Parakeet or Parachurch?

A few years ago, I was on a morning flight from Manila to Hong Kong. Shortly after takeoff, a

Filipino flight attendant came to my seat and, as I understood it, asked if I would like a parakeet.

Confused, I asked her to repeat herself. She asked again, "Would you like a parakeet?" My mind

was spinning: why would I want a parakeet, and how on earth would I bring one into Hong

Kong? After a few more puzzled looks, I finally realized she was offering me an aperitif, not a

parakeet! To this day, I still laugh about it, and I sometimes imagine what a Hong Kong customs

agent would have said if I had shown up with a parakeet on my shoulder.

The prefix “para,” means to come alongside. Just as a paralegal comes alongside a lawyer or a

paramedic comes alongside a doctor, providing care outside of the hospital, a parachurch

organization exists to come alongside the church in service to its congregation and community.

We can see how God intends this service in His provision of the Paraclete, or the Holy Spirit to

come alongside us.

I think the church and parachurch organizations often face a misunderstanding, one that stems

from a sort of language barrier or perceived difference in mission Having served in various

parachurch organizations, I’ve experienced this firsthand. Churches are incredibly busy,

especially around big events like Easter, Christmas, and VBS. Factor in sermon series, mission

Sundays, men’s and women’s events, baptisms, and newcomers’ classes, and it’s easy to see why

a pastor and their team would have a packed schedule.

We spend a lot of time meeting with pastors and church staff to discuss our ministry and seek

engagement. I specifically say “engagement,” not “support.” Don’t get me wrong—our nonprofit

doesn’t run on goodwill alone; we have bills to pay. But what we seek from churches is to be

known. Our goal is to be a resource for pastors and their congregations. We want to share what

we do, how we do it, and who we serve.

It’s always struck me as funny that if Warren Buffet shares his recipe for sugar cookies, people

assume that because of his wealth, he must also know how to bake great cookies! We sometimes

put pastors in a similar position, expecting them to have all the answers and solutions. I believe

pastors often do a lot of triage, assessing a problem, and then trying to figure out the best course

of treatment or action.

For 25 years, The Refuge has been helping men battling addiction to drugs and alcohol. I think

it’s safe to say we are experts in this field. A significant number of the men in our 13-month,

Christ-centered residential program come through connections with churches. Some are referred

by pastors, while others hear about us through a family member or loved one who learned about

when we have shared at a service, event, or meeting at their church.

Oftentimes, pastors or church staff may not know that someone in their congregation is

struggling with addiction. But it’s frequently the families and loved ones who are suffering.

Think of the parents whose son has been living in the basement, battling addiction for years.

They’ve likely tried multiple rehab attempts, spoken to pastors over the years, and are now at the

point of losing hope. They need to hear that there is reason for and a place of hope, founded in

community and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

When I reflect on our role in sharing what we do, Acts 8:30-31 comes to mind. Philip encounters

a man who is reading, and the man admits that he doesn’t understand what he’s reading and

needs guidance. He responds to Philip, “How can I, [understand] unless someone guides me?” I

believe every pastor knows there’s a problem with addiction in our communities—overdoses and

overdose deaths are at unprecedented levels. We know there’s a problem, but do we understand

that there’s a solution? Do we know the resources available to us? We only learn this if someone

shares them with us.

It’s a privilege for us to meet with churches and share the work God has placed on our hearts. As

a parachurch organization, we’re not here to compete with the church. Rather, and by definition,

our mission is to come alongside the church. How can we partner to serve those in need if we

don’t understand each other’s needs and challenges, and share our resources? We want to be a

resource, a provider of help and hope. You can learn more about our work at

www.therefugeohio.org or contact me at matt.hunnell@therefugeohio.org or by phone at 614-

571-3084.