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PARTNERSHIPFIELD GUIDEA STEP-‐BY-‐STEP PROCESS FOR BUILDING MINISTRY PARTNERSHIPS
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This PARTNERSHIP FIELD GUIDEhas been prepared by visionSynergy for the parCcipants of
CAPE TOWN 2010The Third Lausanne Congress on World EvangelizaCon
to be held in Cape Town, South AfricaOCTOBER 2010
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PARTNERSHIPFIELD GUIDEA Step-By-Step ProcessFor Building Ministry Partnerships
In an ideal world, Christian churches, ministries and organizations would work together to advance the Kingdom of God and see millions become members of Christ’s Body. In reality it does not work that way. Different churches, agencies and ministries are isolated from the broader experiences of others and often do not know how to access available skills or expertise.
Following nearly 2,000 years of the Church’s existence and 200+ years of the modern missionary movement, in 1986 there were still over 130 language groups 2-120 million in size with no church. Only twenty years later, dozens of these language groups now have communities of believers numbering from tens to hundreds of thousands. No period in Church history has seen such breakthroughs in such a brief time period. What do these breakthroughs have in common? In every case, there is a history of an intentional partnership of God’s people working together in the language group! The Scriptures make it clear. Individualized witness will never win the day. Only working together will.
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The Question:
Will the thousands of ministry leaders emerging from within the global Church work together in partnership or perpetuate the old paradigm of individualistic action?
This Field Guide will take you through the process of how to work with others who have the same vision as you but may in some way be different. Remember, partnership is a process and not something that just happens.
The Field Guide contains a quick view of what it takes to start a collaborative effort. It unpacks the “How To” steps.
There are references to other resources and helps which you can use to develop your partnership or network.
If you follow these steps, make use of the resources, pray, have patience, stamina and persistence, you will see how God will bless your efforts!
Psalm 133
How good and pleasant it iswhen brothers live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermonwere falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,even life forevermore.
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CONTENTS
Why Is Partnership Important? –– Biblical Case / Practical Case
The Key Principles Explained
How To Build A Partnership: E – F – O
Next Steps
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WHY ISPARTNERSHIPIMPORTANT?The Biblical Case
The Scripture is full of models, principles, and admonition for us as we work together in partnership and networks. For centuries, Christians have felt they could probably be more effective, touch the people of their community, and change the world if, somehow, they could work together. Here are just a few of the great Biblical promises offered us when we work together.
• We demonstrate the power of the Gospel to change lives producing open, trusting relationships (Philippians 2:1-11).
• The Holy Spirit's power is released in ways only possible when we dwell in unity and work together (Psalm 133, Galatians 5:16-26).
• We demonstrate good stewardship. Working together we maximize our use of the resources God has given us as costs drop and effectiveness increases (Matthew 25:14-30).
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• The credibility of our message is strengthened. Jesus says that those watching our lives and work are more likely to believe that He is who He says He is when we work together. This is particularly true in traditional, community-based cultures of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (John 5:31-47; 10:38; 17:23).
• The Body of Christ becomes a powerful, unified community, demonstrating real love, commitment to each other, growth in Christ, and witness to the world around us (Ephesians 4:1-16).
• We encourage use of the full range of gifts and abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit among God's people (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12).
Encouragement, refreshment, and hope replace loneliness and despair when God's people work together rather than working independently (Psalm 133).
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The Practical Case
The world is awash with the concept of partnership. Wherever you turn you hear the word “partner” or alliance, or coalition. Collaboration has become a central theme in all sectors including the church.
Forming collaborative partnerships can accrue a wide range of substantial benefits. Regardless of geographic locations or types of ministries involved, here is a selection of the kinds of benefits that can be realized:
1. Potential and options for action expand. Working alone, no matter how sophisticated or substantial your resources, limits what one person or ministry can accomplish. Working with others who complement your strengths expands your potential and your horizons of ministry and impact.
2. Achievement of goals accelerates, costs decrease, and waste is eliminated. An effective partnership produces efficiency and reduces the gaps and overlap that result when we all do our own thing. Return on Kingdom investment increases.
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3. Individuals and ministries are able to capitalize on their strengths. Effective partnerships allow people or organizations to do what they do best, to maximize their contribution rather than spreading themselves too thin by doing many different things – often poorly. When we join hands with others, we discover different, often complementary, strengths.
4. The bigger picture comes into focus. Effective partnerships let you see what’s needed to accomplish the bigger vision, identify the missing pieces, and connect with resources to accomplish the vision. Getting all the pieces together, focused on a common objective, is a sure recipe for better outcomes.
5. Flexibility increases. Partnerships encourage individuals or ministries to play their unique roles. When they don’t have to do everything, they have more options in timing, more available resources, and the ability to concentrate on what they do best.
6. Risk diminishes. The larger or more complex the vision or project, naturally, the greater the resources needed. Working in effective partnerships, we can share the load and reduce risk while increasing the speed of progress or the quality of the outcomes.
