Our Vision, part two: Thriving churches

As Jonathan explained in our previous entry in this short series, CAP’s service has always been about ensuring that the immediate financial needs of our clients are met, and going beyond this to meet their emotional and practical needs as well. Relationships and people are a key part of what makes CAP tick. That extends not just to our clients, though, but also to our network of frontline debt coaches based in a network of churches across the UK.

An ambitious vision

CAP’s vision is to see transformed lives, thriving churches, and an end to UK poverty. We are known to be an organisation that works to help to free people from the burden of debt. We do that through a network of partner churches that operate within a community, be that in an urban or rural setting. But the question that we want to help unpack in this blog is what does ‘thriving churches’ mean in the bigger picture? Does that link to our work in areas of policy and industry, and if so, how?

I’ve been asked a number of times about the word ‘Christian’ in CAP’s name; ‘does it put people off?’ ‘Do people need to go to church to get helped by you?’ The answer to both questions is an emphatic ‘no’. Many clients helped by CAP will never go near a church in their lifetime. The word Christian in our name helps us to remember the why part of our work. It’s the central motivation and part of our culture as an organisation. We’re here because we recognise the importance of helping others — whether they have any sort of faith or none at all. William Temple once described the Christian church as ‘the only organisation that exists solely for the benefit of non-members’. It’s a quote that has stuck with me for a long time, as it helps to describe how I think about the work that I do at Christians Against Poverty.

Thriving Churches

The definition of the word ‘thriving’ is for something to flourish or prosper; to progress toward or realise a goal despite or because of circumstances. Most organisations would say that they’re ‘thriving’ when they’re making profit or increasing in size. For churches, this is often more about connection and community; a thriving church should come from a foundation of strong relationships, especially those links into their local commonality.

One of the reasons CAP works through churches is that they can connect with people in their local community and build local connections. There is an enormous benefit to visiting someone in their home where you can see what is happening behind closed doors. People in financial hardship can often seem like they have everything together, when in reality they might be living with empty food cupboards, peeling wallpaper, and having to wrap up in blankets due to a lack of money on the gas meter.

That’s why a thriving church is so important. Because if it’s not thriving it’s not prospering, and likely not filling that needed role of providing support to its local community.

An end to UK poverty

So how does the idea of a thriving church fit in alongside our vision for an end to UK poverty? At a time where wealth divides frustrate many, it should be quite obvious. Part of the ethos of the church is to help the poorest, be that financially or otherwise, and speak up for them where they are unjustly treated. That same ethos is a huge part of what we do at CAP as well; advocating for those we support through our debt help service.

Furthermore, what other organisation has a ready-made network already embedded within virtually every community in the country? Churches are already there, already working and have one of the single largest and most committed volunteer bases you might be able to find. And, importantly, they’re almost certainly very keen on social action and justice. That’s why CAP’s relationship with the church is symbiotic. In supporting them to reach their community with a highly professional debt help service, they in return help contribute to something far bigger than themselves by helping us shine a light into some of the unseen places in our nation. One only needs to read any report from CAP to see and hear the outworking of that relationship.

For a lot of people, this aspect of our vision might not be a big deal or something that ‘clicks’ with them. That’s okay, by the way! But hopefully you’ll agree with the importance of our desire to end UK poverty, alongside the work we’ve been doing for the last 25 years in transforming lives. And at the end of the day, that’s something we can all get behind.

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