Culture of Spirituality

Through combining prayer with campaigning, we want to encourage SPEAK Groups to create a 'culture of spirituality' which is Jesus centred. We want to encourage people to make Jesus the central focus point of everything they do. This will create a natural counter-cultural dynamic, which will also draw other people closer to him. This will also result in people being challenged to create change for others suffering as a result of injustice. We're looking for an internal and external revolution!

Reaching the Spiritually Searching Generation

In expressing a concern for justice we want to be able to share our faith with a generation which is searching spiritually for answers and meaning. Many people who get involved in campaigning for social justice and the protection of the environment are people who are searching for a spirituality which relates into every area of life and lifestyle, including campaigning. Many people who have been involved in the free Tibet Campaign for example have become interested in Buddhism because of the Buddhist elements of the campaign.

However, as Christians we feel that we have something very vital to contribute into this scene: we have a message which tells people how they can be changed and make a difference to the world in which we live. We are able to tell them of a God who forgives them and gives them supernatural strength to change through Jesus. Many people are coming to the conclusion that first we need to change ourselves:

'Systems are not changed mysteriously, they are transformed when there is fundamental change within ourselves'. Anita Roddick

Internal and External Transformation

Everyone is asking the question of 'How do we change ourselves'? Being involved in a SPEAK group/cell gives you ways that you can work together with other Christians with a similar vision and as a community of people you can reach out into the activist scene. You can work through personal lifestyle discipleship issues as a group, and work together to share this with a wider community of people.

Reaching the Apathetic

There is no doubt that the apathetic will also be touched through what SPEAK groups do. Many people are apathetic about injustice issues because they have lost hope that things can change. They have become disillusioned with social and political theories and political agendas for change. Our message is that through experiencing and knowing God and through combining prayer with action we can make real changes. This is likely to stir, touch and challenge the apathetic.

Find out more about SPEAK's ethos.