7. God’s power is released in a special way. Working alone on challenging projects, particularly in our own strength without God’s presence and power, can be scary! God promised that his power will be present and released in a special way when we join with his people in partnership. (Psalm 133)
8. We receive refreshment and new hope. In challenging circumstances, hope keeps us alive. Whatever our vision, in our community or elsewhere in the world, the knowledge that others share our vision refreshes our spirits and sustains our hope. (Matthew 5:9, Psalm 133)
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And perhaps most importantly:
9. Our work gains significant credibility. God’s people working together demonstrate the core scriptural truth: the work of Jesus restores relationships, both with God and with each other. Working in collaborative partnership infuses ministry with authenticity - both in word and in deed - and moves us closer to the fulfillment of the Great Command (Matthew 22:36), the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), and the great, unfulfilled prayer of Jesus in John 17 (John 17:20-23).
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Here is a sampling of what others are saying about the need for and effectiveness of collaboration.
THE NETWORKED NON-PROFIT
Stanford University Social Innovation Review - Spring 2008
"Networked nonprofits are some of the most effective nonprofits in the world. They are different from traditional nonprofits in that they cast their gazes externally rather than internally. They put their mission first and their organization second. They govern through trust rather than control. And they cooperate as equal nodes in a constellation of actors rather than relying on a central hub to command with top-down tactics.
"By mobilizing vast external resources, networked nonprofits can focus on their own expertise. At the same time, these external resources enhance the value and influence of each organization's expertise. They help each network partner respond to local needs and become self-sustaining. And they allow networked nonprofits to develop holistic solutions at the scale of the problems they seek to address.
"Although the social problems that nonprofits are tackling are growing in both magnitude and complexity, funding is failing to keep pace. Networks do not require more resources, but rather a better use of existing resources. And so networked nonprofits are uniquely poised to face the perennial challenge of the nonprofit sector: achieving lofty missions with decidedly humble means.”
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THE CHANGING NATURE OF LEADERSHIP
International Center For Creative Leadership (excerpt 2008 global study)
NEW SKILL SETS
The new leader needs to achieve bottom-line results, but must do this through collaboration, teamwork, and innovation. The key to success is being able to do all three well. While profits and funding are still important to companies and nonprofit organizations, they are no longer the great differentiators of performance. Instead, there is a clear shift toward skills that are tied to relationships and managing change. Today's leaders need right-brain skills - empathy, inventiveness, and quest for meaning - to achieve professional success and personal satisfaction. In fact, the best MBA programs are moving in this direction and offering soft-skill training, such as how to build stronger teams and how to communicate more effectively.
GREATER COLLABORATION
In addition to being a participative manager, leaders need to build important relationships and work across boundaries to collaborate effectively. This is critical to providing greater agility and flexibility for organizations and their leaders in order to respond faster to changes in society.
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FOUNDATIONS VIEW OF PARTNERSHIP
Increasingly, those who financially support Christian mission and evangelism are eager to see ministries cooperate. They see benefits from the coordination:
• Reduced duplication and waste
• Increased effectiveness
• Ability to undertake otherwise impossible challenges
• Good stewardship
• Enhanced strength of witness because of unity
• Encourages ministries to concentrate on their strengths
"The economic crisis has decreased charitable giving and that has dramatically increased interest in collaborations and mergers among nonprofits, particularly with respect to eliminating duplication and sharing resources, "Though such strategies can be an imperative during this economic crisis, collaboration and mergers are best practices that should be considered even in the best of economic times.”
Jerry Hirsch, Chairman, Lodestar Foundation(international sponsors of annual $250,000 "Collaboration Prize)
"[M]any nonprofits are desperately seeking ways to remain viable in an increasingly harsh fundraising environment. Nonprofits have always sought ways to stand out and be more competitive, but the current fundraising environment is creating a new level of anxiety. We are receiving an unprecedented number of requests for advice regarding whether collaboration or merger might be a good option. There's also an intensified interest among both funders and nonprofits eager to learn more about successful collaborations."
Jo DeBolt, Senior Manager at La Piana Associates(national management consulting firm to non-profits and their funders)
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"For years I have believed in and supported Kingdom partnerships. Partnerships that clearly define roles and outcomes increase effectiveness and reduce duplication. To conserve resources and get the most effective results, it is increasingly important that ministries work together. Because of this, we strongly support (the) work of building effective partnerships for evangelism and church planting. We particularly appreciate that our investments are leveraged for maximum return through a partnership approach."
Hugh Maclellan Jr., President, Maclellan Foundation
"Collaboration is the form of the future as networks replace command and control hierarchies everywhere. Increasing its one world - one body of Christ."
Bob Buford, Buford FoundationFounder /Chairman, Leadership Network
"Strategic partnerships...really bring international ministries together while dramatically reducing costs and increasing ministry effectiveness."
C. Davis Weyerhaeuser, Founder, Stewardship Foundation
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To Learn More …
The practical case for collaboration is detailed from each of these sectors on the Power of Connecting website (www.powerofconnecting.net).
