Reviewing a Mission Partnership

Review the relationship before announcing another project

A mission partnership can begin with a warm invitation and still become difficult to sustain. Responsibilities change, people become unavailable and a proposed activity may no longer meet the need for which it was prepared. A review gives both churches room to explain what has actually happened and decide whether the arrangement should continue, change or finish.

Use this original tool with the local leaders and the people responsible for the supporting church’s contribution. Do not hold the decisive conversation entirely among visitors and then present the result as the host’s choice. Begin by asking what the local church has found useful and what has created work it did not expect.

Romans 12:3 to 13 joins sober judgment, differing gifts, sincere love, practical service and hospitality. That setting encourages a partnership in which people acknowledge what they can contribute and what they cannot. Neither church needs to pretend it can do everything. A smaller, dependable commitment may be more useful than an impressive plan with no responsible people to carry it. ¹

Gather the agreement and the actual record

Before the meeting, collect the original purpose, the responsibilities agreed and any confirmed reports. If the arrangement was only verbal, ask each party to describe what they understood. Differences may reveal a misunderstanding that should be resolved before evaluating whether someone failed to keep a promise.

Bring evidence appropriate to the contribution. A training visit may need the actual sessions delivered and feedback the host agreed to collect. A practical project may need a record of what was provided, used or left unfinished. Do not ask for private stories simply to make the review feel more convincing.

Where funds or materials were entrusted, have the responsible people explain the actual record and any unresolved questions. Paul’s account in 2 Corinthians 8:16 to 24 makes trusted handling and public integrity explicit concerns. A good relationship should make appropriate questions possible without treating every request for clarity as an accusation. ¹

Copy a partnership review worksheet

Complete this original worksheet together. Record an answer as confirmed, proposed or unresolved so the written record does not silently turn an idea into an agreement. Give each responsible party an opportunity to correct the summary before it is circulated.

1. The partnership’s original purpose: ____________________
2. The local people responsible for directing the work: ____________________
3. The contribution actually agreed with the supporting church: ____________________
4. What was completed, with the relevant dates: ____________________
5. What the host found useful and why: ____________________
6. A difficulty, unfulfilled promise or unexpected burden: ____________________
7. The actual record for any entrusted funds or materials: ____________________
8. What the host would like to continue, change or end: ____________________
9. What the supporting church can realistically sustain: ____________________
10. The proposed decision, responsible people and review date: ____________________

Use an original one hour review agenda

This proposed agenda gives the local account a substantial place in the conversation. Adjust the length and language arrangements with the participants. If the host needs time to consult others before a decision, leave the decision open rather than seeking a public answer under pressure.

1. First five minutes: State the purpose, pray and distinguish the review from a fundraising presentation.
2. Next fifteen minutes: Hear the host’s account of what helped, what was difficult and what remains needed.
3. Next ten minutes: Hear the supporting church’s account of its actual contribution and capacity.
4. Next ten minutes: Compare those accounts with the original agreement and clarify any missing record.
5. Next fifteen minutes: Discuss continuing, revising, pausing or concluding the arrangement, with responsibilities stated clearly.
6. Final five minutes: Read back the proposed decision and identify anything still awaiting confirmation.

Worked decision about a proposed continuing visit

Consider an original hypothetical situation: a supporting church has offered a repeated visit, but the local congregation wants help preparing its own leaders between visits. A review should begin with that request. The visitor’s available travel schedule does not by itself define the host’s most useful next step.

A possible proposed decision is to prepare a short set of locally requested materials and arrange one agreed conversation with the local leader. The two churches can then review whether that contribution is useful before confirming another visit. This is an illustration of a decision process, not evidence that the arrangement has succeeded.

Write down the material requested, who will prepare it, who will check its language and when it will be ready. If those details cannot be confirmed, record the proposal as pending. An honest delay is easier to work with than an announcement that the next stage has already begun.

Make room for a thoughtful conclusion

Third John praises faithful hospitality toward workers and describes cooperation for the truth. It also names harmful conduct within a church relationship. Its concern helps keep welcome and integrity together. A partnership should support truthful ministry rather than depend on one person’s control of every conversation. ¹

A review may conclude that the agreed contribution is complete or no longer appropriate. Thank the people involved, settle unfinished responsibilities and agree what can be said publicly. Ending one arrangement need not require an invented account of failure or imply that the local church has become less important.

If the partnership continues, keep the next commitment specific and the next review manageable. Pray for the people carrying the work and give them a reliable way to raise concerns. The purpose of review is a relationship that can keep serving Christ through truthful communication and responsibilities people can actually fulfil.