1. What’s in this presentation
For an overview of the Church Links scheme click here
For more detailed information and FAQs click here
This information is also available in a word document, contact

2. To a very special way of sharing in mission
An Invitation
To a very special way of sharing in mission

3. We’re looking for churches to help . . .
In developing a unique new way of linking with churches across the world

4. Tearfund ‘Church Links’
Many churches have asked us to help them make links with churches in other countries
We want to make sure we provide a service that works well for everyone involved
We’re inviting churches to join with us in a pilot of this scheme

5. What’s involved?
We will provide a link from a participating church in the UK to a church in Zambia
Our partner ‘The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia’ will work with us on this.
The pilot programme will run for about four months (starting in November) and you will be able to continue the link after that.

6. What’s involved? (2)
You will receive a briefing pack and be supported by Tearfund staff
Your partner church will provide information about their people, their mission, their community and their activities
You will receive guidance and support in sharing in the same way with them

7. What’s involved (3)
There is a Church Links website with facilities to communicate and share, and guidance on activities
Everyone in your church will be able to view the special website area for your link, so they can all be involved
You will have opportunities to provide support to your linked church
You may even decide to visit, and Tearfund’s Transform team can help you with this

8. We want to learn together
At the heart of the church links scheme is the opportunity to learn and share
One minister said of their church link that over 20 years they feel they learnt much more than they gave
In this pilot project we want you to help us with feedback, ideas and comments, so we can make it a really valuable way of learning and sharing

9. Next Steps Watch the sample video ‘This is us’
If you’d like to get involved contact us - we want to get started as soon as possible!
If you’d like more information get in contact -
Terry Gibson is leading the project:-

10. Detailed information and FAQs
This section explains how you can get involved in ‘Church Links’ and how it works.
There is also a section of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) which may be added to in response to question and suggestions from participants.

11. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
1. Why Church Links?
The Tearfund Church Links scheme is designed to enable churches who are enthusiastic about forming a relationship with a church in the developing world to build a link without ‘starting from scratch’.
Tearfund’s experience, and the facilities of the Church Links scheme both enable busy churches to get involved without making unnecessary demands on peoples time for information gathering and organisation.
Tearfund’s experience also means that participants can be sure of building an effective and beneficial relationship.

12. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
How to get started
This information is about the ‘pilot scheme’. We are developing and testing this service and therefore we are looking for churches who want to collaborate with us in its development. At the end of this work we will launch the full scheme. If you would like to help develop it we welcome you. If you would rather wait until the full scheme is available (probably by summer 2009) please let us know.
The first step is to make contact with your regular Tearfund contact, or the Regional manager for your region. They will be able to discuss your needs, and also to put you in contact with the Church Links Manager.

13. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
3. What happens next
We are linking with churches in and around Lusaka, Zambia (in East Africa) for the pilot. This is being done in collaboration with Tearfund partner ‘Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia’. Zambia is among the poorest countries in the world and faces great challenges in improving the livelihoods of its people. HIV/AIDS has made a massive impact, with HIV + rates up to 40% in some areas. Churches have recognised the need to respond to the spiritual and physical needs of their communities - living out ‘Integral Mission’. They have much to share.
We will help identify a church for you to partner with. While it’s important to have common ground, sometimes the most effective learning and sharing comes from ‘learning from difference’. Whichever church you partner with, their ‘story’ will be very different to yours!

14. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
4. How does the partnership work?
The first stage is for both churches to develop an understanding of each other. To help do this you will prepare a ‘church profile’. This will be as visual and interesting as possible - using photos, stories, messages and maybe even video and presentations. It will help the partner churches get a picture of the people in the church, its mission and vision, and of the community of which it is a part.
There will be a website with facilities to communicate ( style) as well as spaces for dicsussions and places to upload other material - pictures, presentations etc.
The website will enable all members of the partner churches to see all the information and messages, so that the partnership isn’t restricted to just a few people.

15. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
5. Who will get involved?
It’s really important that wherever possible it isn’t the church leaders who make all this happen. In many churches there will be people with a heart for mission, with a natural enthusiasm and with an ability to involve others. You don’t need to be a ‘leader’ or to be knowledgeable - the task is to ‘facilitate’ - to be the encourager and organiser. We will provide support in this.
The job of the facilitator will be to get as many people as possible in the church informed, interested and involved. A church partnership should be just that - a partnership between the members of the two churches.

16. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
6. How will the partnership grow?
The scheme will provide suggested activities and projects to help the partnership grow. These include things like prayer support, a ‘community audit’ (to help understand the missions of the churches in their communities) ‘people profiles’ (introducing individual church members, their lives and their stories) and two-way Bible study (sharing together in reflections on Biblical teaching and how it is applied in the different situations.)
Churches may wish to provide practical support to each other. It’s almost certain that the UK church will be much richer financially than the Zambian church, and the Church Links scheme can give advice and guidance on appropriate ways of providing support. There is also a Church Links manager based in Zambia, so we are able to make sure that support is effectively targeted.
Churches may wish to visit each other. Tearfund has wide experience of supporting visits through its ‘Transform’ scheme, and can provide information and guidance on all the practicalities. Just as importantly we can help you to prepare for visits so that everyone benefits from this investment.

17. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
Frequently Asked Questions
This section may be added to as other questions are raised by participants.
Will this mean more work for the church leader?
We are specifically encouraging lay ‘facilitators’ to lead the partnership and we will provide support for this. We recognise that church leaders are already very busy. Also it is important to make sure this church partnership really involves the wide body of the church.
Isn’t it a one way relationship rather than a partnership?
Experience shows that Church links work well if they are built up and people develop understanding and respect. Issues such as providing money and other support have to be handled carefully, but if the relationship is built progressively it can become genuinely two way. Participants in other links have often remarked that there really are benefits to everyone who is involved.
Isn’t it just about money?
If there isn’t a real relationship then people will just see connection as a way to secure support for their own people and ministry. If there is a genuine investment in building understanding then people develop respect and concern for one another. Within this relationship there may well be a desire to provide practical support (see for example 2 Corinthians 8 v13-14).

18. What happens when you join Tearfund Church Links
Frequently Asked Questions (2)
This section may be added to as other questions are raised by participants.
How will we choose a church to partner with?
In the pilot project we will work with you to identify a church, in conjunction with the Church Links manager in Zambia. It’s important that you feel that the church is one you can work with, but also bear in mind that often it’s the difference between people that lead to insights and learning.
What’s the timescale for this?
Our partner in Zambia is putting a dedicated Church Links Manager in place and we hope that this will happen, and we will be able to identify churches in Zambia who want to participate in the scheme by the beginning of November
Who can I turn to for information and assistance?
There is already a UK Church Links manager in place. Terry Gibson has worked with Tearfund to develop the project and is available to provide information and guidance. He will also visit churches as necessary during the course of the project. He has also worked with Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia and can provide information on this. Phone: