Partnering In Ministry

In this new Urbana Onward minibook, Nikki Toyama-Szeto and Femi Adeleye look at how we can partner across cultures to address tricky issues like power, finances, transparency and trust, and develop new models for ministry that reflect the servant heart of God.

Women and men are designed to work together in fulfilling God's mission on earth. Yet God's original intent for equal partnership has been so distorted that churches and organizations continually struggle to foster healthy mixed-gender ministry collaboration. Is it even possible to return to the Genesis ideal of co-laborers in today's contexts? Longtime ministry leader Rob Dixon knows it's possible—though it takes intentionality, courage, and wisdom. Based on qualitative field research among ministry practitioners, Together in Ministry offers a prophetic roadmap for individuals and communities as they seek to develop flourishing ministry partnerships for women and men. Organized around the key domains of inner life, community culture, and intentional practices, this model identifies ten key attributes of partnerships that are both personally satisfying and missionally effective. For each attribute Dixon presents research findings and biblical examples, along with benefits, barriers, and practical next steps. With plenty of real-life stories from ministry leaders and reflection questions in each chapter, Together in Ministry casts a compelling—and encouraging—vision for flourishing partnerships and equips teams and individuals with next steps for making that vision a reality.

In a comprehensive and practical model for ministry in today's parish, the authors draw on their experience and scholarship to provide tools that will enable clergy and their congregations to build productive working relationships in their parishes. Winner of the Catholic Press Association Book Award.

Making Your Partnership Work is a practical guide for church and mission partnerships. Drawing on 30 years of experience, Daniel Rickett shows how effective mission partnerships are a blend of vision, relationship, and results.

Like many clergy, Marcia Barnes Bailey began her work as an ordained leader with a vision of the pastor as leader extraordinaire, empowered by education, authority, position, and resources. She soon found herself thinking: "There has to be another way." In this book, Bailey invites pastors and congregations to a new understanding of ministry, leadership, and the church that challenges hierarchy by fully sharing responsibilities, risks, and rewards in mutual ministry. This model took shape over 10 years as Bailey, pastoral colleague Marcus Pomeroy, and the congregation they served began writing their own definition of partnership--creating their own map, trusting their own instincts, making their own mistakes. For Bailey, this kind of partnership began when she discovered the courage to listen to herself and to the Spirit for the inklings of another way--to incarnate Jesus's example, a ministry that was widely inclusive, delegated power, shared authority, and thrived with the multiplication of gifts. Partnership invites us on a journey that can transform us as leaders, as human beings, and as the church. It is challenging and exciting, and it requires hard work. It is also energizing, engaging, and empowering. Partnership unleashes the Spirit to create a new vision and reality among us, moving us one step closer to living into God's reign.

The church/missions community must move beyond superficial fellowship and simple networking to true partnerships, cooperative ventures, and the sharing of resources. This will result in synergy - a phenomenon where the output is greater than the sum of its parts. Twenty-two missions leaders from around the world speak candidly to these issues and call us to reflection, relationship and engagement without which the nations of this world will not be discipled for Christ.

The Apostle Paul taught his ministry partners in Philippi their privileges as the people of God endeavoring to work with God and for God. He opened their understanding to how God rewards those who partner with Him. He thanked the Philippians for their financial gifts, letting them know how much he appreciated them. He taught them how to access their "heavenly bank account" to receive back from God financially and other ways when they needed something from God. You may not have heard a teaching like the one you are going to read about on the following pages, but listen with your heart and believe what the man of God (Paul) has to say about prosperity and the will of God for every believer to be a ministry partner. You are about to embark on a whole new journey - ministry partnership.