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THE KEY PRINCIPLESEXPLAINEDDecades of field experience have revealed certain key principles that power virtually all effective partnerships. Build your ministry partnership with these principles, and the likelihood of success is very high. Ignore them, and the likelihood of failure is equally high!
Here’s a quick look at the key success factors and the benefits that employing them can produce:
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An effective collaborative partnership is driven by a compelling and commonly-owned vision.
A strong partnership vision that will energize, motivate, and challenge each participant in the partnership must first of all be compelling. This means that it must be larger than the capacity of any one individual or single agency.
The vision must also be commonly-owned. This means that it must connect to the individual values or goals of each participant such that each one can clearly see that they have a contribution to make.
Partnership merely for the sake of partnership will only lead to failure. Partnership must have a larger purpose. An effective partnership will guard against the distraction of day-to-day operational demands by constantly renewing their focus on the big vision.
BIG VISION
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An effective collaborative partnership builds only the minimum structure necessary to accomplish the big vision.
A good structure should not constrain or complicate the partnership. It should only be what is required to address the priorities for action. As the needs change, so can the structure.
An effective partnership does not start by trying to establish conditions for membership or write statements of theological agreement. Consensus is usually better than constitution.
An effective partnership starts by identifying the needs of the people the partnership is trying to reach or serve, the barriers to progress, the resources required, and the realistic priorities for action. The form of the partnership (how it is structured) should always follow the function of the partnership (what it is trying to accomplish).
LIMITED STRUCTURE
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An effective collaborative partnership begins with limited and achievable objectives which expand as the partnership experiences success.
While an effective partnership is driven by a big vision, it does not attempt to do too much too soon. At the beginning, an effective partnership does not try to pursue ambitious goals, where failure can lead to frustration and diminishing hope. Instead, an effective partnership focuses first on defined objectives that are both valuable to all the participants and have a reasonably high possibility of short-term success.
This positive experience demonstrates the capacity of the partnership to realize change through its efforts. This in turn leads to greater confidence, increasing hope, and a willingness to pursue broader and more challenging objectives.
DEFINED OBJECTIVES
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These objectives must have clear …
• Kingdom significance that captures the imagination and provides motivation for the group.
• Relevance to each church or partner ministry’s vision and objective.
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An effective collaborative partnership has an advocate, or "champion," within each partner agency.
A partnership champion is a person who clearly sees how their own agency can benefit from practical collaboration. This person promotes the vision of the partnership among their own colleagues and facilitates the involvement of their own agency in the partnership.
Collectively, the partnership champions provide ongoing communication among the partners and help keep the partnership focused on the expected outcomes.
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
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An effective collaborative partnership has a committed coordinator, or "facilitator," who serves the operation of the whole partnership.
The partnership facilitator is a person - or a team of people - approved by the partnership to coordinate its day-to-day operation. This person is usually loaned to the partnership by a partner agency that is dedicated to the big vision and allows the facilitator to serve in a neutral role for the common good.
The facilitator has a deep personal commitment to the purpose of the partnership as well as the process of working together. Thus, this person must sometimes play the simultaneous roles of prophet (keeping the focus on the big vision) and servant (demonstrating concern for each partner).
An effective partnership values the contribution of the facilitator and provides for their resources, training, and encouragement.
COMMITTED FACILITATOR
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An effective collaborative partnership is made up of partners with their own clear identities.
A diversity of strong partners is essential for success.
A strong partner is one who knows who they are, what they care about, and what they do best. A partner who cannot clearly define their own identity, calling, or strengths will have difficulty seeing how they fit into the partnership, what they can contribute to the big vision, or how they can benefit from the joint effort. A strong partner will more fully understand their potential role and will be able to evaluate the impact of the partnership on their own agency.
Clear identities strengthen relationships among partners and reduce ambiguity, overlap, and duplication in the work
CLEAR IDENTITIES
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An effective collaborative partnership recognizes and accepts the differences among partners but concentrates on what they have in common.
The focus of an effective partnership is always first and foremost on the common purpose that draws the partners together. Acknowledging differences is important, but a strong partner looks for commonalities with other partners in areas like vision, values, and experience. It is not necessary to agree on every aspect of history, methodology, and belief in order to accomplish something significant together. A strong partner values the diversity of the backgrounds of other partners but emphasizes their common focus.
COMMON FOCUS
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An effective collaborative partnership maintains the widest possible participation in decision-making.
Commitment, ownership, and participation is encouraged by actively engaging people in the process, not just the dream. An effective partnership is never top-down or hierarchical in nature. Partners give special attention to developing processes for planning, decisions, and communication that enlist broad participation.
BROAD PARTICIPATION
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An effective collaborative partnership recognizes and meets the expectations of key constituencies.
There are more interests involved in a partnership than the partners themselves. As a partnership grows, it acknowledges at least four key constituencies:
1. the people the partnership is trying to reach or serve;
2. the partners themselves and the staff of their own agencies;
3. those who pray, give, and provide support for the partners and the partnership; and
4. the partnership itself with its own growing expectations.
