How Does a Local Church Join Together with Grace Partnership?
We ask that each church have...
A Commitment to an Affirmation of Faith
A Commitment to a local plurality of elders
A Commitment to participation in annual partnership retreats
A Commitment to relational building with Grace Partnership Churches
A Commitment to a local-church-determined level of financial support
Why Partner with Others?
It’s Biblical.
It may not be with Grace Partnership, but partnering with other churches in a meaningful and connected way is a biblical principle. We are stronger together and can do more together than we can apart. A partnership cannot and should not fulfill the entire mission or interconnectivity expressed by a local church. However, we believe meaningful, defined partnership is a healthy and vital part of what it means to be a local church. In the words of Charles Spurgeon, partnering with others is one way we ensure that,
“Brethren, do something; do something; DO SOMETHING. While committees waste their time over resolutions, do something. While Societies and Unions are making constitutions, let us win souls. Too often we discuss, and discuss, and discuss, while Satan only laughs in his sleeve. It is time we had done planning, and sought something to plan.”[1]
The Mission is bigger than what we can accomplish alone.
A ministry center that will serve as a context to bring rural pastors from all over Bolivia together for equipping in the gospel is in the blueprint stage. It’s a glorious and ambitious vision. They can’t do it alone. And one church alone likely can’t do it for them. What can we do together? Images like this quickly flood our hearts. We yearn to play a part, albeit even a small one. But its real and it matters, and partnership is a catalyst that can get us there! There’s a part of your city you want to reach with a church plant, but you don’t have the resources alone. Partnership can get us there!
Two are better than one.
Most churches have had some level of experience in a partnership. That may have been marked by wonderful experiences. There may have been challenges. Probably it’s both! A church may be independent out of fear of the challenges a partnership may bring, but it doesn’t take long to realize we can accomplish more in partnership with other churches than we can apart. But, “If a partnership must die, whether for good or for bad reasons, look for ways God might resurrect it in a different form or different purpose.”[2]
[1] Larry J. Michael, Spurgeon on Leadership, pg. 32
[2] Chris Bruno and Matt Dirks, Churches Partnering Together, pg. 164. This is a good and brief overview of why partnership matters.