List of parachurch organizations

Parachurch organizations are Christian faith-based organizations that usually carry out their mission independent of church oversight. The prefix para, is Greek for beside, or alongside.

Most parachurch organizations, at least those normally called parachurch, are Protestant and Evangelical. Some of these organizations cater to a defined spectrum among evangelical beliefs, but most are self-consciously interdenominational and many are ecumenical.

Roles that parachurch organizations undertake include larger more national or international movements:

• Evangelistic crusade associations (patterned after the Billy Graham Association)
• Evangelistic and discipleship ministries (such as The Navigators, and Campus Crusade for Christ)
• Music and print publishers, radio and television stations, film studios, online ministries
• Study centers and institutes, schools, colleges and universities
• Political and social activist groups

And smaller, more localized movements:

• Welfare and social services, including homeless shelters, child care, and domestic violence, disaster relief programs, food pantries and clothing closets, and emergency aid centers (such as the City Missions)
• Self-help groups
• Bible study groups

Evangelical

International

• Advancing Churches in Missions Commitment[1]
• Alpha course
• Bible Society
• Billy Graham Evangelical Association
• Campus Crusade for Christ including Athletes in Action, FamilyLife, the Jesus Film Project and Global Aid Network
• Cadence International
• Christian Motorcyclists Association [2]
• Christianity Explored Ministries [3]
• Commission To Every Nation
• Compassion International a Christian child sponsorship organization
• Christ For All Nations
• Christian Research Institute
• Christians for Biblical Equality
• The many City Missions and Gospel Rescue Missions
• Esprit Omnimedia funds orphanages and interchurch events
• German Church School Addis Ababa
• Gideons International
• Gospelcom Alliance best known for their Bible Gateway efforts
• Great Commission Movement
• International Fellowship of Evangelical Students association of Christian student movements worldwide (including InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the U.S.)
• Jesus To The World Mission
• Living Waters Publications/The Way of the Master evangelism training programs headed by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort
• Mercy Ships (founded by YWAM)
• National Network of Youth Ministries [4] linking youth workers together with each other and with over 70 national youth ministries and church denominations
• The Navigators individualized teaching and publishing group
• One Accord Ministry[5]
• Operation Mobilisation international mission agency with particular focus on Islamic people groups
• Pioneers Missionary support organization.
• Prison Fellowship visits and ministers to prisoners worldwide
• Renovaré
• Scripture Union
• S.O.U.L. VN Ministry Missions organization to Vietnam.
• Tell The Truth Outreach Ministries[6]
• The Lord Is Here Outreach
• The Jesus Bus[7] Facilitating others to do more public ministry.
• U.S. Center for World Mission (Includes Divisions working internationally)
• World Vision International Worldwide relief agency
• World Prayer Ministry Project[8] Promotes prayer for leaders globally.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Youth Dynamics (YD) Christian youth organization in the Northwest US
• Young Life International Christian outreach organization focused on sharing Christ to middle school, high school and college aged kids through relational evangelism.
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM) international mission agency with particular focus on youth and the World's poor and disadvantaged.

United States and Canada

• All Nations Ministries A Christian nondenominational tent ministry which works small communities around the Western U.S.
• Answers in Genesis Apologetics & Biblical authority ministry.
• Call to Renewal
• Christianity Today A leading periodical for evangelicals, founded by Billy Graham in 1956
• Focus on the Family Resources for Christian families, singles, and various age groups, professions
• Laubach Literacy Each one teach one a literacy program instituted by Dr. Frank Laubach that has taught 60 million people to read.
• Habitat for Humanity Helping poor families build homes; President Jimmy Carter has worked extensively with them.
• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship College ministry affiliated with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
• Neighbor Reach ONE - Organic Neighbor Evangelism ...real life, real time. http://NeighborReach.Org
• Promise Keepers A renewal movement for men
• Rapture Ready Promotes knowledge of Christian rapture theory
• Samaritan's Purse Interdenominational disaster relief aid
• Youth for Christ
• Governors' Prayer Team[9] Promotes prayer for leaders.
• Many crisis pregnancy centers in the United States are operated on a parachurch basis, having boards of directors not affiliated with or under the control of any single church or congregation.

Non-Evangelical specific

United Kingdom

• Association of Interchurch Families, family support group
• Christian Aid, international development agency backed by UK churches
• Christians Against Poverty, a charity that deals with debt counselling
• Christian Concern For Our Nation, campaigning group on legal and political changes
• Churches Together in England, national ecumenical organisation