Strategic Resource Partnerships
Today there is an unprecedented mobilization of Kingdom resources from all continents targeted at unreached people groups of the 10/40 Window. In the field, these international bodies of resources are drawing together into strategic evangelism/ church planting partnerships. Anglicans, Southern Baptists, and Presbyterians; YWAMers and Campus Crusaders; church planters, Bible Translators and agricultural developers are intentionally working together to achieve Kingdom objectives.Just as the Holy Spirit is unifying God's people in the field into partnerships for establishing the Church in unreached people groups, He is unifying the Church in resource nations to link together for the acceleration of ministry effectiveness in the field. Mirroring the field-based Strategic Evangelism Partnerships, representatives from churches and agencies are coming together to form Resource Partnerships for specific people groups.
In North America, for example, one will find such Resource Partnerships as the Kazak Network, the Tajik Partners, and the North American Uzbek Partnership.
These Resource Partnerships work to create an effective linkage between resource churches and the field, between the resource churches and agencies. Often, an annual working consultation is hosted by one of the member churches. During the gathering, reports are brought from the field, task groups that parallel field working groups meet and strategize, time is devoted to strengthen relationships and prayer and worship is offered on behalf of the people group and field workers. These Resource Partnership meetings also become excellent venues for churches, new to the adoption process, to connect to their adopted group and to workers in the field of interest. Through this intentional process of meeting together, strong relationships are forged and consensus is reached toward collaborative, strategic ministry initiatives.
Jesus prayed that his people "be brought to complete unity to let the world know that the Father sent him and that he loves the world just as he loves his son." (John 17:20-23) Resource Partnerships are not simply a more effective way to relate and serve the field, but capture the very heart of God to reflect His unity in practical and functional ways. They are blessed with the power and presence of the Lord. Therefore...
You are a local church that has a God-given vision to see all the nations of the earth reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You have cultivated a prayerful lifestyle. Setting aside your own preconceived ideas, plans and ad hoc efforts, you have set about the task of discovering the genuine needs of an unreached people group to which you would like to minister. Carefully following guidelines offered by the Adopt-a- People campaign or by similar guidance from your denomination, you prayerfully adopt a people group. You desire to leverage your gifts with others in the Body of Christ as an effective steward of Kingdom resources. You want to effectively transfer your resources in a timely and appropriate way to the field.
What Do You Do Now?
A good next step is to contact the Strategic Resource Partnership for your adopted People Group. If you need assistance in this process, contact [email protected].
Gary Edmonds is the former director of Christian Associates International in Europe. He also served as Senior Associate Pastor at Mariners Church in Orange County, CA. Gary Edmonds is now the Associate International Director for Interdev.
"We have found that partnership is the most effective way to gain the synergy necessary to reach our ministry objectives."
Gary Bishop,
CEO Mission Aviation Fellowship
The Resource Partnership Advocate
Each Resource Partnership needs a leader or a team of leaders to make it work. These leaders are called Advocates and their tasks include the following:
Promote the cause of the target people group or cluster to churches, agencies, conferences and individuals in resource bases.
Disseminate information for people group; network agencies, adopting churches, Sunday school classes, home prayer groups, and student groups; direct churches in a positive relationship with agencies.
Channel Kingdom resources to existing Regional Consultations and Partnerships.
Work with and be accountable to Partnership and Regional Consultation facilitators to ensure field-based strategy;
Relate to and Coordinate with advocacy networks in other resource bases worldwide.
Guard security.
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