A parachurch ministry is a Christian ministry that is designed to come alongside the church. The prefix "para" means, "with" -- so the idea is that a parachurch ministry is supposed to work with a local church ministry. The question of parachurch ministries in the twenty-first century is a very interesting one.
With the advent of the megachurch, many local churches are actually able to do many things that parachurches do. They can send their own missionaries, they can establish their own social service programs, and so on. Many churches traditionally devoted to the ministry of the Word and prayer have expanded their ministries, folding into the body some ministries which typically came under the umbrella of parachurch ministries.
The growth of churches and parachurch ministries raises a number of questions. For example, what is the purpose of the local church? Should churches devote more of their resources to activities we think belong to the parachurch ministries? How should churches (and Christians) think about supporting parachurch ministries?
These are the kinds of questions addressed in the latest eJournal from 9Marks ministry. Included is an article I wrote. At Mount Vernon we support parachurch ministries. We have members who have founded parachurch ministries. These issues should be of interest to us. Let me know what you think.
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