Why Partnership Matters?

Last week, most of the Missio Dei staff along with a few other leaders in the church traveled to Louisville for the Harbor Network Leaders’ Summit. This has been an annual tradition over the years while we have enjoyed a formal partnership with Harbor. Our time together was encouraging not only for the friendships we enjoy in leadership at Missio, but also in reconnecting with leaders from around the country who are in many ways like-minded and serve to sharpen our thinking and uplift our hearts.

The few days in Louisville reminded me of a popular quote that often gets attributed to an old African proverb. While it may be older, it seems to have first appeared in a 1917 speech by Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical reaper for the Harvesting Machine Company in Chicago. The quote states, “He travels fastest who travels alone…he travels farthest who pulls with his team.” In other words, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Regardless of the origin, the sentiment is clear and aligns with the biblical teaching “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18), that we were created for partnership.

The solution for the first expression of loneliness was marriage. Gen. 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” While that is the first formal relational connection in the Bible, it certainly isn’t the only one. There is mention of children and family, as well as committed covenant friendships like the one described in I Sam. 19-20 between David (who would become King) and Jonathan (the son of the sitting King). The wisdom of partnerships is highlighted in Ecclesiastes where it states, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (4:12). In the New Testament, Jesus Himself doesn’t engage His ministry in isolation, but instead formalizes a partnership with 12 men who relate to Him first as Disciples, but following His resurrection serve as Apostles.

The Bible records not only individuals in partnership, but congregations are also viewed in connection to one another. The Apostle Paul mentions the financial partnership for the relief of God’s people between churches in Macedonia and Corinth (II Cor. 8:1-4). In the letter to the Ephesians, he mentions the encouragement for the heart that results from knowing the mutual work taking place away from a particular congregation (6:21-22). Additionally, he requests that formal letters among congregations be shared in his letter to the Colossians (4:16). Partnerships matter, not only for the life of the individual Christian, but also for the Chrisitain community.

Those with whom we choose to travel help determine how far we can go. Some partnerships create liabilities that slow down the journey, while others remove the obstacles and champion us along the way, helping to ensure that we’re staying faithful to Christ and doing so at a healthy pace. So how do we determine healthy partnerships?

I’ve discovered over the years that organizations can unite over a common vision and mission and still not experience the type of camaraderie in a partnership that produces a life-giving sense of joy. Vision paints a picture of what is to be accomplished and mission describes the activities utilized to get there, but it is the values that shape the way that mission is carried out to work toward the vision. Values are the non-negotiable priorities for the way an individual and an organization implements mission and vision. They describe how we’ll go about working toward a vision. They often go unstated, but they are always experienced. Consider the differences one might experience if he encounters an organization that places a higher value on affordability and efficiency than on durability and personalization. Some values are core to the way people are and need to be discovered, while other values are aspirational and are sought after. Whenever we discover values that are competing, a choice must be made about which will take priority.

As we have considered partnerships for Missio Dei, one of the elements we evaluate are the expressed and felt values. For years, we continually return to Harbor Network as a group of churches that embody a set of values that have fostered learning, collaboration, encouragement, and accountability for not only me as the Lead Pastor, but for leaders and teams within our church.

We are aligned with Harbor Network because through it, we enjoy mutually encouraging partnership along like-minded convictions and like-hearted values. Some of the values of Harbor are already embodied at Missio Dei, while others are those we aspire to embody.

God has designed us to fight isolation and pursue partnerships, not only individually, but also congregationally. We have discovered that sharing not only convictions, but values provides a way for Missio Dei to remain faithful to accomplish those things God has called us to do and Harbor Network has been a blessed partnership in that endeavor. You can click here to discover more about Harbor.

Submitted by: Kurt Hannah