Resources for "Best Practices" of Cross-Cultural Partnerships

Organizations associated with COSIM as a rule have had many years of experience partnering with indigenous ministries. They have learned much through their successes and failings, and have provided these resources for your use to adapt as needed for your organizational context.

Note: All files are text files unless otherwise noted. PPS=PowerPoint Show; PDF=Text File; MP3=sound file. Most workshop recordings run about an hour. Plenary sessions were 90 minutes. Recording length can vary.

MESSAGES FROM THE 2010 COSIM CONFERENCE

These items from the 2010 COSIM conference in Lombard, Illinois, are listed here as a group for easy reference. We will also attempt to integrate these messages into the subject fields below. All are approximately 60 minutes long unless otherwise noted.

A Denominational Mission Agency Embraces Cross-Cultural Partnerships. (PDF) Joel Hogan, Director of International Ministries for Christian Reformed World Missions tells how the denominational mission agency shifted from being a traditional missionary sending agency to today’s vision of seeing “the CRCNA vigorously participating in Spirit-led mission with churches and other Christian organizations throughout the world so that together we are proclaiming the gospel to more and more people who have not heard it, healthy churches are emerging, and the kingdom of God is advancing.” We don't have the voice recording, but this manuscript provides the text of his talk. See also the PowerPoint presentation below that accompanies it.

A Denominational Mission Agency Embraces Cross-Cultural Partnerships. (PPS) This PowerPoint show accompanies Joel Hogan's presentation by the same title, above. We don’t have the voice recording, but this PowerPoint shows the story in an outline. Please use with print document of talk above.

Beauty of Partnership, The. (MP3) Werner Mischke of Mission ONE describes the curriculum he wrote and designed to inculcate a sense of "best practices" in local church leaders relating to those involved in cross-cultural partnership. The recording of the message failed, but this PDF presentation outlines key points. See the accompanying PowerPoint file (below).

Beauty of Partnership, The (PDF) This is a PDF version of the PowerPoint Show that accompanied Werner's presentation (above).

Building a Partnership-Capable Church. (MP3) Eric Hanson, International Impact Director for Christ Community Church in St. Charles, Illinois, tells how his church carries out short-term mission trips with a vision that results in enhancing partnerships with indigenous ministries.

Building a Partnership-Capable Church. (PDF) This is a PDF version of the PowerPoint show that Eric Hanson showed with his message by the same name. Download and flip through the slides as you listen to the message.

Leveling the Playing Field: The Power of Mutual Accountability. We deeply regret that this excellent presentation by Mary Lederleitner of Wycliffe International failed to record. We urge viewers to purchase or at least review her book on this topic, Cross-Cultural Partnerships; Navigating the Complexities of Money and Mission published by InterVarsity Press.

Creative Partnership Strategy for Tough Economic Times. (MP3) Gene Brush and Cornel Stef tell how Partners In Evangelism (PIE) got started and operates with a team of all volunteers. About 75 to 90 minutes.

Short Term Evangelistic Mission Trips. (MP3) Johan Gous of Hope Builders Ministries tells how he organizes and sends teams of Americans to Africa to do evangelistic witnessing. This trains members of the local body of Christ, brings thousands to Christ, and results in church growth and new church plants.

Short Term Evangelistic Mission Trips. (PPS)

Slow Down and Listen; Your Church Can Build a Healthy Cross-Cultural Partnership. (PDF) Matthew Ellison tells how his ministry, Sixteen:Fifteen, coaches churches in the art of partnering with indigenous ministry partners overseas. See the PowerPoint or PDF version that accompanies this audio (below). Both contain the same slides. If you like to see the words stream onto the page, choose the PPS. If you just want static text, choose the PDF.

Slow Down and Listen; Your Church Can Build a Healthy Cross-Cultural Partnership (PPS)

Slow Down and Listen; Your Church Can Build a Healthy Cross-Cultural Partnership (mp3)

Tough Times: Threat or Opportunity? (MP3) Panel chaired by Werner Mischke composed of Gilles Gravelle of The Seed Company, Dr. Phil Thornton of Global Impact Missions, Doug Lucas of Team Expansion / Brigada, and Emmanuel Ogunyemi of Life Builders International. Panelists addressed issues such as are we facing a paradigm shift in fundraising or are we just having to work harder to gather funds in the U.S.? About 90 minutes.

PARTNERSHIP ETHOS

Note: All of these are PDF documents unless otherwise specified.

To Catch the Wind (PDF) (Araujo/Lederlietner/Mischke) - Describes two paradigms of how to move, a powerboat vs. a sailboat, and the implications of these for partnerships.

What the Global Church Wants the West to Know About Partnership (PDF) (Dr. Paul Gupta, Hindustan Bible Institute) - A paper about the rise of the Southern church and advice for its Western partners.

Covenant of Partnership (Partners International) (PDF) - The result of one organization's journey into a deeper understanding of partnership.

