Learn about the Church and Community Transformation Programme, and how it’s helping local churches see their communities flourish.
The Church and Community Programme
Central to our call to end poverty is the Church. Each local church is called by God to provide vital holistic care to those in their community, whether that’s supporting those with mental ill-health, empowering people to take back control of their finances, equipping people to know their housing rights or find meaningful, accessible work.
Wherever Jesus went, he met people’s practical and spiritual needs, and thriving churches across the UK are doing the same. They are uniquely placed to understand people’s difficulties and meet them with compassion.
Just like you, we’re passionate about local churches demonstrating the love of Jesus to those in their community. To make a big impact, we must work together. By sharing resources, learning from one another and pulling on our collective strengths, we can create lasting, meaningful change within the communities we serve.
That’s why in September 2023, following in the footsteps of our friends at Tearfund, we were thrilled to begin the development of our church and community transformation (CCT) programme, walking alongside churches as they develop physical and spiritual tools to strengthen their churches and communities long-term.
CCT is a programme that creates space for churches to listen to God, each other and their local communities and prayerfully discern what God is calling them to be and do to contribute to their communities flourishing.
To enable this, CAP equips churches through a series of facilitated workshops, a globally tested toolkit and ongoing mentoring and support.
Physical and spiritual needs
When Jesus was preaching in Bethsaida, he spoke about the kingdom of God (meeting people’s spiritual needs) and healed people (physical need). Late in the afternoon the disciples noticed people were hungry, yet Jesus said: ‘You give them something to eat.’ (Luke 9:13)
Jesus then took a little boy’s lunch and performed a miracle, feeding over five thousand people with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
Jesus’ compassion led him to act, freeing the people physically and spiritually. This is the heart of the CCT: passionate churches, working with their communities to restore hope and bring physical and spiritual transformation.
We’re passionate about churches living out their God-given mission, bringing lasting, holistic change to their communities.
The local church in action
All Hallows Church is a thriving church in Cheadle, dedicated to supporting their community through free debt help, a community cafe, and activities for families and children of all ages. Our CCT team is collaborating with All Hallows Church to help them review their current community engagement and ministries, and shape their future in a way that enables their church and local community to thrive and flourish. The church is full of passionate Christians committed to bringing God’s love to the lonely, isolated and vulnerable, and finding long-term solutions so that future generations can thrive.
CCT has given us a way to listen more closely to what our community’s needs, hopes and aspirations are.’
Revd Gilly Hall, Assistant Curate, All Hallows Church
Just like Jesus, All Hallows Church is extending the gospel of hope wherever they go, because when God’s love and practical action meet, both churches and communities are transformed.
How you can get involved
Pray
Ask God to guide churches as they seek to serve their communities practically and spiritually.
Spread the word
Let your local churches and leaders know that we’re here to help them explore how they can make even more impact in their local area, in a way that works for them.
The Church is a visible, tangible demonstration of what love in action looks like – a real witness to the truth of God.
Reverend Gilly
We’re in the pilot stage at the moment, collaborating with several amazing churches. In the near future, we can’t wait to collaborate with even more churches across the UK and help them live out the calling God has placed on them.
If you want to find out more about how CCT could support your church, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Together, we can continue to spread hope and love in our communities.
Interested in learning more?
Want to find out more about how CCT could support your church?
Want to chat to us?
Please reach out to us at [email protected] to see if it’s a good fit for your church