An effective partnership is aware of these constituencies and strives to continually communicate the progress of the partnership in ways that each constituency understands and appreciates.
RECOGNIZED CONSTITUENCIES
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An effective collaborative partnership depends on relationships of trust, openness, and mutual concern.
A partnership is more than the "mechanics" of coordination, planning, strategies, and tactics. It is about real people working together in relationship.
To be effective, there must be trust in both the people and the process.A strong partner invests the time it takes to know, understand, and appreciate the other partners. A strong partner is especially sensitive towards those from cultures or backgrounds other than their own.
The heart of the Gospel is restored relationships, and at the very core, an effective partnership demonstrates this reality.
RELATIONAL TRUST
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An effective collaborative partnership is committed to continual prayer and seeking the direction of God in all they do.
Strong partners realize that the true enemy is Satan and that the most significant barriers to progress are spiritual. They are aware that it is the intention of Satan to destroy relationships, fragment the people of God, and neutralize the effectiveness of their work in the world.
An effective partnership overcomes the schemes of Satan as they seek the presence, power, and provision of the Spirit of God through prayer and communion together. They are also intentional in soliciting prayer from others outside the partnership.
Strong partners who have spent time together in prayer listen and respond to the direction of God.
CONTINUAL PRAYER
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An effective collaborative partnership is an ongoing process, not an event.
Strong partners know that it takes a great deal of time and effort to form and maintain a partnership. An effective partnership does not rush through the early stages of doing the research, identifying potential partners, building the relationships, establishing trust, and forming consensus.
Much time is spent in one-on-one meetings before ever trying to call a meeting of the whole group to propose a partnership. Calling a big meeting too early is a quick way to kill a potential partnership.
Strong partners are patient, and they know that the bigger the challenge, the more essential it is to form a foundation of common understanding. Strong partners also know that an effective partnership does not operate on its own, and they invest the collective effort it takes to maintain the partnership.
ONGOING PROCESS
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An effective collaborative partnership requires intentional investment from all the partners.
Strong partners know that an effective partnership does not come free of charge. It requires resources to accomplish the purpose of the partnership.
An effective partnership strives to keep the "overhead" of its operating costs as low as possible by avoiding complicated partnership structures, offices, equipment, staff, and so on. An effective partnership finds ways to share the resources of the partners and where the partnership itself requires additional resources to operate and accomplish its objectives, the partners contribute together to make it possible.
For example, a partnership facilitator is often loaned to the partnership by a partner agency to function in a neutral role for the common good. The other partners will often, in turn, contribute to support the facilitator.
INTENTIONALINVESTMENT
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An effective collaborative partnership prepares for inevitable changes and conflicts by proactively reinforcing the values and skills of partnership among all the partners.
Changes and conflicts within a partnership are inevitable. An effective partnership expects problems, disagreements, disappointments, and other issues which can negatively impact the partnership.
But an effective partnership also expects positive changes as well, such as new leadership, new opportunities, and the potential for new partnerships. Whether negative or positive, these situations are most effectively addressed by partners who share the values and skills of the partnership process.
People are not born knowing how to work together in teams or in partnerships. An effective partnership reflects on its learning and reinforces the best practices of partnership among the partners. New networks and partnerships are often launched out of existing partnerships; thus, a current partnership provides the best preparation for work in a new partnership.
PRO-ACTIVE REINFORCEMENT
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An effective collaborative partnership appreciates the importance of ongoing reflection, evaluation, and celebration.
Working in partnership to accomplish a big vision can be very challenging. It can take a great deal of time to achieve significant objectives, so an effective partnership celebrates progress - even in small things - along the way.
An effective partnership is committed to shared success, and claims achievements in the name of the partnership. An effective partnership also develops clear measures to evaluate the work, and communicates these measures consistently among the partners. Strong partners reflect on their own contribution to the joint effort and the impact of the partnership on their own agencies.
From the beginning to the end, an effective partnership honors God in everything.
JOYFUL CELEBRATION
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HOW TO BUILDA PARTNERSHIPThe Partnership Process: E – F – O
Having seen many partnerships among ministries emerge as long-term, effective strategies (along with a few significant failures along the way!), it is clear that durable partnerships usually go through several phases. Whether you have a vision for your community, city, special interest group (immigrants, homeless, athletes, kids, etc.), or overseas language group with no effective witness for Christ, the phases are essentially the same.
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The Biblical Foundation
The starting point is the Biblical foundation and this has to do with the theology of partnership. This points to the "internal" characteristics of the very nature and character of God, as well as the "external" characteristics of how God works in the world and in the lives of individual people. God himself is in relationship. God desires relationship with people. And God's mission in the world is all about the restoration of relationships.
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The partnership process is so simple that it can be easily explained in graphic format on the back of a napkin ...
