ministry areas.
• Be cautious in allowing new members or new attendees to your church in serving in children’s or youth ministry.
• Conduct Child Protection training for church, youth, and children’s leaders.
• Develop child protection policies that build in safeguards.
• Conduct background checks on youth and children’s leaders in the church before allowing them to serve.
• Teach Biblical sexuality in appropriate settings to youth and adults.
• Support or volunteer with a ministry that is working to free victims from trafficking.

The church can make a difference and free those chained by exploitation and evil.

“Rescue the poor and needy; save them from the power of the wicked” (Psalm 82:4).