Partnership

I wrote recently about how there should be genuine partnership between churches in rich and poor nations. Here's some more ideas for what this might look like:

• Not just relationship between the missionary and the two churches, but relationship between the members of the two congregations.
• Reporting of the missionary's ministry included whenever the home church's ministries are reported (eg church bulletin, notices during the service, weekly email, AGM) - and not in its own special section but lumped in with the other church activities.
• The missionary listed as a staff member and treated as such. When they're back home, they should slot back into their leadership role in their home church.
• Responsibility for mission in the church to be part of the pastor/leadership team's role - rather than the purview of some congregational members.
  
• The missionary to receive the same pastoral care as anyone else (/any other leader) in the church (eg they get put in a small group, prayer triplet etc). The trouble with this is that we don't do this very well for local people who can't make it to the church service because of age or ill-health.
• The missionary to receive the same input in terms of accountability and decision-making as anyone else (/any other leader) in the church.
  
• Send people over to visit the missionary and their church.

H/T one of my missions classes