Transforming churches and communities: Strengthening preparedness

What CCT is and what this guide provides

Tearfund believes that when God created the world, it was made in perfect relationships: between humankind and God, creation, each other and ourselves. In the Fall, those relationships were broken, becoming the root causes of poverty. God’s mission – and therefore the mission of the church – is to see these relationships restored.

This is made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus. When Christians seek to live out their faith in everything they do, impacting all four broken relationships, we call this integral mission.

We believe that when local churches commit to integral mission, they begin a journey towards whole-life change. This journey empowers people to realise their potential and recognise the resources God has given them, inspiring them to respond holistically to the needs of their community.

The church – internally and externally – starts addressing forms of exclusion that keep people living in poverty and hinder them from flourishing. The goal is to see broken relationships restored, bringing about church and community transformation (CCT).