Parachurch organization
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Parachurch organizations are vehicles by which Christians work collaboratively both outside of and across their denominations to engage with the world in social welfare and evangelism.
These bodies can be businesses, non-profit corporations, or private associations. They generally operate without sponsorship of any particular church or association of churches, while attempting to avoid encroaching on roles traditionally belonging to churches alone. They offer centralized efficiency of mission and operation to accomplish specialized ministry tasks that independent churches without denominational or associational strength are not able to accomplish on a larger national or international scale. In classic theological terms, they are a sodality instead of a modality.
[edit] Roles and organizations
While ParaChurch Organizations/Ministries are vital to accomplishing specific missions on behalf of the church it should never take the place of the local church. Ministries, Bible Studies and other such ParaChurch partnerships are beneficial and a great means of personal growth and effective ministry but it cannot supersede (in priority and commitment) the local body of Christ.
Parachurch organizations perform a number of roles, including:
- evangelistic crusade associations (patterned after the Billy Graham Association)
- evangelistic and discipleship ministries (such as The Navigators, 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
- welfare and social services, including homeless shelters, child care, and domestic violence, disaster relief programs, and food pantries and clothing closets, and emergency aid centers (such as the City Missions)
- self-help groups
- Bible study groups
