Global Partnership Resources - Getting Started

Below are documents and tools we feel can help your church or group as you consider a long term partnership with a church, group or partner with whom World Missions, CRWRC, Back To God Ministries, or Partners Worldwide works. Some are rough and some are provocative. Feedback and comments welcome! Please send them to Crystle Numan.

Interagency Partnership Principles (download: PDF)

World Missions, CRWRC, Back To God, and Partners Worldwide desire to develop a system for enabling high quality partnerships to take place between CRCNA congregations and groups and classes on the one hand, and the churches, groups, and partners with whom we are doing ministry around the world on the other hand. These are principles that can help guide partnerships. (interagency document)

Church / Group to Church / Community Partnerships Overview (download: PDF)

A collection of ideas which gives an overview of the preferred direction for partnerships from World Missions, CRWRC and Partnership Worldwide. (interagency document)

Partnership Essentials (download: PDF)

“Catalyst has been informally polling church leaders with significant experience in international partnerships. We asked them to identify what they found to be the most critical elements of successful partnerships from their perspective and also what they had discovered to be major hindrances.” (Catalyst Services, 2007)

Partnership in Mission (video: Building Church Leaders)

In serving God through mission, we in North America need to learn from our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.

Bread, Stone, or Snake (download: PDF)

How globalization has complicated the Golden Rule. "This story is just one instance of the Golden Rule gone awry in a cross-cultural situation. And because of globalization, in the 21st century people of different cultures are coming into contact with one another all the time! So, we find ourselves in the tragic situation that we think what we are giving to others is bread, without realizing that we are actually giving a stone--or a snake." (Mary Crickmore, for The Banner 2006)

Habits of Highly Effective Global Partnerships (download: PDF)

A collection of good habits of those engaged in global partnerships. (interagency document)

General guidelines for international partnerships (download: DOC)

A document from the PCUSA that provides some guidelines for churches interested in partnering with international churches and organizations.

Partnership Timeline (download: PDF)

Suggested timeline for establishing a church / group to church / community partnership. (interagency document) Editor's note: This is a helpful model but it should be kept in mind that in every situation partners need to dialogue together to develop the timeline details which are appropriate for them.