A widow leads her community to raise money for an infant health clinic. A 15-year-old boy prevents his friend from being forced into a child marriage. Christians in a war-torn country provide food for people without homes.

When we hear half a billion people will be pushed into poverty because of COVID, it’s easy to believe we can’t do anything about it. We distract ourselves, plan the next holiday, or scroll past the news headlines to the latest cat meme.

But instead of retreating into fleeting comforts, what if we stopped for a second and thought about it? What if we chose to see differently?

What if we joined a movement of people—the widow in Kenya, a child in Bangladesh, Christians in countries facing conflict—and lived for the world we want to see?

Jesus Never Called Us To Be Comfortable

That’s the thinking behind Baptist World Aid’s new Better World Ambassador program, designed to help Christians meet the challenge of poverty in today’s world.

When we follow Jesus, he calls us to live out our faith—daily, thoughtfully, with great courage.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul punctuates this call with an intriguing title, ‘Christ’s ambassadors’. This mighty word, ‘ambassador’, bestows on us the privilege of representing Christ here on earth. Just as a country’s ambassador is a representative, we represent Christ and everything he stands for: a better world; a Kingdom marked by love and justice; a community of people who are truly equals.

Although we may feel ordinary, Jesus entrusts us with the ministry of reconciliation that he started when he died on the cross for our sins. As ambassadors, we share his message of hope with a world in need. And we work together to help those in poverty, so they might experience fullness of life as God intends.

‘Being a Christian is so much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world,’ said Melissa Lipsett, CEO of Baptist World Aid Australia.

‘When Jesus called his disciples to change the world with him, they were simple fishermen, not powerful, influential men,’ she said. ‘He wanted to take their ordinary lives and turn it into a mission. Anything else was too small a calling, and so it is with us.’ ‘We may not believe in our own ability to make a difference, but clearly God does–otherwise he would have had a different plan to change the world.’

Be An Ambassador For The World You Want To See

Better World Ambassadors is a new way to give to the work of Baptist World Aid, while being equipped to live for the world God intends.

As a Better World Ambassador, the money you give supports our Christian Partners around the world in a myriad of ways – providing families with agricultural training; caring for children in displacement camps; supporting maternal healthcare; helping vulnerable people create sustainable livelihoods, and providing support in times of disaster.

Yes, it will cost us. Investing in something of great value isn’t meant to be cheap or easy. But it’s worth it, as God’s glorious plan for better far outweighs anything this life has to offer.  

‘When you follow Jesus and become an ambassador for Christ, you see the world the way God intends it to be,’ said Rebecca Oates, Marketing and Communication director at Baptist World Aid. ‘You see there is hope. Better World Ambassadors gives people the opportunity to raise their voice with that hope. And by raising their voice and giving, they can create lasting change.’

‘If you see the world the same way we at Baptist World Aid do, we ask that you join us in this movement. Give, pray and advocate for those in poverty, so all can enjoy fullness of life as God intends.’

Are You Ready To Live For A Better World?

We’re ready to welcome you.

Sign up to Better World Ambassador and join a movement of Australian Christians hungry for a better world.

As you give, you’ll be informed on how your giving is helping people create sustainable livelihoods. You’ll be equipped to engage with issues of poverty through a gospel-lens. And we’ll make sure you’re connected with other Ambassadors for mutual encouragement, prayer and various events.

Because together we see a better world for all. Join as a Better World Ambassador.