The Hard Work of Authentic Partnership (PDF) (Dr. John Watters, Wycliffe) - Wycliffe's journey to become a more inclusive and partnership-focused ministry.

CRWM Partnerships (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions) - Values that guide partnerships and help CRWM accomplish more than they could on their own.

Principles, Assumptions and Values (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions and other agencies) - Principles toward real, deep, intimate, ongoing healthy relationships.

Church to Church Partnerships (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions) - Guidelines to help partnerships between North American churches or groups and distant, non-Western churches or groups.

Habits of Highly Effective Partnerships (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions and other agencies) - Guidelines and suggested readings about forming good partnerships that seek strong relationships, mutual transformation and other factors.

Partnership Timeline (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions and other agencies) - The steps and stages in forming partnerships with the key activities to engage in at each stage.

Servant Partnership (PDF) (Jon Lewis, Partners International) - Putting aside our agendas to help accomplish the vision of another.

Partnership Handbook (PDF) (W. Philip Thornton, Ph.D.) - Example of a complete handbook covering many aspects of the work of an agency.

Creating Covenant Community (PDF) (Lingenfelter, Fuller Theological Seminary) - Notes from a presentation on creating community across cultures, including many scriptural references.

Doing Kingdom Work (PDF) (Lingenfelter, Fuller Theological Seminary) - PowerPoint from a presentation on Kingdom Partnerships and Our Default Cultures that Work Against It.

SELECTING NEW PARTNERS

Forming New Partnerships (PDF) (Partners International) - The process of selecting new indigenous partners based on many years of experience.

Ministry Partner Profile (PDF) (Partners International) - A form used to gather basic information about a potential new partner.

AGREEMENTS AND MEMORANDUMS of UNDERSTANDING

Partnership Agreement (PDF) (Mission ONE) - Example of a written agreement to help define the expectations in a partnership.

Partnership Development Plan Part A Part B (Partners International) - A planning approach to mutual work together to use in place of or along with a written agreement.

The Mechanics of Partnerships (PDF) (Bob Savage, Partners International) - Practical advice that covers working agreements, what to do on a trip, reporting.

PROJECTS

Project Proposal Form (PDF) (Partners International) - Help for a non-Western partner to communicate about project ideas.

Project Viability Assessment Form (PDF) (Partners International) - A form to help evaluate the viability of a project idea.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Organizational Development Evaluation (PDF) (Partners International) - A tool to help assess different aspects of a ministry organization. Can be used by a staff member or done together with a local organization as a learning exercise.

Developmental Partnerships (PDF) (Bob Savage, Partners International) - How partnerships change over time as the capacity of the local partner grows.

REPORTING

Report Writing Guidelines (PDF) (Partners International) - Help for a non-Western partner to know how to write a ministry report about their work.

National Missionary Report Form (PDF) (Mission ONE) - Help for a non-Western partner to know how to write a ministry report about their work.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Important Lessons about Accountability (PDF) (Lederleitner & Jusu) - Accountibility from a Western and a non-Western perspective.

Accountability Without Control (PDF) (Alex Araujo, Partners International) - Six characteristics of a partner that enable you to feel confident about its accountability.

TRAINING

Do's and Don't's of Training Others Cross-Culturally (PPS) (Dr. David Baer, Overseas Council) - What to watch out for when you are considering exporting a training methodology.

APPROPRIATE GIVING

Bread, Stone or Snake? (PDF) (Mary Crickmore, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) - Good giving intentions can have unintended consequences.

Freedom and Dependency in Christian Partnerships (PDF) (Alex Araujo, Partners International) - Some aspects of dependence are good and normal in relationships, others are unhealthy. This paper explores how to recognize the difference.

FUNDRAISING

A Survey of Effective Methods and Ethical Issues (PDF) (Werner Mischke, Mission ONE) - What 25 agencies say about fundraising and approaches they consider most effective.

Changing Financial Realities (PDF) (Christian Reformed World Missions and other agencies) - Expectations in funding mission work are creating unsustainable dilemmas for agencies.

Ministry Partner Visit Agreement (PDF) (Mission ONE) - Clarifying expectations when a ministry leader is coming to the USA to represent the ministry.

SHORT-TERM TEAMS

Discipleship Through Partnership (PDF) (Northbrook Church) - Guidance for short-term teams from an experienced church.

Short-term Mission Training Manual (PDF) (Hindustan Bible Institute) - A short term training approach from a non-Western source.

CASE STUDIES

Alvano Missionary Hospital- Cross-cultural differences between an African and American point of view.

A Case Study in Partnership(Dick Robinson, Elmbrook Church) - The kinds of partnerships this church aspires to have, using an example from Africa.

Partnerships that Transform our Understanding of Mission(Elmbrook Church) - A study on the marks of a mission-minded church, based on the church in China, Singapore, and the book of Acts.

Partnerships that Transform our Understanding of Mission(Elmbrook Church) - An analysis of the book of Philippians and the world that concludes that partnership is biblical and essential.