Why one of the Largest Charities in Australia Partners with the Local Church

Ever wondered why Compassion Australia partners with local churches to deliver our child sponsorship program? Learn more!

27 May, 2020

Compassion is one of the largest charity organisations in Australia, with over 2 million children being released from poverty around the world. For many children living below the poverty line, the love and support of a sponsor is life-changing. We partner with local churches in over 25 countries to help bring hope to the lives of children and families living in poverty.

Here are three reasons why we partner exclusively with the local church.

1. The Church shares our vision

"On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." —Matthew 16:18b

The mission of the Church is to share the good news of Jesus Christ—that's our mission, too.

The Church is the only institution ordained by God Himself. Ordained to bring the good news of Jesus, to be a haven for the lost and broken and to serve as an outpost for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Compassion and the Church share a heart for children, and desire to see their lives transform as they learn about God's love for them.

Not only is this a vital part of who we are—our shared faith and purpose make it much easier to agree on program outcomes, and to build lasting change in the world's most vulnerable communities.

2. The local church knows their community

Poverty is complex. It takes many different shapes and affects communities across the globe in very different ways. Our local church partners truly understand their communities. They know exactly what is impacting local families, and exactly how to help.

By coming alongside the local church, we want to be a source of empowerment so they can effectively respond to the needs of local children in a way that is suitable for them.

Working with Compassion field offices, local church partners are able to contextualise our holistic child development program based on local experiences. They are also able to extend their impact through the addition of Critical Needs to meet health, disaster relief, education, and other urgent needs.

3. Local churches are planted firmly in their communities

The local church is present in a community long before Compassion comes to town, and it will be there long after our part is done.

Our experience has shown us that the church provides greater stability as an agent of continued development than any political, educational or judicial institutions in a community.

At Compassion, we don't see our ministry as never-ending support for the churches we partner with, but rather our aim is to set each church on their own pathway to program maturity, so that one day they can minister to children without us.

Our goal is to encourage and equip churches to become self-sustaining, so that they can continue to change the lives of children for generations upon generations.

Above all, we know that the local church will always remain to be the beacon of hope in a community.

Would you like to bring hope to a child living in poverty? You can sponsor a child today.

You can also make an impact through a one-time donation to support children living in poverty, by giving to Critical Needs. All donations to Critical Needs are tax deductible in Australia and provide a child with life-changing support.

Poverty leaves children without any safety net or protection, so when unforeseen circumstances arise, there is often little hope for recovery. You can give an online donation today and make a significant impact! To claim a tax deduction at the end of the financial year, all you need to do is keep an eye on your email. Your receipt for your tax return will be emailed to you by our friendly team.

Thank you for your generosity—your gifts and donations truly make an impact.

Words by Rebekah Wilesmith and Claire Ince

Photos by Daniel Robson and Ben Adams