Congregational partnerships can be challenging.
If a congregation needs help with something beyond its grasp, its leaders are often advised to join efforts with another congregation or another group. This is common when exploring community ministry. Partnering comes to mind often when mergers are considered.
Why it’s challenging
The advice to partner can be counterproductive for two reasons.
An alternative solution
Rather than seeking partnerships, you can right size the project so that your congregation can handle the task without the extra challenge of partnering. Then, once more capacity is gained, move to looking for partners.
If you are entering a partnership, keep this primary hint in mind: Partnerships are most effective between equally yoked congregations or entities.
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