Reaching the Poor with Compassion International

(YM360 Note: At youthministry360, we spotlight a lot of ministries. Compassion International is a ministry that is near to our hearts. We think they are one of the best organizations in the world, period. While we're all about what Compassion does and love to support their efforts, youthministry360 isn't officially affiliated with Compassion, and vice versa. They're just awesome people making a tremendous difference in the world, all in the name of Christ.)

I am a skeptic at heart. I've just been burned too many times. In this culture, we all have. I am less likely to give my money or my trust because of my skepticism. So, I assure you my admiration and belief in Compassion International is not a small matter.

Compassion is simply one of the best organizations of any kind I have ever encountered. And I can say this form a very informed opinion. My family and I have sponsored four children total, three of them for most of the last 7 years. Through my time working at Student Life, we enjoyed a close partnership which allowed me to see behind the curtain; I have met incredible people through Compassion and have had the occasion to meet Dr. Stafford and hear him speak. And I have been to Kenya to see the work of Compassion firsthand.

And at youthministry360, we want all of our community to know and understand what an incredible opportunity Compassion represents for your students to truly make an eternal difference in the life of a child suffering in poverty.

There is a really great (and really short) post today over on Compassion's blog that spells out the difference between child sponsorship and child development. It really spells out what they do. I cannot encourage you enough to go check it out. It will take you less than one minute of your time.

If you're a youth worker, you have been tasked with facilitating spiritual growth in the lives of the teenagers in your ministry. Now, it's not your job to do alone. But you're in a unique position as you have the respective ears of your church staff, the teenagers in your ministry, and their parents. You have the power to mobilize a group of people to do great things when you put your heart and collective passion toward a cause.

What if you were to mobilize your students and their parents and challenged individual families to sponsor a child? To partner with other families in your church to release children from poverty in Jesus' name?

Scripture echoes with the call of God to His people to be compassionate toward the poor, this sick, and the outcast. Compassion International is an organization you can believe in. Don't miss an opportunity to open your students' eyes to the impact they can make in the life of a child trapped in poverty.