List of parachurch organizations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Parachurch organizations are Christian faith-based organizations which carry out their mission usually independent of church oversight. The prefix para, is Greek for beside, or alongside.

Most parachurch organizations, at least those which are normally called parachurch, are Protestant and Evangelical. Some of these organizations cater to a defined spectrum among evangelical beliefs, but most are self-consciously interdenominational and many are ecumenical.

Roles undertaken by parachurch organizations include larger more national or international movements:

• Evangelistic crusade associations (patterned after the Billy Graham Association)
• Evangelistic and discipleship ministries (such as The Navigators, and Campus Crusade for Christ)
• Music and print publishers, radio and television stations, film studios, online ministries
• Study centers and institutes, schools, colleges and universities
• Political and social activist groups

And smaller, more localized movements:

• Welfare and social services, including homeless shelters, child care, and domestic violence, disaster relief programs, food pantries and clothing closets, and emergency aid centers (such as the City Missions)
• Self-help groups
• Bible study groups

[edit] Evangelical parachurch organizations

[edit] International

• Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment[1]
• Alpha course
• Bible Society
• Billy Graham Evangelical Association[2]
• Campus Crusade for Christ and Global Aid Network
• Christ For All Nations
• Christian Research Institute
• Christians for Biblical Equality
• The many City Missions and Gospel Rescue Missions
• Esprit Omnimedia[3] funds orphanages and interchurch events
• German Church School Addis Ababa
• Gideons International
• Gospelcom Alliance best known for their Bible Gateway efforts
• International Fellowship of Evangelical Students association of Christian student movements worldwide
• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship College ministry
• Jesus To The World Mission
• Living Waters Publications/The Way of the Master evangelism training programs headed by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
• Mercy Ships (founded by YWAM)
• The Navigators individualized teaching and publishing group
• One Accord Ministry[4]
• Operation Mobilisation international mission agency with particular focus on Islamic people groups
• Pioneers[5] Missionary support organization.
• Prison Fellowship visits and ministers to prisoners worldwide
• Renovaré
• Scripture Union
• The Lord Is Here Outreach
• The Jesus Bus[6] Facilitating others to do more public ministry.
• U.S. Center for World Mission (Includes Divisions working internationally)
• World Vision Worldwide relief agency
• World Prayer Ministry Project[7]Promotes prayer for leaders globally.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM) international mission agency with particular focus on youth and the World's poor and disadvantaged.

[edit] United States and Canada

• Answers in Genesis Apologetics & Biblical Authority ministry. Their slogan is "Upholding the Authority of the Bible from the very first verse". [8]
• Call to Renewal
• Christianity Today A leading periodical for evangelicals, founded by Billy Graham in 1956
• Focus on the Family Resources for Christian families, singles, and various age groups, professions
• Laubach Literacy Each one teach one a literacy program instituted by Dr. Frank Laubach that has taught 60 million people to read.
• Habitat for Humanity Helping poor families build homes; President Jimmy Carter has worked extensively with them.
• Promise Keepers A renewal movement for men
• Rapture Ready[9] Promotes knowledge of Christian rapture theory
• Samaritan's Purse Interdemoninational disaster relief aid
• Youth for Christ
• Governors' Prayer Team[10] Promotes prayer for leaders.

In addition, many crisis pregnancy centers in the United States are operated on a parachurch basis, having boards of directors not affiliated with or under the control of any single church or congregation.