An Idea Whose Time Has Come Mutually Transforming Mission Partnerships Protecting Short-Term Mission from degenerating into the next onslaught of Western Mission Imperialism

“What will it take for India to become Christian?” “It will only take for Christians to be Christian.” Mahatma Gandhi

Why do people want our short-term mission teams? Hope for $? Resources? Technical Assistance? Teaching? Evangelism?

They Hope They are Receiving: The First Time We Come, They Hope They are Receiving: Our best Our leaders People of spiritual maturity Well-trained cross-cultural workers Skilled professionals

After we leave, we don’t want them to feel: Relieved Exhausted Behind in their work Used Diminished Embarrassed

Are we sending people... We wouldn’t employ to lead our own churches, businesses or organizations? To whom we wouldn’t entrust our own children? To give experiences they wouldn’t seek at home because of less glamour and adventure?

I was just wondering…did you come because of: Your desire for adventure? Your search for significance? Your affluence? God’s call? The desire to serve? Your giftedness & training?

The Most Desired Qualities for Short-Term Guests Three Attitudes Humility—Showing up late to a meeting Affirmation—Refusing to play the part of a critic Vulnerability—Not being afraid of weakness Three Roles Student—Coming as a learner Servant—Working hard at whatever needs to be done Storyteller—Witnessing to the hope that we’ve received One Result: Long Term Friendship

From adventures, projects, $ & missionaries to partnering with entire communities Long-term Partner-ship for Long-term impact Multi-faceted commitment

“Partnership is an idea whose time has not yet fully come “Partnership is an idea whose time has not yet fully come. But…the birth-pains have begun.” “‘Partner’ is derived from parcener, denoting coheirship.” Max Warren, 1954

The Trans-national Trans-ethnic Body of Christ: God’s glue for holding together a fractured world

The Global Church Led from the 3rd world with passionate devotion

Mutually Transforming Mission Partnerships Local and Global Communities US Churches Agencies Agency Provides: Mission education Involvement & Partnership Program Facilitation Channel for resources Mediation Evaluation Churches Experience: Spiritual Growth & transformation Long-term partnerships Tangible focus & involvement Faithful stewardship of Resources Communities Experience: Community Development Enhanced spiritual growth and quality of life Global partnerships Dignity through being teachers

Community Partnerships Engagement of churches from both regions and expertise of agencies united Shared responsibility and control Transformation of both communities

10 Keys to effective partnerships Shared expectations: dreams for future Accept advantages of cooperation Seek immediately achievable successes

4. Mutual accountability Clear standards of training, financial management Agreed upon decision-making process Clear evaluation criteria

8. Clear time frame, exit strategy 9. Clear understanding of the nature of the commitment 10. Mutually acceptable coordinator

for cross-cultural partnerships Skills Americans need for cross-cultural partnerships Value community over individual Value cooperation over competition Value relationships over measurable results Value differences over similarity

Equiping churches for global teamwork Congregational education: employing non-western mission educators Multi-cultural/national teams Focus on relational development Long-term community partnerships

Toward genuine interdependence “The mission of the church means a real interdependence between churches in differing contexts. . . . Such an authentic partnership is actually between two crippled partners —the blind and the lame—who cannot go on a journey unless the blind person provides legs for the lame, and the lame person eyes for the blind. . . .The end of partnership is not the mutual sharing of gifts alone. It is that the world may see the one new person created out of two (Ephesians 2), and so believe that God sent Jesus (John 17).” Vinay Samuel