The
Mission Partnership
Journey
Diocese of Sheffield
Mission Partnerships Task Group
May 2013
The Mission Partnership journey
Letting go of control, discerning new mission opportunities.
COMPETITION----> / COOPERATION----> / COORDINATION----> / COEVOLUTION.What is it ? / Each church working independently and in isolation. They compete for resources (clergy, grants etc.) and for contacts (weddings etc.) There may be relationships with other churches but these are superficial. / Each church continues to pursue its own goals (attract more children, develop baptism contacts etc.) but works with other churches (Lent course, marriage preparation etc.) Relationships deepen. / Churches come together to achieve a shared goal (work in a school, grow a fresh expression of church etc.) This may involve crossing parish boundaries or each church specialising in a particular area of ministry on behalf of the others. / Churches become truly interdependent and agree that their futures are shared. They may not know what the future looks like, but they agree to explore it together. Clergy and lay ministers may be licensed to each other’s parishes.
Key image /
Climbers on a mountain - in a race to get to the top first. /
Donkeys tied together - each has their own goal, but eventually they realise they can achieve them better by working together. /
Jigsaw - everyone knows the big picture and works together to fit the pieces. /
Bumblebees and the flowers they pollinate have coevolved so that both have become dependent on each other for survival.
Key
Emphasis / Independence of local church / Autonomy of local church with connection to other churches / Local church as part of network of churches / Interdependence of churches in Body of Christ
Strengths & weaknesses / There is a difference between functional and dysfunctional competition. The first helps each church to strive to be its best or to focus on a particular ministry or community (to complement neighbouring churches). The second is a denial of our fellowship in the Body of Christ. / Reduces duplication and offers real support and sharing of resources. However, there is a danger of adding extra meetings and administration and of personalities and theological differences still getting in the way of deeper partnership. / Allows for new opportunities in mission as parishes discern together the issues that cross parish boundaries. However there are dangers of one church (the stronger) seeking to dictate to the other (the weaker), of local needs being relegated and of initial enthusiasm not being sustained. / Real potential for growth when we learn from and serve one another. Not only does the process grow faith and trust but we learn skills needed for mission. But there is risk of being distracted by structural (legal) changes and of changes in personnel causing changes in vision.
Key texts / Rms 12:10 “compete in showing honour”
Heb 10: 24 “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” / Gal 6:2 “carry one another’s burdens”
Col 4:11 “my co-workers for the Kingdom of God” / Phil 1:3 “I thank my God... because of your partnership in the gospel”
Phil 4:15 “you Philippians... shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving.” / Eph 4:13 “until all of us come to the unity of the faith... to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ...
we must grow up... into Christ... joined together by every ligament”
What does it look like:
Spirituality / Specific prayer and motivation just for own church’s ministry and mission. / Specific prayer and a heart for other church’s ministry and mission. Growing openness to their needs. / Prayer and discernment with others focused on new mission initiatives. Increasing willingness to respond to other’s opportunities. / Further development of spirituality of ‘self-emptying’ and partnership in suffering as well as resurrection.
What does it look like:
Ministry / Development of ministry of all baptised. / Development of ministry team and joint working with other churches. Openness to learning from others. / Interchange of ministers (clergy and lay) between churches and beginnings of specialisation (ministers focussing on core gifts). / Stipendiary clergy giving oversight to more than one parish, with clear ministry agreements between churches.
What does it look like:
Mission / Annual growth cycle and serving community; Mission Action Planning within individual parishes. / Gift exchange in community and with other churches which releases resources for mission. / Discerning new mission opportunities and more effective ways of achieving goals with other churches; MAP process extends in partnership with others. / Sending out of joint mission teams to plant fresh expressions of church.
7 Keys to moving on /
- Growing relationships between churches
- Development of ‘partnership spirituality’
- Exploration of gifting and skills of all baptised
- Clarity about mission and goalsof church
- Clarity about identity of church (history; theology; culture; age profile; size; location)
- Exploration of different types of gifts which could be shared with other churches
- Accountability for own ministry
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Growing sense of partnership in ministry
Understanding of mission and goals of other churches and growing sense of partnership in mission
Understanding identity of other churches in mission partnership
Exploration of how gifts can be shared
Accountability for development of mission partnership / ------>
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Discernment of new mission opportunities through partnership
Appreciation of differences in church identities and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
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