In Wake County, North Carolina, Keith Fortier and several other ministry leaders and advocates came together to imagine what it would look like to make a difference for children and families in new ways.
“We came together with just a humble dream that if we prayed together, and cared for one another, and started to link arms in this work that we were doing, that we could do — or see God do — more than we could ask or imagine,” explains Fortier.
What started as a handful of people praying has grown into a collaboration across their county that has built bridges with social services. County child welfare has come to trust this new collaboration and asks churches to tackle urgent priorities, opening doors for the Body of Christ to serve children and families in powerful and creative ways.
This collaboration has required intentionality in the face of currents that naturally lead people and ministries to stay in their silos or foxholes. As Fortier shares, “It’s not simple, but we’ve decided to lean on ‘What do we have in common?’ more than ‘What do we have different?’ And what we have in common is that Jesus has called us to this work. And if He’s called us to this work, He’s going to equip us for this work. And this work is too big and too complicated for any one church or one agency to handle alone … we need to come together and do the work of fighting for unity.”
The Pure Religion Project is the church ministry initiative of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), designed to help churches live out the “pure religion” described in James 1:27 and invited throughout Scripture. Through world-class resources, supportive community and ongoing connection and coaching, The Pure Religion Project at CAFO wants to help you lead your church with assurance, hope and the help you need.
