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Partnerships can redefine mission
Partnership can be reduced to an ecclesial buzzword today—something that presents an illusion of mutuality of purpose, but continues to mask our individualism. Or partnership can open our eyes and hearts to new forms of transformation in Christ through relationships that are formed because of, and for the sake of, the good news. If we are looking for similarities in partners, we can spare our efforts. Partners in the gospel are rarely equal to each other in status or capacity. Look at the examples of Paul and Barnabus or Paul and Timothy. The greatest disparity of partnership status is found in the partnership that God forms with us, God’s creation, as we become followers of God in Christ. Some partnerships are temporary, some are eternal. But in each case, partners in faith enter their special relationship with a goal in mind. There is a mission to be accomplished. All partners believe it cannot be accomplished without the others. Partnership in mission for Christ is not a new idea. But in the opening years of the 21st century, we become aware of new and challenging dimensions of partnership in mission. The church is now global, transnational. Moreover, the expressions of the church around the world have matured. A delegation from Mennonite Church USA, sent to visit Mennonites in the Congo last year, was reminded that the church there is almost a century old. The Mennonite church in the Congo is materially poor. This does not make them spiritually or otherwise immature. By contrast, our wealthy church cannot claim a corner on maturity as a result of our abundance. So if we are to develop church-to-church partnerships between the Mennonite churches in the Congo and Mennonite Church USA, these partnerships cannot be established upon the maturity of one body and the immaturity of the other, either way. No, partnerships are based on the reality that all partners are vulnerable in some ways and mature in other ways. The unique capacity of one is meant for the good of the other. And their combined capacities are aimed at the accomplishment of a common mission. Each needs to share from their maturity to help nourish the others. They also need others to fulfill the objective of church expansion beyond themselves. In the 20th century, North American mission agencies were commissioned to “take the good news” to people who had not received it in places like Africa. Now, African churches are growing far beyond our own rates of growth. What is the new form of partnership that we seek with churches of the global south? An earnest inquiry is being made at present among church leaders in Congo and Mennonite Church USA. This inquiry will slowly, but surely, form new understandings of partnerships between church bodies. It will redefine the role of mission agencies. It will open new opportunities for congregations to be partners with congregations on the other side of the globe. It will strengthen the “body life” of all the partners. It will breathe new life into our common call to expand the church across the street and around the world. In this issue: Features Additional Articles Viewpoints |
