Tim Nelson

The Case for Church-to-Church Partnerships (C2C):

The past four months have included great change for my family. After pastoring a church in Rockford, Michigan for the past nine years, in November 2008, God called us to something new. We are blessed and excited to be part of the World Orphans team!  As Director of Advocacy-Midwest, I work to both educate and empower people and their churches to respond to God’s call to the orphan. I do so with great conviction and passion for the church, the church God wants to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world.

1.  The church is the voice for the orphan.  Around the world, orphans have no voice, until you walk into a local church. Through the prophetic words of pastors and the actions of church bodies, the cry of the orphan is heard.  The church must speak out and speak for them.  Because God is not silent, passive, or apathetic to the plight of the orphan or the widow, the church cannot be silent, passive, or apathetic.  In Deuteronomy 10:18, God “...defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”

2.  Churches cannot speak alone. In many parts of the world, churches remain silent because they feel overcome by the many needs and the lack of resources.  When a church has lost its voice because it is under-resourced, the church worldwide suffers.  When we think of the church as a global community, the church with resources can help the church without.  We can partner together to steward the voice the church has been given in the world, to be a bastion of hope, truth, and redemption.  We may not speak the same language, sing the same songs, do ministry the same way, or have the same style; but we can help each other find our voices, show the same love, cry out to the same Lord and have the same mission: “to go and make disciples.” As we stand together, we stand stronger, united in Christ.

3.  At the end of all things, there is only one church.  One day, when we all appear before the Righteous Judge, there will be one church; the one that has submitted fully to the will and Lordship of Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit.  We will be one massive family, with one Father and one hope.  Why wait until then to act like it?  It is okay to have theological distinctives, but not okay to let those differences lead us to let our brothers and sisters suffer. 

The church becomes who it really is when churches partner together.  We are all one in our Heavenly Father.  When one part suffers, we all suffer.  When one part rejoices, we can all rejoice.

Thank you for your support and prayer for the ministry for World Orphans. It is only because of donors and supporters like you that we are able to help churches, both near and far, respond to the call to care, to reach out in love, to be Christ’s hands and feet. What a tremendous opportunity we have to be part of real change and offer true hope!