News Archive
Tearfund - be part of a miracle
I’m sure many of you have received your Teartimes this week and I hope like me you’ve been encouraged by the difference the global church is making around the World. It was good to have Mike Chesterton from Tearfund visit us at HBC and to be reminded of what supporting Tearfund is all about. Tearfund’s mission statement, which Mike explained to us is so full of love, faith and hope:
“We are Christians passionate about the local church bringing justice and transforming lives- overcoming global poverty. And so our ten year vision is to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.”
This vision creates a picture in my mind of the body of Christ at work in our world, not just in Heaton or even the UK but globally. A network of churches bound together by their faith in Jesus Christ and becoming a force to be reckoned with. To me Tearfund is not simply an organisation, it is about the worldwide church working together under the headship of Christ.
Tearfund works through the local church, otherwise known as partners, in all the countries where it works. It does not create dependency but empowers poor people to take control of their own lives. Time and time again it tells of people coming to faith and of churches growing in these communities where Christians are not only preaching the good news but also in Jesus’ name finding practical solutions to problems and caring for those in need, thus these communities see transformation both physically and spiritually.
Tearfund believes in the power of the global churches voice in speaking out on issues of justice. Act Fast cards are a very easy way to be part of speaking out with thousands of other Christians in the UK and it does work. You may have added your voice to the water and sanitation campaign... well, be encouraged politicians are listening and responding with actions on this. Praise God.
Prayer is described as the heartbeat of Tearfund. Prayer changes us, doesn’t it? I know the times when I pray regularly using Tearfund’s prayer diary are the times I am most open to respond to God and to reach out to others in Jesus’ name. So if you’d like to get prayer emails, teartimes, the prayer diary, or any other resources please email me or you can look on Tearfund’s website.
Mike said that without God we’re stuffed. Tearfund’s mission statement is ambitious. Yet with God all things are possible. Do we believe it?
If you read much about poverty and the suffering of those abused around our world you’ll no doubt start to see the world as a dark place and feel overwhelmed. Well I think the world is full of darkness but praise God for the church, praise God for Jesus Christ who the church is built upon and praise God for every light that shines in that darkness. I read teartimes and I hear of light shining in the darkness and I find greater courage and hope. I’m grateful for Tearfund which enables and equips us to become part of a great movement of God.