The release of the film, Amazing Grace in theatres this week and the book of the same name have caused renewed interest and awareness about slavery around the world—especially in Sudan where it continues to this day.

We’ve brought you many reports on this issue throughout the years. During the 1990’s, I met and interviewed several redeemed slaves in Sudan and some young students of Colorado school teacher Barb Vogel who raised money to redeem Sudanese slaves.

One high school student I met in Oregon told me he felt a burden to redeem slaves. He took the money he had saved up to buy a car and redeemed Sudanese slaves instead.

Great, excellent to see Americans get involved to help liberate someone they don’t know half a world away.

Numerous reports have surfaced over the years challenging the legitimacy of Sudanese slave redemption. The Washington Post said some redeemed slaves weren’t slaves but, “people gathered locally and instructed to pretend they were returning from bondage".

The Post suggested a fraudulent slave redemption market had been created in Sudan by groups involved in slave redemption.

I heard these stories in Sudan and once asked Christian Solidarity International’s John Eibner if CSI’s efforts had actually created a demand for slaves--where Sudanese would be bought and sold just because Westerners were paying money. He said no, because if a market had been created, then the price for each slave would go up. The going rate has remained at about $50 per person over the years.

So, should Christians still be involved in Sudan slave redemption in 2007?

When asked that question, I tell people I have made 20 trips inside Sudan during the past 14-years and each time when I asked village elders and church leaders what Christians in the West should do to help the Sudanese, I was told to pray, to bring more Bibles, more medicines and to help the people with farming tools and seeds so they can be more self sufficient. Not once has anyone suggested that we need to be more aggressive in helping to redeem slaves.

I believe each of us should pray and ask God what he expects us to do individually and collectively to help people in bondage—whether in Sudan, India, Cambodia or elsewhere.

He will give some of us a burden to redeem slaves. He will send others to places like Sudan to spread the Gospel and introduce people to Christ. Perhaps that’s the best solution because when God’s spirit is poured out on a nation, there are no slaves, no need for slave redemption. He sets us free. (John 8:36)

For more, see CBN.com's Amazing Grace special section and A Modern Day Teen Abolitionist