The Catalyst Group, which is a recent ministry of MBC, is an advocacy program, where we seek to obey God's call for us to "do justice." The concept is simple - change occurs when we speak out together.

Once a month the catalyst group meet together to learn about, pray about, and act on global justice issues. Each year a particular global justice issue is selected and similar groups across the country spend the year focusing on that issue.

Catalyst groups are resourced by Baptist World Aid Australia. They are provided with bible study materials, training in how to speak to politicians and media, church newsletter snippets, briefing papers, a regular e-newsletter to keep them up to date, a dedicated website and more.

Catalyst groups are part of a wider movement. When members of  your church write a letter, visit their local Member of Parliament, pray, or seek to raise local community awareness on an isse they do so knowing that other groups right around the country are doing the same thing at the same time. This means that your lcoal church is not a lone voice for justice, but is part of a wider campaign during which many voices will be heard. This dramatically improves the possibilities for advocacy to be successful.

Catalyst Is

Catalyst is an advocacy program for Australian churches facilitated by Baptist World Aid Australia. Churches form a small group that meets monthly to learn about, pray about and take action on global justice issues. Learn more

Current Campaigns

 

More Aid, Better Aid
The More Aid, Better Aid campaign calls on the Australian Government to lift the Australian aid budget to 0.7% of national income by 2015 and to ensure Australian aid helps poorer countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Learn more

Stop The Traffik!
Many people think slavery ended centuries ago. The truth is that slavery is bigger than ever. Up to 27 million people are trapped in slavery across the world today. Stop the Traffik is a campaign aiming to end this vile trade. Learn more

Behind the Barcode
Many of the products we buy today are made in the developing world. Yet the prices paid to those suppliers are often very low. The low returns keep people mired in poverty and drive suppliers to cut costs through the use of child and slave labour,violation of worker rights, and ingoring of workplace safety and sustainable use of the environment. Behind the Barcode seeks to influence Australian companies and consumers to act to change this. Learn more

 

Since our first meeting in July, MBC's catalyst group has worked to raise awareness in the Church, encouraged the use of FairTrade products, collected and sent 58 letters as part of the 6,000 letters delivered to PM Kevin Rudd at the Micah Challenge gathering in Canberra, collected 50 postcards to be sent to Nestle, urging them to use cocoa in their products that is ethically sourced, had some training in being an advocacy group, and met with our local M.P. to discuss the issues of people trafficing and Fair Trade.

 

For more information, check out the following websites:

Catalyst - http://www.catalystonline.org.au/

Ethical Consumer Guide (lists details about which products and manufacturers are ethical) - http://www.ethical.org.au

FairTrade Association - http://www.fairtrade.com.au/