Now some would argue that the relational nature and character of God does not necessarily mean that we always have to work together in ministry. However, looking at the narrative of the Scriptures, it seems that in the practice of the early churches, those who were in community together were also on mission together.
Community and Cause were inseparable. To embrace Jesus was also to embrace the mission of Jesus.
Paul commends the Thessalonian church in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 saying, "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." He later says in the same chapter that the Thessalonians became "a model for all the believers" and that their faith had "become known everywhere."
In this text, the words faith, love, and hope are paired with the words work, labor, and endurance. The spiritual community was also an active force. It was something they did together, and not just them, but together with many other churches.
This practical outworking then points to the other foundational aspect of partnership theology, that God works in the lives of people through a process of change and commitment, and that many times, different people are involved at each point of the process.
Jesus spoke directly about the process of "sowing" and "reaping" (John 4:35-38), and the Apostles also clearly understood that their own ministries touched people's lives in different ways at different points (1 Corinthians 3:4-9).
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Vital Commitments
This level in building a partnership has to do with the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of vision, prayer, and process. In order to work well, the partners in a collaborative initiative have to be committed to a big vision that is larger than any one agency or individual. They have to be committed to continual prayer that seeks the direction of God in everything. And they have to be committed to the knowledge that effective partnership is an on-going process (not an event).
For example, this process is much like the building of a skyscraper. For months and months, the construction site looks like just a big hole in the ground. And then it seems that the whole building structure suddenly "appears" in a very short time. The point is that the bigger your vision, the more important your foundation. If you have a big dream, you might have to dig a big hole. The remarkable thing is that by the time the planning, design, and foundation work of a skyscraper is done, the whole building process is 60% complete! Most of the work was simply "invisible" to those who walk by the construction site on their way to school or work every day.
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The “E – F – O” Process of Partnership
Briefly, the process of partnership can be summarized in three points ...
Exploration: The investment of time and energy you make in identifying the potential partners and exploring their vision, interest, and readiness to at least prayerfully talk about collaboration.
Formation: The critical, “go/no-go” phase in partnership development. It’s when potential partner ministries say, “We agree, the only way we can accomplish this vision is by working together.” Or they say, “At least for now, we don’t think so.”
Operation: The phase in partnership development at which talk turns to action. Goals are set, roles defined, timelines and the basis for monitoring and evaluation agreed upon. Once there is consensus on the vision and the core plan, the emerging partnership moves forward.
** Remember: partnerships are a process, not an event. If you give each phase the time and energy it deserves, you are on the path to a rewarding experience. If you expect this to happen overnight, you are headed for big disappointments! Here is more detail on each phase of the process, along with specific objectives, actions, and outcomes to be expected.
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Phase 1: Exploration
An effective, durable strategic partnership requires identifying potential partners, establishing trusting relationships, coming to consensus on the vision, identifying key action elements and responsibilities, seeing initial
objectives achieved, and then moving on to realize the more complete vision. A facilitator or facilitation team needs to be identified, trained, and coached. Developing effective partnerships takes time. See effective partnership development as a process, not an event, and you've taken a big step toward seeing your dream come true.
In the vital exploration phase of partnership development a lot of time is spent holding one-on-one meetings. In those meetings you will be asking questions and listening, expanding your personal base of information, multiplying relationships, and broadening your understanding about the realities of the project and the perceptions of others.
Keep in mind that an individual's perceptions are usually his or her reality even though these perceptions may be quite different
from yours!
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During this phase you'll also need to identify who will serve as the partnership's facilitator or facilitation team. You may be that person. Or you may be instrumental in finding them. It's extremely helpful for the longer-term facilitator to be involved in these early stages: meeting the people, getting a good sense of the issues, and helping design the process.
In any case, the facilitator(s) must be patient, tenacious, and committed to the vision. They need to demonstrate the spirit of a servant as they bring the partnership to life and keeping the fires burning. This "honest broker" must be a person of integrity who will keep on despite all discouragement. The facilitator is prophet, servant, and resource person who must be trained, nurtured, and encouraged.
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There are a number of key action points at this stage that will move you in the right direction. Here are some of the essentials:
• Make sure your prayer support team is in place, informed, and focused on what you all feel God wants to do by helping His people work together. Remember, Satan does not want unity among believers. He is not too concerned about those who just talk about it. But, the stakes really go up when you begin to take action that might actually result in more effective, credible, joint efforts!
• Identify everyone you can who is currently involved or actively thinking about involvement in the issue you're thinking about. You want to identify all the relevant ministries, leaders, and resources.
• Identify the potential partnership facilitator or form the facilitation team. It's vital the facilitator (or team) is involved in these early stages and gets the needed training for this core role.
• Identify who are considered to be the most significant players in this field – significant because of their knowledge or experience, their influence, their history, or their capacity.
• Enlarge your own network of relationships with these people.
• Listen with respect, interest, and care to the people you meet and interview, expanding your knowledge, understanding, and awareness of the various perceptions related to the challenge you're considering.
