GIVE THISTO YOUR

CHURCH LEADER

COMPASSION

SUNDAY

2015

GIVE THISTO YOUR

CHURCH LEADER

02 COMPASSIONSUNDAY.COM

COMPASSION

SUNDAY

2015

Dear Friend,

I’ve had the wonderful privilege of meeting and working with pastors and church leaders like you all across the world. I know your work is challenging and requires incredible wisdom and grace.

In the world’s poorest countries, I’ve seen the Church at its most beautiful, relentlessly sharing the love and hope of Christ with people who live in extreme poverty. Many are children who are hungry, neglected, and suffer from a deep sense of worthlessness.

Compassion Sunday is an annual event that encourages churches all around the country to touch the lives of children in need — to provide life-changing help and to point them to Jesus.

I invite you and your church family to join us in hosting a Compassion Sundaythis year. The offi cial date is April 26, but you can choose any date that best suits your schedule. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity to make an eternal impact — in children’s lives and in your congregation.

In Christ,

Santiago “Jimmy” MelladoPresident and CEO

CHURCH LEADER GUIDE 03

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WHAT PASTORS ARE SAYING ABOUT COMPASSION

“ Compassion Sunday has taken this huge issue of ‘how do you help people in poverty around the world’ and made it personal. With Compassion, I can have a connection with one child … and I would highly recommend that for any pastor to consider.”Gregg KoskelaNewburg Friends Church, OR

“ There is so much need out there. With

Compassion, they are really in line with

what we are doing. We just want people to

know and love Jesus, and know how much

He loves them.”

Linda GuthrieCovenant United Methodist Church, SC

“ There are people in your church who

desperately want to make a difference, but

they don’t know how to do it. Compassion

Sunday will answer that question for

everyone in your church.”

Ken JacksonCedarbrook Community Church, MD

“ Compassion Sunday gives people an opportunity to feel that they are becoming involved in what God is doing around the world.”Tom McElroyJudson Baptist Church, IL

“ One of our core values as a church is to be externally focused. Every time we highlight Compassion, it’s an easy next step for people in our church to have a point of connection outside of themselves.” Ed RowellThe Ascent Church, CO

“ Compassion Sunday has really helped us

engage our congregation … it changes

the way we see kids, and the way we see

poverty. It’s going to make a difference

in your congregation. They’re going to

become more like Jesus.”

Mark HardacreLanding Place Church, CO

How would you like to get your whole congregation involved in missions, discipleship and evangelism as they share God’s love with the poor?

By participating in Compassion Sunday, your church can respond to God’s call to help children in poverty and change lives for eternity.

For the past 25 years, Compassion Sunday has been inspiring churches to put their faith into action by sponsoring children in the developing world. More than 200,000 children have been released from poverty as a result.

With your help, this year Compassion Sunday will be bigger than ever.

Join with 2,500 churches across the nation to help reach the goal of 15,000 newly sponsored children this year. The suggested date is April 26, 2015 but you can hold the event on any day that suits your church.

BE PART OF SOMETHING AMAZING

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We often consider poverty to be a lack of things such as healthcare, education, shelter or food. But poverty goes much deeper than just physical needs. Children living in poverty often believe the devil’s lie that they don’t matter to anyone.

As Christians, we know this simply isn’t true and we know the Bible calls us to take action. The challenge is knowing how.

For the past 60 years, Compassion International has been helping the Church respond to global poverty by sponsoring children in the developing world. Through our church-based projects, children receive everything they need to develop physically, economically, spiritually and socially.

What’s more, sponsors get a chance to make a personal difference as they write to a child, pray for them and show them how precious they are in God’s eyes.

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RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL

Your leadership will make Compassion Sunday a truly memorable day for your church.

Imagine a day where your entire church family comes together to care for children living in extreme poverty. On that day, many lives will change: children receive sponsors to love and care for them, and members of your church family experience the joy of extending Christ’s love to those in need.

You’ll see the faith of your congregation grow as they respond to God’s call to help “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV).

CHANGE LIVES ACROSS THE WORLD

THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MINE.”

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

“

CHURCH LEADER GUIDE 07

The more you as a pastor become directly involved, the more kids your church will sponsor on Compassion Sunday.

At a minimum, please consider allowing a volunteer to make a short sponsorship presentation in your church service.

But there’s so much more that you can do. You can include Compassion Sunday as part of your entire service — including your sermon and your worship music.

Will you stand with us?

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CREATE A SPECIAL EVENT FOR YOUR CHURCH

Short Presentation Within a ServiceYou can make your Compassion Sunday as simple as having your church member share their personal experience of sponsorship, showing the short video we provide them and inviting people to sponsor a child at a sign up table.

Your support in allowing them to give a Compassion Sunday presentation could well be the catalyst to encourage others in your church family to be involved in a real and tangible mission.

Theme of Entire ServiceFor a really complete event you could choose to encourage your church member by supporting them with Compassion Sunday. A few words from you will make a huge difference. Many pastors choose to engage in Compassion Sunday by preparing a sermon, scripture readings and music selections on the theme.

Go to compassionsunday.com/churchleaders tofi nd sermon outlines, scripture readings, poverty facts, videos, and more. Everything has been designed specifi cally to help you make Compassion Sunday part of your service.

You could also consider making Compassion Sunday the theme of the services leading up to your special event.

However you decide to support Compassion Sunday, your actions will be living out God’s call to help those who are in need. Together, we can help to transform the lives of chilren who are living in poverty.

CHOOSE YOUR COMPASSION SUNDAY FORMAT

CHURCH LEADER GUIDE 09

Compassion – Who We Are Our mission is to release children from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible fulfi lled Christian adults. For more than 60 years, Compassion has been a leader in Christian Child Development and now serves more than 1.5 million children in 26 of the world’s poorest countries.

CHRIST-CENTERED We desire to follow Christ and showHis love to every child in a culturally relevant and sensitive way.

CHURCH-BASED We partner with more than 6,500Christ-centered local churches to teach, train and mentor children.

CHILD-FOCUSED Each child is known, loved and protected as they benefi t from program activities.

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ABOUT COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL

Committed to Integrity Every cent counts, so we take care to spend it wisely. We’re committed to investing at least 80 percent of gifts received into front-line ministry.

Compassion has been recognized by numerous accountability groups, including Charity Navigator, Forbes, and The NonProfi t Times, for superior fi nancial integrity. In addition, Compassion is a member of a number of accrediting agencies including the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.

Each Compassion sponsor invests into the life of a child living in poverty.

SPEAK UP FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, FOR THE RIGHTS OF ALL WHO ARE DESTITUTE.”

Proverbs 31:8 (NIV)

“ Committed to Integrity Every cent counts, so we take care to spend it wisely. We’re committed to investing at least 80 percent of gifts

by numerous accountability groups, including Charity Navigator, Forbes, and The NonProfi t Times, for superior

The development and implementation of Compassion programs that directly benefi t the children and facilitate a personal, one-to-one relationship between the sponsor and child.

84%

Fundraising and fi nding sponsors for 90,798 more children living in extreme poverty.

9.5%

Administrative costsand governance.

6.5%

CHURCH LEADER GUIDE 11

IN770 (11/14)

Compassion International,

Colorado Springs, CO 80997

(888) 503-4585

compassionsunday.com