Partnering With The Global Church

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.

A seven-part Bible study to reflect on how Christians can partner with the global church for justice. These studies are an exploration of what the Bible says about some key issues in global mission. They aim to help you explore a model of mission partnership that is respectful, mutual and life giving.

By identifying key theological, cultural, and practical issues for mission partnerships, this book aims to provide best practices for missions to thrive around the world. In an era where partnership and communion seem to be under threat, this book re-imagines mission partnership in a diverse and pluralist world. Building on the work of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies (VTS) and the Mission Department of the Anglican Communion Office, the book identifies and addresses key theological, cultural, and practical issues that need to be addressed for mission partnerships to thrive. Key among these issues is listening: listening to one another is a profound challenge given socio-economic differences, power differentials, and linguistic divides. Drawing from mission experience, the authors offer best practices for discipleship as listening. Written across cultural differences, the authors hail from Zambia, the United Kingdom, Haiti, India, Latin America, Native American, South Africa, Turkey, the United States, and Lebanon. Each chapter invites readers to explore issues in their context through hearing scripture, hearing each other, and hearing the Spirit.

Cross-cultural partnerships in today's global environment are both challenging and necessary. Misunderstanding and miscommunication often lead to conflict between culturally diverse groups. Christians must understand and evaluate their own culture, the culture of others, and the text of Scripture itself, while remaining faithful to Scripture and relevant to culture. Unmediated tensions combined with relational isolation lead to a myriad of problems. This study proposes cross-cultural missional partnership as a relationship that mediates these tensions, thereby encouraging mutual, faithful engagement in the mission of God. Cross-cultural tensions may never disappear, but within a healthy partnership, partners can assist one another in understanding and responding faithfully to Scripture. Partners help one another more faithfully interpret and apply Scripture, leading to obedience to God's will and engagement in God's mission within unique and diverse contexts.

With nearly fifty years combined global church-planting experience, Craig Ott and Gene Wilson are well qualified to write a comprehensive, up-to-date guide for cross-cultural church planting. Combining substantive biblical principles and missiological understanding with practical insights, this book walks readers through the various models and development phases of church planting. Advocating methods that lead to church multiplication, the authors emphasize the role of the missionary church planter. They offer helpful reflection on current trends and provide best practices gathered from research and empirical findings around the globe. The book takes up a number of special issues not addressed in most church planting books, such as use of short-term teams, partnerships, and wise use of resources. Full of case studies and real examples from around the world, this practical text will benefit students, church planters, missionaries, and missional church readers.