• Identify what others think about the current situation, what they think about the relevance of current activity, what they see as the priority needs, and what they feel are the greatest roadblocks to addressing these needs.
• Based on this information, make a yes/no decision on moving forward.
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Summary: Exploration Phase
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Objectives: Activities: Outcomes:
1. Identify resources, leaders, and ministries interested or already involved in the Kingdom issue the network or partnership will address.
2. Enlarge database of knowledge about the issue.
3. Identify histories of agencies currently involved int he issue and their perceptions of self, others, the task, priorities, and roadblocks.
4. Identify problems or roadblocks in current activities or relationships in the potential partnership's sector of interest.
5. Grow the number of relevant contacts/relationships.
6. Evaluate current overall spiritual/social/economic/organizational context of the issue under consideration.
7. Determine consensus re: interest in exploring development of a partnership.
1. Individual private meetings.
2. Small group meetings.
3. Bibliographic research.
4. Communications: travel, email, phone, correspondence, etc.
5. Analysis/feedback/confirmation.
6. Report/letter writing.
7. Listening & Prayer!
1. Preliminary exploration meetings with leaders/ministries.
2. Current resources identified and available.
3. Readiness of ministries to meet and explore cooperation.
4. Advisory and prayer support groups in place.
Phase 2: Formation
This is the critical, "go/no-go" phase in the life of partnership development. It's when potential partner ministries say, "We agree, the only way we can accomplish this vision is by working together." Or, a time when they say, "At least for now, we don't think so."
You can know in advance what is most important to give your partnership the best chance of being launched on solid ground – and with realistic, positive expectations.
In the Exploration phase we have just covered, you will have developed information and relationships that are invaluable. You're poised for the big next step: "Will they or won't they?" It can be a heart-stopper. The process of partnership can also be tremendously rewarding, both for the facilitator and for the participating people.
Building on the information and relationships you developed in your Exploration efforts, you're now at the key "go/no-go" phase.
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There are a number of factors that will help you achieve a successful launch for your partnership (see graphic on page 47). Here are some of the essentials:
• Enough of the "influentials" are in your initial face to face discussion. You don't need everyone, but you do need enough of the people or ministries with high credibility to bring that same credibility into the partnership formation process.
• Everyone clearly understands what the objectives and expectations are for the first round of discussions. If everyone knows the agenda and has had a chance to participate in or comment on it, the trust factor goes up and your likelihood of success as well.
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• Your initial meeting/discussion time is long enough to allow you to develop a common information and relational base among participants. Trying to cut corners for busy people will return to haunt you!
• In the process of preparing for and holding your initial partnership formation meeting, the building of Trust is critical. As you build "equity" in your "trust account" it will greatly strengthen your ability to serve and facilitate the new partnership. And, word will spread that the partnership and its leadership have integrity.
• You have kept the big vision before everyone. There has been agreement on that. But, you and the others have identified and agreed on limited, achievable near- to medium-term objectives that are the important, initial steps toward achieving that big vision. Those initial objectives meet two key criteria: (1) everyone knows that they are something God wants done – that is, they are Kingdom objectives, not private ones; and (2) Each participant can see how achieving those objectives support their own ministry’s vision and goals.
• Careful planning and facilitating of this initial face-to-face meeting is vital. Don't leave the plans or execution to chance or the last minute. Planning pays off – BIG!
• Before you get to the vital, "go/no" question, make sure the majority of your participants have at least general agreement on (1) the specifics of the challenge – clearly articulated and understood, (2) the history of the challenge you're addressing, (3) the key factors that currently affect the challenge, (4) the roadblocks standing in the way of a breakthrough, and (5) if they and others worked together on the challenge, what one or two action points or changes would have the greatest impact?
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• All your participants have gotten to know each other much better than when they walked in the door and, so, should trust each other more!
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Summary: Formation Phase
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Objectives: Activities: Outcomes:
Seek consensus on ...
1. Current context: social/political/operational/spiritual.
2. Long-range Kingdom outcomes desired.
3. Priority needs/roadblocks.
4. Limited, high-value, achievable, near-term objectives with clear relationship to medium- to long-term objectives.
5. Plan for evaluation (metrics), feedback, and reporting.
6. Plan for distribution of responsibilities and form of leadership.
7. Timetable/schedule for action.
8. Policy on security and information-sharing issues.
9. Policy on shared reporting of outcomes/success.
10. Means for monitoring problems and dealing with conflicts.
1. Individual meetings with leaders/ministries.
2. Encouraging/building vision.
3. Close work with advisory group.
4. Initial exploration and organizational meeting of larger group: setup/planning, admin, facilitation, follow-up.
5. Listening & Prayer!
1. Vision and long-range Kingdom expectations/impact clarified.
2. Relationships strengthened.
3. Near- to medium-term objectives and timetable agreed.
4. Structural/organizational approach agreed.
5. Individual, working groups, and leadership roles defined.
6. Agreed expectations re: specific outcomes, communications, and reporting.
7. Participants encouraged and given hope.
8. Communications undertaken with partner agencies' leadership and funding/praying constituencies.
Phase 3: Operation
So, the groups that you have worked so hard to assemble have taken that big, first step; they've said, "Yes, we want to work together on this challenge rather than go it alone." But, to get any real, lasting results, a partnership or network not only has to come together, it has to stay together.
