Parachurch organisations are Christian faith-based organizations which carry out their mission usually independent of church oversight. The prefix, para, is Greek for beside, or alongside; the design of these organizations is to forge cooperative relationships between Christians and Christian churches, whose organizational independence would otherwise leave them incapable of carrying out the tasks to which the parachurch is dedicated.

Most parachurch organizations, at least those which are normally called parachurch, are Protestant and Evangelical. Some of these organizations cater to a defined spectrum among evangelical beliefs, but most are self-consciously interdenominational and many are ecumenical.

Evangelical parachurch organisations

International

• Alpha course
• Bible Society
• Billy Graham Evangelical Association
• Campus Crusade for Christ and Global Aid Network
• Christ For All Nations
• Christian Research Institute
• Christians for Biblical Equality
• The many City Missions and Gospel Rescue Missions
• Esprit Omnimedia funds orphanages and interchurch events
• German Church School Addis Ababa
• Gideons International
• Gospelcom Alliance best known for their Bible Gateway efforts
• International Fellowship of Evangelical Students association of Christian student movements worldwide
• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship College ministry
• Jesus To The World Mission
• Mercy Ships (founded by YWAM)
• The Navigators individualized teaching and publishing group
• One Accord Ministry
• Operation Mobilisation international mission agency with particular
  
  
  
  focus on Islamic people groups
• Prison Fellowship visits and ministers to prisoners worldwide
• Renovaré
• Scripture Union
• The Lord Is Here Outreach
• The Jesus Bus Facilitating others to do more public ministry.
• U.S. Center for World Mission (Includes Divisions working internationally)
• World Vision Worldwide relief agency
• World Prayer Ministry ProjectPromotes prayer for leaders globally.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM) international mission agency with particular focus on youth and the World's poor and disadvantaged.

United States and Canada

• Call to Renewal
• Christianity Today A leading periodical for evangelicals, founded by Billy Graham in 1956
• Focus on the Family Resources for Christian families, singles, and various age groups, professions
• Laubach Literacy Each one teach one a literacy program instituted by Dr. Frank Laubach that has taught 60 million people to read.
• Habitat for Humanity Helping poor families build homes; President Jimmy Carter has worked extensively with them.
• Promise Keepers A renewal movement for men
• Rapture Ready Promotes knowledge of Christian rapture theory
• Samaritan's Purse Interdemoninational disaster relief aid
• Youth for Christ
• Governors' Prayer Team Promotes prayer for leaders.

In addition, many crisis pregnancy centers in the United States are operated on a parachurch basis, having boards of directors not affiliated with or under the control of any single church or congregation.