What We Believe
Our Vision
To see people freed from poverty, living transformed lives, and reaching their God-given potential.
Our Mission
To partner with the church to bring restoration to those living in poverty and need.
Core Values
Follow Jesus
We engage in study, prayer and discernment to follow Christ where He leads and the need is greatest.
Church-Based
Tearfund is committed to the local church of the Global South. Overseas relief and development programs are implemented through church partners wherever possible.
Holistic
Poverty, and people, are more than economics. Our aim is to help the poor thrive across all facets of life – physical, social, emotional, and spiritual.
Collaborative
We listen to national leaders and communities to facilitate their God-given abilities, resources and dreams, matching these with appropriate and proven support.
Long-Term
We build capacity and ownership in local communities to facilitate long-term sustainable change as well as short-term results. We are future thinking – considering what is best for the people, community, and environment.
Maximizing Impact
We strive to utilize the skills and resources that God has given us to achieve effective, quality results.
Our Theology of Poverty
Understanding poverty’s root cause
To tackle poverty, we must first understand what it is. Through the local church, we work to restore the broken relationships – with God, with one another, with creation, and even within ourselves – that are the root cause of poverty.
We focus on the wellbeing of the whole person—not just the physical. We avoid handouts, address emotional suffering, and letting people know that they are valued and loved by God.
The problem with many solutions to poverty is that they are incomplete. Poverty isn’t just physical – it’s emotional, social, and spiritual, caused by broken relationships. We seek to help the whole person. Our goal isn’t “just” about helping people overcome poverty, it’s about people living life to the full and being part of God’s Kingdom-building, life-giving mission.
We believe the best way to provide for children is to help their parents break out of poverty. Through training, we help parents grow and earn more so that they will be able to provide for their children with dignity.
Through Tearfund you will help address beyond the surface needs, deep into the root causes of poverty. Because our whole focus is on restoring broken relationships – with God, within families, communities, and with creation. Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty so that we’re not needed anymore. Through our focus on local partnerships, you will create lasting change that is efficient, effective, and local-friendly.
Statement of Faith
We believe in…
The Holy Scriptures as given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; who created the world as an expression of His love, power, and creativity; who sent Jesus Christ into the world as healing and liberating Saviour to bring about reconciliation and restoration through His death and resurrection; and who sustains and completes His plan through the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
A day, appointed by God, in which He will judge the world in righteousness.
The Gospel as ministry to the whole person; understanding it to be God’s desire to see individuals and communities healed and restored, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.
