Do Para-Church Organizations Work?

Tyler,

I think this largely depends on your understanding of the role of the church and your definition of para-church. Personally, I believe a para-church organization has overstepped its role when it begins usurping the role of the church. For instance, in the quote you provided, I would delineate between “mutual support” (that which helps a church accomplish its God-given responsibilities) and “collaborative ministry: (when a non-church entity attempts to do the work assigned to the church).

Name the handful of parachurch ministries that have not dramatically compromised in one generation after founding:

Name the handful of parachurch ministries that have not compromised:

• BJU: Solid after multiple generations
• Faith (Ankeny): Ditto

Have compromised:

• YWAM (got off to a bad start anyway)
• CCC (Krew) (ditto to above)
• Youth for Christ
• InterVarsity
• And many more

I would add

• Central Baptist Seminary
• Maranatha Baptist University
• Baptist World Missions

[Jim]

Name the handful of parachurch ministries that have not dramatically compromised in one generation after founding:

Name the handful of parachurch ministries that have not compromised:

• BJU: Solid after multiple generations
• Faith (Ankeny): Ditto

Have compromised:

• YWAM (got off to a bad start anyway)
• CCC (Krew) (ditto to above)
• Youth for Christ
• InterVarsity
• And many more