Developing Effective Partnerships with Christian Organizations

Six practical steps to help bolster partnerships in the kingdom of God.

A phrase that gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles is “let’s partner together.”

Sometimes, tasks and projects are too much for one person, church, or organization. Since no one wants or has the time to reinvent the wheel, why not maximize on each other’s strengths and knowledge?

But we all know that is easier said than done.

Once you sit down together to work through what needs to get done, the how can get tricky. In business, partners are motivated by a mutual desire to make money. In ministry, the motivation may appear to the same, but with differences in theology and leadership qualities, many times a partnership is not viable.

So the question becomes: How does one create partnerships within Christian ministries resulting in collective work for the gospel?

Here are some thoughts and lessons I have learned that have helped me.

1 – Assess if you trust the person

This is one of the most important questions, I think. I firmly believe that as believers we are called to “love” everyone, but honestly, we do not get along with or like everyone. If personalities clash from the get-go, or if you don’t trust the other party, there cannot be a successful partnership.

I know what personalities don’t jive with mine and what traits bother me. Therefore, when I meet potential partners, those are red flags that I look for and then avoid.

Trust is huge! You must be able to trust the persons with whom you are partnering. Once trust is lost, regardless of the reason, a long-term partnership seems dim. It has happened to me with even reputable Christian organizations.

Ultimately, lasting partnerships happen when you know the other party will come through with what they say and promise to ...