What is a Healthy Para Church?

I often refer people to the book “What is a Healthy Church,” by Mark Dever. However, today I’m thinking about the para-church. What is a healthy para-church? If you don’t want to read my brief thoughts you can check out an online journal article titled, “The 9 Marks of a Healthy Para Church Ministry” by clicking here. To be clear, when I say para-church I am referring to any organized Christian ministries that is not an actual local church (i.e. Christian colleges, local or global missions and relief organizations).

I do not personally claim to be the authority or an expert on this topic, but I do believe I have accumulated plenty of street cred in both local and para church to be able to offer some sound observations, critiques, and statements.

Local & Para Church Streed Cred

I was the student president of Cru in college at FSU, I did an internship with Cru, have been overseas with Cru, my mother was a teacher and principal in a Christian school for 30 years, I have been on staff at The Y, I have completed seminary, I have raised personal support for both short-term trips and for my salary for multiple years, I have planted a local church, I have been on staff at other churches, I have been a mentor for urban youth through the Y, I helped to start an inner city mentor program out of a local church, I routinely recommend para church ministries to church members, our family has always supported missionaries financially after we give to our local church, and most recently I have spear-headed an initiative to rent the top floor of our current church to para-church ministries and non-profits.

I say all that to simply say that I am not some local church pastor idiot with my head in the sand about the kingdom and the big picture of the great commission. I have very deep convictions about the local church and I have very positive feelings about the para-church. I see awesome potential. I want to see it all work together for the glory of Jesus Christ. Who doesn’t?

I really love the Local Church (and have a Biblical conviction about it)

The mission of missions is the church and the mission of the church is missions.  I am super passionate about the local church.  I believe all of Scripture sets forth the local church as the normative and primary means for reaching the city and the world with the Gospel and for growing up individual believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Scripture clearly articulates that a primary way Jesus intends to shepherd His precious people is through loving and qualified under-shepherds (Pastors) who are in local churches.
Therefore, I will always emphasize and seek to increase the prominent role of the local church in the thinking and practice of every individual follower of Jesus Christ as they contemplate and seek to work out issues such as: calling, life-counsel, evangelism, theology, Bible study, fellowship, accountability, discipleship, discipline, etc.  This is my passion and vision (Mt. 16:18, 28:18-20, Acts 13-14, Ephesians, Titus 1:5-9).

I really love para-church ministries

Para-church ministries such as seminaries, Christian schools, mercy ministries, and outreach/discipleship ministries local and abroad are a great blessing to the kingdom of Christ. These ministries can often times reach and impact people with the Gospel that are beyond the reach of local church.  I am extremely grateful for these ministries and their impact for Christ.  While my emphasis will Biblically remain for the local church, I am always excited to pray for, partner with, and generously financially support healthy para-church ministries locally and abroad.

Examples: Passion, Wheaton College, Cru, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, The Y…

What is a healthy para-church ministry?

First things first, there are healthy and unhealthy local churches. This needs to be stated. Many para-church ministries are desperately needed because the local church is terribly off mission and unhealthy. In some contexts the local church is kinda like the drunk dad who never steps up to be the leader he can and should be, so the mom and others have to fill in to make the sure the family “makes it.”  So the local church may need to get the plank out of its eye before removing the speck from the para church’s eye.

However, even with this being the case, we can still point out that there are healthy and unhealthy para-church ministries. Para-church ministries are at their best when they tangibly live out the prefix “para,” which means to come along side the local church.  A healthy para-church ministry will be highly intentional in cooperating with the leadership of the local churches they work alongside (i.e. not just the members).  A healthy para-church will seek to compliment, not replace, rival, or downplay the role of the local church in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.  To be very specific a para-church ministry that is healthy and trending toward healthy will do the following:

1. Doctrine: A healthy para-church ministry has sound doctrine and a Biblical leadership structure (mainly Godly character in leaders). Trending Unhealthy: Not having convictions on controversial issues just because you are “not” a local church.
2. Discernment: A healthy para-church ministry leader should be spiritually submitted within a local church. This does not mean that a Pastor in a local church is suddenly in charge of the para church ministry, but it does mean that every para church leader needs a local Pastor who can offer counsel, prayer, and covering.  Para-church ministries should encourage anyone seeking to come “on staff” to work through this decision and calling alongside (not apart from) the wisdom Christ provides through their Pastor and their local church. Trending Unhealthy = Recruiting leadership at all cost and ignoring Pastoral red flags about a potential staff person and their readiness.
3. Dollars: A healthy para-church ministry respectfully seeks the blessing and counsel of the Pastor/Elders before major initiatives toward that local church to recruit volunteers or to seek financial support for their ministry. Good Pastor’s have no desire to hoard, but they do want to be strategic. Trending Unhealthy = Mindsets such as: “church is a commodity” or “church as competitor.”
4. Day to Day: A health para-church ministry joins with Scripture and with the local church in emphasizing the local church as the normative and primary means for Gospel advance and Gospel growth. In a healthy para-church this mind-set is shared and modeled among the key leaders and staff and passed down to those they minister to.  However, in a healthy para-church ministry this is more than a mindset and mere talk about “love for the local church.”  A healthy para-church ministry seeks to put this into practice in: requirements of staff, scheduling, requirements of volunteers, etc..etc..   Trending Unhealthy = The mindset that the para church ministry is my “mission” and the church is my “haven of fellowship and spiritual feeding.”

I think these are pretty fair observations and ideas. I’m sure I will keep thinking and working on them.

To be clear, my current focus is on humbly making Fellowship Raleigh Church as healthy as it can be as a local church. That is my job. However, I could envision myself using the above 4 marks of healthy para-church as criteria for which ministries I would want to partner with, volunteer with, or donate to… whether as an individual or as a church.

I am so thankful for the many great examples that I personally know (leaders and organizations) who embody and live this stuff out!