empowering the church in Malawi to make a difference

Here's an interesting article from Tearfund about the role of the church in a world of poverty and injustice:

We are all aware of many kinds of problems in our world - both on a global scale and in our own local situations. We see violence, poverty, prejudice and selfishness and a growing divide between rich and poor - not just between countries, but also within countries. Many people are searching for hope and spiritual direction. Many Christians believe that they cannot simply turn away from these problems and concentrate on worshipping God. Just as Jesus came into this world and became fully involved, so must they as God's people. What should the role of the church be in development?

The good news is that, despite all its faults, the church is the way God has chosen to carry out his work in the world. Holistic change is all about transforming the world and the lives of people so that relationships with God, others and the environment are restored as God intended... read more about the challenges of churches engaging holistic ministry

What we love about Emmanuel International is that it is church-centred and holistic – we will be working through the local church in Malawi. We believe that God has chosen to work through his church – that the church is God’s chosen agent of transformation in the world. It also just makes more sense – with 300 churches throughout villages in southern Malawi the Evangelical Baptist Church of Malawi is an existing network of churches already present in those communities and that will continue to be in place after we, or the mission organization, withdraw from the country. These are the churches we will be working with to empower them to make a difference in the lives of the people in those villages.