Yesterday I had the chance to speak to about 30 parachurch ministries from the Greenville Spartanburg area.  As they introduced themselves I was amazed at the different needs that are trying to meet in this area.  All of these leaders are very dedicated and feel called to try and make a difference for the Lord in their particular area.  Many of them are making very valuable contributions to the work of the Lord in our community.

I had met a lot of these leaders and I am happy to say that we have worked with a large number of these ministries.  We have great partnerships with some of them while we support and work with others.  I was there to try and give them some encouragement as they seek to move forward in their ministry.  I was glad to have the opportunity

They are seeking to have an impact for the Lord in some very specific areas.  I believe that most of them realize that they are an extension of the local church.  Effective parachurch ministries will always tell you that they exist to support the work of the local church.  It is the church, the bride of Christ, that God has promised to bless.  The Bible is clear that the Lord wants to build His church and He is using ministries like these to assist in that task.

We have been involved with a large number of these ministries and I have supported a number of them personally.  I am glad to have that opportunity.  I always make sure that I keep everything in the proper order.  I support the ministries of my local church including missions and any special projects and then I pray about other ministries that I feel the Lord is leading me to support.  I also give time and attention to ministries that sometimes want my help or counsel when they ask for it.

Because of the way that we operate, when you support the ministry of our church and our missions budget, you are supporting a large number of these at the same time.  We do that because we want to be Kingdom people.  It is not about us feeling good about it or claiming credit.  It is about how we can make the greatest impact.

In a time when there are so many things that are clamoring for our support and attention, it is important that we stay focused on the direction that the Lord would have us to go.  When you give the proper support to your church, the scripture teaches us that we are moving in the right direction.