Congratulations if you have worked your way through the Exploration and Formation stages of your partnership or network. To get this far is a real challenge: spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. It also provides a real test of your commitment to the vision God has put in your heart – whatever that may be.
If your group has said "Yes" to moving forward, you have every right to be thankful and heave that sigh of relief. Effective partnership or network facilitation is hard work – no matter how valuable the vision or goal. Those who have worked with you, those who have prayed for you and the process, and those who have taken part in the Formation process have all made a commitment. But, time to relax? Probably not just yet!
Now you need early successes. The important but limited/achievable objective(s) that your group set as their first priority must be achieved. All of the action priorities in the next section need to be focused on this. If the group senses that coming together in the partnership or network has really demonstrated its value, they will be encouraged, will continue to participate – possibly even more enthusiastically – and will be ready to consider more significant objectives. If the group fails to meet its initial objectives it will reinforce a commonly held view that Kingdom collaboration really isn't practical or doesn't work, disappointment will be high, and it will be doubly hard to revive their interest.
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Frequently in new networks or partnerships the long-term vision requires that you put a structure, or facilities, or a team in place in order to be able to implement the core vision.
This means that it's important that we "unpack" the process of what our vision will ultimately require and identify those elements in our plan. Those pieces can be key milestones for our network or partnership, helping us identify success or suggesting course corrections we need to make.
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By defining the important steps that will be involved in getting to our ultimate goal we are developing a "road map" for the vision. Road maps are important. They point to the destination, they help everyone see what the main points are along the way – which route we will take – and they give us points to measure our progress. If this road map is in place, the points become markers that everyone involved can see. They become points around which our mutual expectations and communications can occur.
Don't get too complex but develop a road map that contains the main points that everyone can understand. Some prefer a simple list – putting the steps in order with, possibly, dates for completion alongside the main points. Others prefer a horizontal timetable with key action points, dates, and persons responsible identified. The main point is to help everyone understand how you plan to move forward – and, who does what, when.
This is also vital in helping you define success along the way and to be able to celebrate your progress.
In moving to the operational phase of a partnership or network it is often easy to be totally engrossed just getting the key elements of the collaboration in place. Once you have moved into the active program phase of operations – the real reason you came together in the first place – it is important to keep all eyes focused on the primary goal(s): changed lives or the other primary objectives you had in mind from the beginning.
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Here is a checklist of things you should be looking for as your group moves forward. They're all signs that you're making progress. You don't have to see them all happening at the same time but keep them in mind as signs of health and growing maturity:
• Clear agreement on short- and medium-term objectives
• Clear understanding and agreement on what constitutes "success" for each of those objectives.
• Clear understanding of the timetable/schedule
• Well defined, understood roles of who is doing what
• Communications expectations defined and responsibilities in place
• Growing sense of ownership/vision/commitment by partner agencies
• Identification/availability of additional priority resources needed for the effort
• Evaluation/monitoring/reporting-feedback system in place and working effectively
• Participants organizing into functional working groups to meet specialized tasks/objectives
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• Individuals emerging to share partnership/working group leadership roles
• Growing trust and openness among partner agencies
• Effective documentation program operational
• Balance of participants and resources (church, para-church, ethnicity, etc.)
Summary: Operation Phase
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Objectives: Activities: Outcomes:
1. Near- to medium-term objectives being met, communicated to all parties, appropriate "celebration" of progress to date.
2. Enlarged objectives, increasing integration of strategy, wider cooperation in/with the network or partnership.
3. Deeper sense of ownership/vision/commitment by partner agencies.
4. Identification/availability of additional priority resources.
5. Evaluation/monitoring/reporting/feedback system working effectively.
6. Ministries organizing into functional working groups to meet the network/partnership specialized ministry tasks.
7. Individuals emerging to share partnership or working-group leadership roles.
8. Effective inter-agency and interpersonal communications.
9. Growing trust and openness among partner agencies.
10. Effective documentation program operational.
11. Balance of agencies/resources: church, para-church, ethnicity, etc.
1. Individual meetings.
2. Annual review/planning meetings with leadership.
3. Working group meetings.
4. Encourage/facilitate: coordination, communications, evaluation, reporting/feedback, training, and a sense of success.
5. Travel, phone, correspondence, etc.
6. Monitor progress/problems and develop appropriate response.
1. Near- to medium-term objectives (metrics) being met and celebrated.
2. Clear connection between objectives and the partnership's priorities.
3. Setting of 'next level' objectives - building on the partnership's growing maturity.
4. Growing sense by partner agencies of the partnership's "added value" - to their individual ministries and the impact through their joint effort that would otherwise be impossible.
