Partnership Strategy

Partnerships are important!   So said the Teacher in the book of Ecclesiastes:  "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.   If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the person who falls and has no one to help him up.... A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)   In life we see that working in partnerships can lead to better outcomes than working alone.  When you have effective partnerships, you will strengthen the capacity of what you are trying to achieve, engage more people, and will have a great success in achieving your objectives.   We see this with students in the classroom and with men and women in business.   We also see the benefit of healthy partnerships in the life and ministry of the local church.

I have previously described how we as a denomination value partnerships, doing things together as churches, and not alone.  You can check this article out here.   For this core Biblical value to be embedded in the CRCA, one of the strategies that we want to use to live out our denominational mission and vision in this world is to "build and nurture strategic partnerships that serve to support the cause of the gospel in local settings and regions."  ¹  

Partnerships do not just happen.  They need to be built and nurtured if they are to be effective and successful.   Having been married to Jeannie for more than 40 years I know this to be true.   Our marriage partnership did not just happen.  From the early days of our courtship, and thoughout our first years together, our partnership in life was built.   And to this day we continue to nurture our partnership so that it is remains healthy and a blessing in our lives.

So what kinds of strategic partnerships are we seeking to build and nurture in the CRCA?   First of all, each local church belongs to a cluster of churches in their region.  Each cluster, otherwise known as Classis, exists to support the cause of the gospel in local settings and regions.   Central to the work of Classis is to "give advice and assistance to the churches in its district." (Church Order Art 44)   We see Classis as playing a pivotal role in helping churches increase their gospel impact in and through the local church.  A good example of this right now is what is happening in Classis Gippsland (VIC).   They realise the need for each church to increase the number of gospel workers in our denomination.   So they have begun providing Classis-wide online training for people in the practice of preaching.  These are the kinds of strategic partnerships the CRCA likes to build and nurture in regional settings through Classes.   Churches can learn from each other, support one another, provide resources, and give encouragement as we seek to expand gospel impact in and through the local church.

Beyond Classis, there are a number of other strategic partnerships that the CRCA is seeking to build and nurture to support the cause of the gospel in local settings and regions.  One of these partnerships has existed for many years:  the RTC (Reformed Theological College).  The RTC, along with the WAY Discipleship Program, provide many opportunities and key resources for leadership development, growing gospel workers, and leveraging effective church ministries.  And in addition to the RTC the CRCA has been building and nurturing other partnerships.   In the area of assessing and encouraging local church health the CRCA partners with NCD (Natural Church Development) and NCLS (National Church Life Survey).   In the area of evangelism, the CRCA has partnered with Organic Outreach International to help our churches effectively create a culture of outreach to the lost.   In the area of discipleship we encourage churches to partner with Vinegrowers and the Vine Project.   In the area of church planting for many years we have partnered with the Geneva Push network to provide church planter assessment, coaching, and resourcing.   Some of our churches are partnering with City to City Australia or Reach Australia to build gospel movements in local church settings.  In the area of growing gospel workers, churches would do well to partner with Vision 100 (TAS), MTS (Ministry Training Strategy), Engage (VIC),and Next Gen (NSW).   

As you can see there are many strategic partnerships that the local church can have to support the cause of the gospel in their area.   The key, however, is nurturing these partnerships.  Any one of these partnerships, as helpful as they might be, are ineffective if churches and church leaders remain disconnected.   The CRCA, through the TRAIN Workgroup, is committed to help establish those connections and nurture these partnerships.   To rephrase the words of the Teacher quoted above, pity the church leader or church that remains disconnected from strategic partnerships.  Two are better than one.   That is a partnership strategy.

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¹Check out the rest of the other CRCA strategies outlined in this current series of articles: coaching, evangelism, disciple-making, leadership development, growing gospel workers, church health analysis, church growth, cross-cultural investment, models of effective churches, and earnest prayer.