(concept paper written by Dr. Bob Fetherlin)

A growing number of local U.S. C&MA church leaders are seeking ways for their congregations to partner more closely with Alliance missions. Many of these leaders desire a greater sense of personalization. Feeling connected to missionaries and overseas church partners is a growing value for them.

As a result, what was once a trickle of partnership interest has steadily increased into a stream. Many U.S. district missions mobilizers believe that the stream could swell into a river, even a flood.

As C&MA leaders, we can help focus the flow of missions partnerships through the following:

The overarching purpose of the U.S. C&MA’s overseas work is to plant multiplying, missionary churches. Every field’s strategy contributes to this purpose to the greatest degree possible. Directing partnership energy toward the fulfillment of this purpose is critical. The field director/field leadership team are best placed to discern what a partnership can contribute to the accomplishment of the field’s strategy.

While a partnership may involve some connections with leaders of the overseas church with which the missionary team works, the primary relationship is between the U.S. church and the field. This is the surest way of aligning the partnership with the missionary team’s church multiplication strategy.

In partnership with a field or specific field ministry, a local U.S. church aligns its partnership effort with the field’s strategy and the approval of the field director/field leadership team.

Money provided through the Great Commission Fund (GCF) and approved specials sustains and enables the missionary team in planting multiplying missionary churches. The GCF provides for passports, visas, travel to/from the field, outfit shipments, housing, living allowance, MK education, and other needs and direct ministry costs. Approved specials cover many additional ministry initiatives. The focus of the GCF and approved specials is evangelism, disciplemaking, church planting, leadership training, and equipping church workers for cross-cultural service.

This focus is assured by having processes in place on every field for evaluating and approving the field operating budget and all approved specials. These processes are the responsibility of the field director/field leadership team. Regional directors hold fields accountable, making sure these processes are wisely and well carried out in a manner that contributes to planting multiplying, missionary churches.

Financial investment associated with partnerships is to be directed to the GCF or to approved specials linked to a specific missionary or field.

» Frequently Asked Questions
» Documenting the Partnership

The U.S. C&MA is on a journey of learning how to put together partnerships that make a difference in advancing Christ’s Church. There’s so much to do. Partnerships, when established wisely and well, represent a new wave of potential for surging forward in Great Commission completion. May the river of partnership flow well, enabling many to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and become His followers in multiplying outward-focused churches!

Bob Fetherlin
Vice President, International Ministries

Initial Version January 25, 2005
Revised March 23, 2005
Condensed March 23, 2005