‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matt 25:40b 

I met a lady last night. I don't know her name. I may never see her again but our encounter has concerned me every since.

As I lead the shift for Cardiff Street Pastors  we progressed along St Mary Street and our pace aligned with an eastern european flower seller. She looked sad. I asked her if she was having a good night. She shook her head, showed me the roses she held and said in broken english "I try to sell these, everyone tells me to ƒ#*k off, they hate me" I tried to encourage her by saying they don't hate you, they don't know you. She answered "my English is not very good". It could have been that she did not understand what I was saying but it also struck me that she could not possibly understand the distinction I meant faced with the over whelming evidence of her experience.

I wondered if any of the people who were so rude to her had considered whether she really wanted to be there? Was this giving her fulfilment and joy? Would she do it if she had other options? Did they think about where she would sleep that night and how many others might be in the same room, maybe in the same bed? Did they think she got to keep all the money and if not who was taking the profits? Did they consider why the majority of these ladies were middle aged or elderly? Why had they left their children to come to such an inhospitable city. Did they come by choice or coercion? Is the job they are doing the one that was promised? Are there consequences if they don't sell many roses? Where are the young women? Are they selling other "things" to ungrateful men on the orders of other men? And of course I know that the verbal abusers did not ask these questions. How could they have and been so cruel? This sad lady was simply an irritant and an inconvenience as people wanted to drink in Cardiff, the party capital of the UK.

However, I have thought about it and it has challenged me to think what I can do to show people like her she is loved?

Users on all the social networks have been outraged by good old M&S banning the words Jesus and Christ from their online flower delivery service. The suggestion is that yet again Christianity is been persecuted and marginalized.

Some of the comments I read on Facebook included “outrageous”, “very sad” and “lost a customer”.

If the full report were read one would discover that the person who was struggling with their order, called the help line where the order was processed immediately.

Might I suggest an alternative version of this story? Marks and Spencer set up an online florist that offers people the opportunity not only to order bouquets, but also to include their own message. Recognizing that there was a possibility that someone might use the service to write a message offensive to Christians they ensured that anyone who wanted to use words that we in the church hold dear, such as Jesus and Christ, they established protocols to ensure people would not be able to be include words that could be used in an offensive way without authorization from their call centre.

My concern is that many of my fellow Christians were so quick to take offence. Indeed they even took the report from the Daily Mail that this tabloid was some reliable form of reporting. There are many things we should be concerned about (many of which are ignored or under reported by the Daily Mail). Might I suggest Kelly Gissendaner who as I write this is within hours of being executed in the USA? How about world poverty? How about a food bank in one town in the Welsh valleys where 12% of the population have been customers within a 9-month period? In fact I’ve go a better idea. How about we choose not to be offended, ignore petty criticism and intentionally become known as people who go out of our way to reward good service, encourage people and show gratitude?

I have determined that I want to spend more time extending the Kingdom. I want to be counter -cultural rather than falling into the trap of being distracted by being defensive. Anyone with me?

We now have over 700 signatures on the petition! Most of course are from Wales but others are from all over the world. If you have not signed yet, PLEASE DO IT NOW. CLICK HERE

Next week I, along with some other Christians involved in the abolition movement, am due to meet Stephen Chapman who is the Wales Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator to inform him what churches and organisations are doing to raise awareness and tackle this issue.

Friday 15th February will be the launch of Redemption Sessions. This is a prayer event that will meet from 8pm - 10pm at Belmont Baptist Church, Tremorfa. Organised by Dai Hankey, Ignite and the #NotOnMyWatch campaign is proud to be associated with it. Sometimes went people are confronted about the reality of trafficking and slavery, they can be overwhelmed. The natural reaction is to ask "what can I do" It is my contention that everyone can tell someone else, everyone can sign the petition and everyone can pray! If you are in or mear Cardiff tomorrow, join us!

For some churches, schools, universities, businesses etc. it might be easier to have a paper petition. If it is helpful to you, please download the petition here

More updates will follow

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Nefarious - 27,000,000 Reasons Why We MUST Do Something

#NotOnMyWatch - The Campaign begins

A week ago we hosted a screening of the film "Nefarious - Merchant of Souls". The majority of the marketing was done through social media and we were delighted when over 80 people turned up at Woodies to watch the movie. We were setting the seen for an issue that God has been burning into our hearts.

In this blog, I will highlight some of the things that happened in the last week and it maybe that I will return to a number of thein more detail.

A number of weeks ago, we were succesful in lodging an online petition with the Welsh Assembley Government. It says 

"We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to do all within its power to make Wales free from the illegal activity of people trafficking and slavery."

Sign the Petition HERE   As I write this post, we are a few signatures short of 500. This may not seem many BUT it is just the beginning and is already the 2nd biggest petition on the hosting site! My request is that you not only sign it but you use all your influence to get others to sign it!

We launched to petition on twitter on Friday morning. We were delighted to get retweets by Cery Matthews, Paul Daniels, The Rend Collective, John Archer, Hear say's Noel Sullivan, Swansea City's mascot "Cyril the Swan" and many others.

Friday night saw the official launch at Rhiwbina Baptist Church and around 250 people turned up to the event. Dai Hankey spoke powerfully, my friend Trevor King made a powerful short film about when people trafficking became personal to him ( I will post later in the week), the Ignite band lead worship and the heart cry from the event was best summed up in this  Jesus Culture lyric

                                      There's an army rising up

                                                                                There's an army rising up

There's an army rising up

To Break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain

To Break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain

There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus

To Break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain

We have launched a website which can be accessed www.notonmywatch.mobi This has lots of information, campaign plans and schools lessons.

We have a video and a single to come and so much more. The outrage and blight on our world that is slavery and human trafficking MUST come to an end. Do your bit. Sign the petition here 

At Ignite Tuesday is often a special day. It's special it's because it is the day the most of our team are in the office. Around lunchtime we gather together and worship God. Most times I will open up the bible and share from the word of God. It is precious and He meets with us and we are blessed. 

This Tuesday was different. As part of our preperation for this new season where we are launching #NotOnMyWatch we watched a film. I think it might be the first time we have done this but this was not the just any film. Nefarious - Merchant of Souls is an award winning documentary produced by Exodus Cry Let me say right now that is an excellent film, incredible. Did I enjoy it? NO! I was incensed, heart broken and angry. This film took me on a journey that helped to understand the evil that is Sex Trafficking and Slavery. Let me be very clear. It MUST STOP! I want to use this season of my life to highlight this issue, to help raise up a generation of abolitionists. There are people and organisations that know so much more than me about this. There are organisations with more contacts than Ignite that are working in this area but I know I cannot hide behind any of these excuses and do nothing.

One of the frustrations that people have as they look at these huge issues is "what can I do?" Well it is clear that the thing that changed the tide for William Wilberforce as he tried to get rid of transatlantic slavery was public opinion. When normal people made it known that is was unacceptable, when they effectively said to this world's power and principalities #NotOnMyWatch

In 2013 there are more people in slavery than there were in Wilberforce's day. Many of them are forced into the sex trade. If you want to know more then come along to Woodville Road Baptist Church on Monday 7th September. We will be serving coffee from 7pm and screening the movie at 7.30pm. It will inform you and I am convinced it will stir you into action. There is much you can do and we will begin to tell you what those things are that night. 

If you are unable to join us, keep checking back to this blog and the Ignite Official Facebook page for further information. Please join us in ridding the earth of this unspeakable evil. Watch the trailer below