Should We Need Compassion And World Vision?

Posted on 02.26.07 in Faith and there are 8 comments.

After this post last week, I was talking to a friend of mine and she asked a GREAT question.

“Do parachurch organizations exist because the local church isn’t doing it’s job?”

Now, organizations like Compassion and World Vision are amazing and impact thousands of lives, but do you think that they should exist or has the local church dropped the ball and these ministries have simply filled the void?

What do you think?

The Comments:

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Well, just because they’re not affiliated with a denomination or church of some kind, doesn’t mean they’re not a Christian agency.  The Church is the body of Christ.  If the people who are running World Vision, for example, are Christians, then yes, this is the Church attempting to do it’s job. 

Just my 2/5 of a nickel.

ended up here via shaun’s website/blog. i was having this exact conversation not too long ago. i took it a step farther and asked, if Christians/the Church/etc were really doing there job(s) would we need all of the public policies that exist to help those ‘down on their luck’ and such?

not saying these policies to help others aren’t great....but if we all cared enough about each other to sell everything we have and give to those in need (like the acts 2 chruch) would we need them?

Good question. I tend to agree in part with the first comment.

I am just thankful the organizations exist and God’s work is being done through them.

How good chooses to accomplish the goal is his perogative.

I see them as being a part of the church, not separate from it.

I suppose I should clarify. I think the organizations are excellent and are doing a great job. I think they are run by folks who love God whole heartedly.

I think the real question is whether the local church should be less self focused and ethnocentric. Should my church here in Waco, Texas be partnering with a believers in Eritrea to minister to the needs there?

How would it affect the local church if we had a more intimate world view and actually knew the folks we were sending money to?

Would we be more likely to go ourselves? How would that change the way we interact with the poor and needy here? How would that affect we spend church finances?

Do you think it’s possible for the local church to meet the needs of the poor as effectively as organizations like Compassion?

I hope that clarifies my question a bit. It’s not about whether Compassion is fulfilling it’s role, it’s about whether the local church is doing it’s part.

Thoughts?

I think organizations like Compassion have the ability to find what the needs are and to organize the help.  If independent churches tried to do this it would be very difficult with their limited resources, especially without a denomination or larger overarching group.  The denomination I grew up in is trying to partner churches with churches in other countries to acheive long term partnerships of the “local” church giving time, money, and people to the overseas church.  But it’s relying on the denominational structure to know where the needs are.  Another church I used to go to has partnered with a church in Louisiana and sends teams and supplies frequently to assist with the reconstruction efforts there.  So I think this does happen.
But another possibility would be for a church to decide to partner with Compassion and see if everyone in the church could sponsor children in a certain project or area.  The church may have the desire to do so, but needs a group like Compassion that already exists and is organized to facilitate it.

I think organizations like compassion exist because of the extreme disunity of the Church.  The only reason why the Church in Houston was able to meet the needs of Hurricane Katrina was because of the organizational capacity of Second Baptist and their willingness to work and organize the efforts of many, many different churches.

Compassion IS the local church.

Compassion International connects individuals and churches in countries that have “enough” with children who don’t have enough.  BUT the food, medical care, education, and spiritual upbringing those kids receive is administered by a local church in their neighborhood.  The “projects” where kids gather to learn and eat and be cared for rarely say “Compassion International” on them.  They more likely say something like “Eglesia Baptiste El Salvador.” (Is that proper Spanish?  I don’t know. But you get the point.)

So in this sense Compassion International funds and holds accountable and mentors local congregations around the world as they administer physical and spiritual care to their own neighborhoods.

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