GOSHEN, Indiana (Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission/Mennonite Mission Network) – Missional partnerships received a report card July 13 when nearly 40 practitioners gathered at Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana, to discuss best practices in forming and maintaining missional partnerships in Africa.
The idea for the consultation, “Forming Fruitful Cross-cultural Partnerships,” was birthed in conversation with Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Central Committee, but Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) took responsibility for organization of the event.
“One of the most effective ways we can learn is to simply share stories from our own experiences,” said Rod Hollinger-Janzen, AIMM’s executive coordinator. “Both our ‘successes’ and our ‘failures’ in partnership efforts can provide us practical insights to improve our service.”
Participants in the Silverwood event represented multiple versions of partnerships: denominations relating to mission agencies; congregations relating to congregations; individuals relating to individuals; and individuals, congregations, and/or agencies relating to projects.
Approximately half of the African participants who had hoped to attend the event were unable to procure visas for the consultation that had been strategically planned between the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Kansas City (June 30-July 5) and Mennonite World Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (July 21-26).
Trans-Atlantic crackles mingled with expressions of sadness as greetings were exchanged through a communal Skype session with some of those who were unable to make the trip to the United States.
Charles Buller led the day-long conversation. He works with AIMM to develop a pastoral support network in Congo. In his introduction, Buller described some biblical partnerships, like the one that included Paul, Epaphroditus, and the first-century congregation at Philippi.
Even God is in partnership with the three persons of the Trinity giving and receiving from one another. God is a heavenly community in which love and encouragement and generosity flow between the members, Buller said.
After the biblical background, participants described the nature and evolution of partnerships in which they are involved. Not all were convinced that partnerships should be the focus of Christian relationships across cultures. As more people, or entities, become involved, partnerships can get complex, even messy, they said.
Adolphe Komuesa Kalunga, national president of Communauté Mennonite au Congo (Mennonite Community in Congo), continued a theme he began the preceding day at an area church, Yellow Creek Mennonite Church. In his sermon, Komuesa asked, “Have we made an idol of partnership? So much of mission literature is about partnership. Instead of glorifying partnership, shouldn’t Jesus be at the center of our faith?”
At the Silverwood gathering, Komuesa said, “I’ve spent my whole life working at partnership and it hasn’t yet born the fruit I expected.”
Adding his voice to Komuesa’s, Gérard Mambakila, president of Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo (Mennonite Brethren Church of Congo), said that he cannot agree with those who believe that a partnership structure is superior to previous mission strategies that had clearer lines of organization. He sees the authority of the church is being undermined with the multiplicity of diverse forms of partnership.
“When I evaluate the older mission system, I see that our churches grew and leaders were trained. I am the fruit of North American mission agencies,” Mambakila said.
Siaka Traoré, president of Eglise Evangélique Mennonite du Burkina Faso (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso), believes transparency and integrity are of primary importance to relationships, no matter how they are structured. It is essential to define the nature of partnerships in a way that avoids all confusion and suspicion, he said.
Many North Americans engage in partnerships because they are looking for relationships and meaning in their lives, said Nancy Myers, a writer and editor of scientific magazines, who is active in a congregation-to-congregation partnership between Kern Road Mennonite Church in South Bend, Indiana, and the Bondeko Mennonite Church in Kinshasa, the capital city of Congo.
“When we visit you [in Congo], we start to understand the richness of our faith,” Myers said. “Because of our relationships with you, my faith has grown. I have also discovered that the love in my heart has found places to move. In this partnership, I’m trying to discover what the global church really is.”
Traoré affirmed Myers by stating that the primary objective of a partnership must be the mutual deepening of the spiritual lives of all participants.
“Partnership must take its inspiration from Jesus’ words, ‘Seek first God’s kingdom and its justice, then, everything else falls into place.’ A good partnership must aim to address moral, spiritual and cultural values before addressing material needs,” Traoré said.
The beginning of a working list of values important to fruitful partnerships was suggested. It included mutuality, prayer, vulnerability and trust, people-centered relationships, worship together, flexibility … and mistakes.
“There will always be mistakes, but what comes after the mistakes is of primary importance,” Myers said.
Many participants said they left the partnership consultation “still thirsty.” They said the tiny sip didn’t quench their thirst and more conversation must follow. However, all agreed that working in partnership is an important part of being Christ’s body.