Talk to Your Pastor About Compassion Sunday

Want to host a Compassion Sunday event but don’t know how to ask your pastor? No worries: we’ve got everything you need for a great conversation. Below, we walk you through what to talk about, and we offer tips and resources that’ll help you share your heart and ask for permission to host.

Tips for the Conversation

Your pastor will want to know exactly how your Compassion Sunday event will impact your church for the better. We know your church gets asked to support a lot of things, so here’s what we feel is most important for your pastor to know:

About Compassion:

  • We are Christ-centered. Jesus is at the center of everything we do, so every child in our program hears the gospel and sees it in action through local church pastors, volunteers and sponsors.

  • We are church-driven. We empower local churches in impoverished communities to serve children in need. This enables churches to fulfill their role as sources of light and hope, representing Christ and making disciples in their communities.

  • We are child-focused. We exist to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. As children grow into thriving followers of Jesus, they can transform their families, communities and nations.

About Compassion Sunday:

  • Compassion Sunday is an event held during your church service. There is an official date each year, but you can host a Compassion Sunday event on any day that works best for you.

  • The event usually involves a message or short testimony from you or a sponsor in your congregation, a short video, a call to action and a sponsorship sign-up table.

  • You can make it more than a one-Sunday event. We’ve partnered with friends of Compassion like BibleProject and Practicing the Way to offer powerful resources for a Compassion Sunday series, including videos, sermon outlines, resources for kids and families, and small group discussion guides.

Come Prepared

If you can, talk to your pastor in person. Plan to share your heart for children in poverty. Let your pastor know what it means to you to be able to live out your faith by speaking up on behalf of children in need. Also, take time review frequently asked questions about Compassion Sunday.

Use the Pastor Guide

The Pastor Guide is an informative booklet specifically for pastors who are considering hosting a Compassion Sunday event. Feel free to download the guide and pass it along to your pastor, either in person or by email.

Show This Video

Give your pastor the chance to hear from other church leaders who love partnering with Compassion. This video will give them a good idea of how hosting an event can build up their congregation and change children’s lives.  

Compassion Sunday displays sitting on a table.

More Compassion Sunday Resources

After getting approval from your pastor, it’s time to start preparing for Compassion Sunday! These helpful resources from our partners will inspire you and your church in the weeks leading up to the event.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Get ready for your event by checking out these common questions people ask hosts.

As many as you can! Of course, it depends on the size of your church, but we’ve found that on average, three to five children get sponsored at an event. The main thing to remember is to leave all the results up to God. Simply do your best and trust him with the rest.