Side By Side

When speaking of churches, parachurches come to mind, as well. Parachurches are meant to work alongside the local church to help reach a wider set of people. However, as they’ve evolved, they often (intentionally or not) start to take the place of the local church. In an article for The Gospel Coalition, Jon Saunders writes, “Yes, it’s wonderfully true that the ministry of the local church carries out God’s Great Commission plan. But it’s equally true that this will only happen if the church goes and ministers to students like parachurches do. Congregations must leave the friendly confines of the church building and go into the dorms, the intramural buildings, and the coffee shops to make disciples.”

The local church and parachurch are stronger when working together instead of against one another. But we must remember that the church is where God calls believers to gather together, hear the Word preached, and come together in fellowship, even if that means less time for a parachurch ministry.

 

Source: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/parachurch-ministry