Micah Six:Eight

Our Micah 6:8 programs offer multi-day experiences for those wishing to explore deeply the concepts of justice and generosity in their own lives. Through a range of programs designed around immersive experiences in Greater Boston, we will tie together the three elements of the famous passage – doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.

How does this work?

Many organizations offer service projects and service opportunities. However, Micah six:eight is hands-on heart change. Our program brings together BFJN leaders and leaders in the social justice community to guide participants through an interactive process toward sustained transformation. It marries compassion for the suffering and the compelling love for and desire of Christ to bring justice to a world in desperate need of it!

We are so excited to invite participants to join us for:

• Contextual Serving: participants will respond directly to the needs of one or more of our organizational partners who serve communities struggling with homelessness, poverty, trafficking, or food insecurity.  

• Transformational Learning:  participants will engage with foundational principles of generosity and justice as described in scripture and will gain practical knowledge about justice issues in the greater Boston area and the organizations working with affected communities. 

• Spiritual Equipping: participants will be asked to process their service and learning experience in community by engaging in worship, prayer, and reflection that will help them to sustain ongoing transformation and commitment to action beyond our time together.    

• Creative and Engaging Follow-Up Pathway: Opportunities to engage body, mind, and soul don’t end when Micah ends. Each group receives a sequence of emails offering stories, activities, facts, bible studies, devotionals, and more to inspire love for neighbors and to embrace God’s heart for justice beyond the Micah Six:Eight weekend.  

Community Partners:
We have developed a network of established community partners, who have been doing the work. This is important to us – we want to support the efforts of existing community organizations. When we are preparing for a weekend of service, we put out a “Call for Service,” and our partners contact us with their needs. If you are participating in a Micah Six:Eight service learning experience, you will be meeting those needs. We are continually building this network.

Micah 6:8 Participants:
You are a church, a small group, a family gathering, youth group (a group of any kind, really), who is wishing to explore more deeply the concepts of justice and generosity. Maybe you would like to volunteer, but aren’t sure how to get started, or perhaps you would like a low cost, high impact service learning experience in the Greater Boston Area – Micah 6:8 weekend of service has been developed to be flexible and meet each group’s individual needs. Check out this video to get an idea of what a Micah Experience is like.

Change Can Be Hard!

It is easy to become paralyzed by the enormity of suffering across the globe/in our communities and our God-given call to do something about that suffering. We fail to act not because we don’t care but because we don’t know the best way to effect change. BFJN’s goal is to empower Christians to take action toward a more just world by first becoming aware of the extent of poverty and oppression faced by our local and global neighbors and then transforming our own lives in response.

The Micah Six:Eight program is designed to help people progress through the change model displayed below. We want to help people learn, feel, act, and sustain that transformation. This involves learning about scripture, context, and people’s experiences with and helping others facing societal issues – homelessness, trafficking, poverty, food insecurity, incarceration, and climate change. As we feel compassion for others and God’s heart of love for them, we are moved to action. Then it is finding a way to encourage that action and engagement beyond the weekend. This is the hardest part and one we are constantly refining as we explore our goal of sustained transformation.  

A Typical weekend of Service:

One or Two Optional Pre-Sessions are available to expand the learning opportunities and space out the learning experience. They involve a mix of Bible study and engaging activities that keep people active with body and mind. 

Friday:
6:30 PM- 9:00 PM: Registration, Dinner, Learning Opportunity
Return to your home.

Saturday:
8:00 AM -8:45 AM: Breakfast/Prep
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Service
12:00 pm -1:00 pm: Lunch
1:00 PM – 4:30 pm: Service
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Dinner
6:00 pm -7:00 pm: Debrief
Return to your home.

Sunday:
7:00 AM -9:00 AM: Service
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Attend Local Church
11:00 AM -1:00 PM: Lunch & Learning
1:00 PM- 4:00 PM: Service
4:00 PM-6:00 PM: Dinner, Learning & Debrief

Our Hope:
Community Partners + Micah 6:8 Participants = Communities Transformed

If you would like more information or would like to know how to involve your church, small group or organization in a Micah experience please contact us at micah_68@bostonfaithjustice.org. Check us out on facebook!

We hope to build a movement of radical generosity by engaging together in this program!