5. Growing sense of community and strength of relationship between partner agencies and their leadership.
6. Partnership's self-evaluation indicates growing maturity and realization of agreed objectives.
The Big Picture
The principles outlined in this field guide can be applied in diverse contexts in a rapidly changing world. The point of this part of the picture is to say that no matter what your context of partnership, there are some consistent themes in the bigger picture that hold everything together, like the rafters of a roof or the capstone of a building arch.
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The first theme is the expressed desire of Jesus that his disciples would be people of unity who work together "so that the world may believe" (John 17:20-21). It was the assumption of Jesus that his message of forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption would be accompanied by the practical demonstration of restored relationships.
Jesus reinforced this desire through his explicit commands to love one another and to make disciples of all the peoples of the earth - what some refer to as the Great Command (Luke 10) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28). Jesus expected that his followers would live in loving community and he even emphasized that by saying that he was giving a "new command" to his followers. He told them to "love one another," which was of course nothing new and was already the pre-eminent command of divine revelation. But then he added the words, "as I have loved you," making this a whole new understanding of the "royal law" of love (John 13:34).
And then, what should be familiar to all followers of Jesus, is the great commission Jesus gave before ascending again to heaven - his command to go and "make disciples" of all the peoples of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20).
These two aspects of community (love) and cause (mission) press against each other like the rafters of a roof. Sometimes teams, churches, and partnerships feel the tension between these two sides - between the "relationships" and the "task" - and we often polarize on one side or the other to relieve the tension. But the tension is important because it holds everything together. You cannot have just one or the other.
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Another way of looking at it is like the North/South poles of a magnet. They are always there in tension with each other. But when you spin a magnet inside a coil of wire, it generates electricity. Likewise, the tension we sometimes feel between the side of love/community/relationship and the side of mission/cause/task can actually generate the energy a partnership needs to move forward. Neither side can be ignored, or else the whole thing collapses. When held together, something beautiful can be built.
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NEXTSTEPSThere is cause for tremendous hope!
What vision has God placed on your heart? What spiritual breakthrough do you pray and long for in the area where God has placed you to serve?
The compelling message of this Partnership Field Guide is simple: Scripture and field experience over the years make it clear that you are more likely to see the richest blessing and greatest outcomes when you join hands with others.
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The question is how to take practical action?
This Partnership Field Guide has sought to provide very practical "how to" principles and skills that can help you turn the dreams God has given you into reality. As a start, here are some questions you might ask:
1. Is anyone (person or ministry) already doing what I have in mind -- or something similar?
2. Have I taken the time to find out who and where these people or ministries are?
3. Would there be value in talking with them -- listening to their vision and whether they have any interest in the possibility of working together on the challenge?
4. If I take the time to identify and talk with these ministry colleagues, what are the key partnership skills I need to understand or steps I need to take that are outlined in this Field Guide?
5. Are there any more resources that might help me be more effective on this partnership journey?
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Resources: Additional Partnership Information and Tools
Online Resources
Review resources at www.powerofconnecting.net
The global Kingdom partnership resource web site. Filled with case studies, articles, list of ministry networks, and other resources. You can contribute your own experience and connect with others. Used regularly by ministry leaders from dozens of countries.
Subscribe to the free monthly Partnership eNewsletter
The monthly email Partnership eNewsletter which contains current stories, newly-released resources, calendar of partnership related events. Over 1400 global leaders currently subscribe to this free powerful resources. Subscribe at http://snipr.com/eNLsignup and view an archive of past eNewsletters at http://snipr.com/enl-archive.
Review resources at www.connectedbook.net
The official web site for the Partnership handbook, Well Connected: Releasing Power, Restoring Hope Through Kingdom Partnerships. Download chapters from the book and share your insights with readers around the globe who are involved in ministry Partnership development.
Review resources at www.betterpartnerships.net
The web site for International Partnership Associates. Includes sample material from a partnership training book from an Indian perspective at http://www.betterpartnerships.net/resources/contents%20and%20chapter%201.pdf. Contact [email protected] for more information on this and other courses.
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Review resources at www.thecollaborationcourse.net
Cause Collaboration: A Better Way to Change the World is an innovative and inter-disciplinary course designed for Christian higher education institutions worldwide in cooperation with leading experts in collaborative partnership for Christian mission.
Books
Well Connected: Releasing Power, Restoring Hope Through Kingdom Partnerships. Phillip Butler (Authentic Media/World Vision, 2006). 340 page partnership handbook with nearly 70 case histories, over 160 Biblical references, and over 10 chapters dealing with practical 'hands on, how to' partnership issues. Available via on-line book sellers, electronically via Kindle and similar subscriptions, and readable (not downloadable) via the Google books site.
Body Matters: A Guide to Partnership in Christian Mission. Ernie Addicott (Interdev Partnership Associates, 2005)
Organizations Specializing in Ministry Partnership Development
International Partnership Associates (www.betterpartnerships.net)
visionSynergy (www.visionsynergy.net)
International Partnership Institute (www.intlpartnership.org)
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