the SEND U wiki

Evaluated by Jerry Skifstad

I just finished a four-week online course through EFCA-EQUIP titled, “Healthy Missions Partnerships” and I was shocked at how little I really knew. That realization, though discouraging at first, quickly turned to excitement at the possibilities of what could be.
The course covered just about everything pertaining to the development of healthy missions partnerships. Here are some of the areas presented:

• Biblical foundations and key principles for establishes partnerships – especially in a cross- cultural context

• Assessing the readiness of your church/organization for partnerships

• Knowing the order and relationships between vision, goals, and structures. I found this particularly helpful in that there needs to be active participation from both partners in
  establishing (or buying into) the vision, setting goals, and developing necessary structures to accomplish those goals

• The significance of having a great vision cannot be underestimated

• Vision of what God desires to accomplish through “us” is the driving force

• Understanding a typical life cycle for a partnership

• Key rolls played by partnership “facilitators” and church/organization “champions”

• How to avoid unhealthy dependencies

• The importance of facilitating clear, culturally-sensitive communication

• How to leverage and effectively deal with expectations

• Establish pathways for conflict resolution and problem solving. This is huge as with all
  great endeavors there are going to be great difficulties

• Developing means of accountability, review, and revision within the partnership

• Last but not least, the challenge to discover creative ways partners can multiply themselves in others

I found the course extremely beneficial for the work God has given me here in Poland, and I also have a sense that He is equipping me for what lies ahead.