Do you know someone who inspires you to be the best you can be? They come alongside you, care for you but are not afraid to challenge you when needed. They see your potential, even when you don't, and encourage you to go further than you thought possible.

That’s who Jesus is to his church. He cares intimately for our wellbeing. He is with us and for us, and, through his gospel, he nurtures our God-given potential into reality.

Tearfund follows the example of Jesus as a model for our work with local churches worldwide. The story of Easter to Pentecost helps to demonstrate this journey we go on with churches as they are transformed and inspired by Jesus to go further than they thought possible…

Good Friday: a time to grieve

When we begin working with a local church, it’s important to take stock of their current situation. We often use the Light Wheel (a tool to help communities assess what thriving might look like in every part of their lives) to consider which areas the community would like to grow, such as good relationships, physical health and wellbeing, having enough resources and building a strong faith.

This involves celebrating what is going well but also being honest about what needs to change. Just as the disciples grieved together on Good Friday, we want to grieve alongside communities for the poverty they have experienced, the lack of resources, broken relationships, and everything that has stopped them from reaching their God-given potential.

Many communities feel trapped in cycles of poverty that reflect the darkness of those days before Jesus rose again. But we know that there is still hope…

Easter Sunday: unlocking resurrection hope

The resurrection reminds us that God heals brokenness, reveals hope and sets people free.

Alongside practical support, it is this resurrection hope and joy that we most want to share with local churches throughout the Transforming Communities programme. After assessing their needs, the local church and their community can explore how to bring about life in all its fullness, as Jesus promises in John 10:10.

This is what we mean when we speak of ‘Abundant Peace’: a vision of restored relationships, justice, joy, and shared flourishing, where communities no longer just survive but begin to thrive together.

The solutions will look different for each community, but they often involve nurturing the potential that Jesus has already placed there. For every £1 we invest, a community will bring £7 of time, energy and resources. By working together, communities often find that they have what they need to find lasting solutions to problems like hunger, unfair treatment of women, lack of schooling, and other issues we tackle through our work.

Pentecost: transformed people transform the world

Sometimes, however, even after communities have brought together their skills and resources, they still can’t meet all their needs because of circumstances out of their control. This could be problems caused by local practices, government rules, or global issues like the climate crisis.

That’s when our church advocacy work, led by local people, motivated by community needs, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, allows local churches to influence change together. This is just like the disciples at Pentecost, who were a diverse group united by a common goal. Jesus’ Spirit empowers movements of local churches to transform the world around them, like he did at Pentecost and throughout the book of Acts. In essence, Jesus is the ultimate movement builder.