Building Strategic Relationships

A Practical Guide To Partnering with Non-Western Missions
By: Daniel Rickett

Intercultural partnerships have become central to ministry success. A partnership is a complementary relationship driven by a common purpose and sustained by a willingness to learn and grow together in obedience to God. True partnerships can be summed up in one word: brotherhood. If we can achieve genuine brotherhood, we can succeed at partnership.

The most challenging question is this: Have we contributed to the self-developing capabilities of our partners? By focusing on development, we are forced to ask whether our involvement makes our brothers and sisters better able to serve God according to their own gifts and calling. The most enduring partnerships are sharing complementary gifts and abilities in order to achieve a common goal. A complementary partnership is a relationship of shared commitment and interdependency.

A developmental partnership in Christian ministry is a cooperative relationship between two autonomous bodies whereby each enables the other to grow in its capacity to initiate and carry out change for the sake of the Gospel. The hallmark of developmental partnering is that it creates results in the organization’s ability to learn, change, and grow as well as achieves a deep sense of kinship. Finally, developmental partnerships have a shared road map that helps them set expectations, measure progress, and maximize the value of collaboration.

Developmental partnering is only possible where the overall development of the ministry is in view, where openness, caring and mutual support mark the relationship, and where sustainable strength and value are added to the ministry. To do so requires that we come alongside ministry leaders, listen and respond to their agenda, and together find ways to help it result in the growth and success of their ministry. The dependency implied by the image of the body is complimentary and reciprocal. But mutuality among Christians does not happen so automatically. It requires a conscious effort. The kind of dependency expected from and commanded of Christians is characterized by reciprocity and responsibility.

Giving should be based on what will enhance: responsibility, each partner’s ability to meet their obligations as Christians; reciprocity, each partner’s ability to make distinctive and complementary contributions; and goals, the ability to achieve specific ministry outcomes. A partnership moves beyond assistance to complementarily when each partner makes different but crucial contributions to a common goal.

Maintain accountability is the foundation for safeguarding credibility and building trust. To use accountability effectively, partners must have a common commitment to it, a clear understanding of what they are accountable for and a shared set of ground rules. First, accountability is a two-way street. Second, discuss accountability with your partners. Third, write a joint definition and purpose of accountability. This leads naturally into identifying what it is you will be accountable for.

Confidence factors are qualities or conditions that give you confidence that your partners will be able to fulfill their responsibilities to the partnership. They are: a reliable accountability structure; clear goals; written policies; capable personnel; a good reputation; and a favorable track record.

Ground rules to help you implement accountability. First, state your expectations in writing. Second, share all relevant information. Third, focus on outcomes, not intentions. Fourth, review confidence factors often. Fifth, resolve conflicts immediately. For ground rules to be useful, everyone must understand them, agree on their meanings, and commit to using them.

If you help people define their own needs, search for solutions, and mobilize their own resources, then you will have begun the process of building capacity. The key to building capacity is in enabling people, the leaders and members of the partner ministry. It is the most essential part because it releases the energies and creativity of people. It is the most difficult because people become responsible for their own development. The purpose is to facilitate the process and to enhance the skills of people to implement their own solutions.

Partnering is complex, and it is prone to errors both in judgment and in practice. One of the quickest ways to get into trouble in a partnership is to assume others share your perceptions and expectations. Stick to what you do best. Make sure to under promise and over deliver. Establish goals that make a difference. Establish goals for the relationship as well as for ministry impact. It is vital that we anticipate cultural issues. Not only does that mean understanding the host culture, it also means understanding your own culture. People who understand their own social style and personal tendencies are better equipped to adjust to cultural differences.

Establish procedures for investigating new ministries and maintaining accountability with current partners. A self-reliant ministry is capable of making its own decisions, collaborating with the larger Christian community, and surviving on indigenous resources. In the end, your goal is to enable the ministry so well that they are capable of growth without your assistance. Have a vision for the partnership and frame it in terms of achievable goals. Cultivate trust by practicing respect and integrity in every detail. Evaluate the relationship by measuring outcomes.

(An Executive Book Summary prepared by Thomas L. Law, III)