How Should Churches Select Ministry Partners?

The advance of the gospel is too important to neglect careful planning. Yet, too often, potential partnerships with missionaries and ministry leaders are not effective in proclaiming and living out a clear, gospel message that leaves lasting impact. As churches consider sending and partnering with others, here are three things to consider to avoid potential pitfalls:

Are They Godly?

A baseline for any healthy partnership is that the partner knows and loves God. If they are walking with God, they will exhibit godly character. When the church at Jerusalem heard the gospel was going forth in Antioch, they didn’t just send any guy with a pulse. They sent Barnabas, the son of encouragement, a man full of the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 4:36; Acts 11:22, 24).

In both 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, we see the godly characteristics for leaders in the church.. “An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard…” (1 Timothy 3:2).   

Does the potential partner have the biblical character required to be a leader in the church? Are they at least on their way to developing it? 

If you’re not sure, take the time necessary to know them better. Too much is on the line to make a poor decision. Ungodly Christian leaders often make a mockery of the gospel when churches don’t take their role of vetting and sending seriously. 

If you find the potential partner doesn’t have the necessary qualities, encourage them to pursue discipleship through a local church before presenting themselves as a Christian leader worthy of your church’s partnership. 

Are They Engaging the Unreached?

“But now since I no longer have any room for work in these regions…I go to Spain” (Romans 15:23–24).

It’s also important to prioritize regions of the world that lack a gospel presence.

At my church, one factor we consider in selecting church planters and missionaries is the spiritual need of the location they are targeting. Is the place they will engage in need of the gospel? Or are there already Christians and churches in the region engaging with the community? With limited time and resources, we must invest in places that are lost spiritually. 

Over the last two years, the Lord has been burdening two couples in our church for Japan, specifically the city of Tokyo. (Less than 2% of the entire country identifies as Christians.) My church has decided to come alongside these two couples in an effort to send them to training, and then to Japan, over the next two years. Potential partners who are engaging places of high spiritual need must be a top priority for your church.

Are They Church-Focused?

The Bible shows us that the Church is God’s “Plan A” for the advance of the gospel. The gospel went forth from Jesus’s disciples, who were a part of the first church at Jerusalem, or who were sent from churches planted from that first congregation. Today, worthy partners are sent from a church and engaged in the Great Commission in a church-centric way. 

Sadly, many ministry leaders are self-appointed and do not work in a church-focused way. Misguided methods that promise gospel fruit apart from church involvement often vanish once a partner and their resources are gone. Instead, the goal is for a healthy church to remain long after outside partners have come and gone. 

As God’s people, we are most fruitful when we align ourselves with God’s wisdom. May we not bypass his church, thinking that we know a better way. 

Let’s raise the bar for what it means to partner with our churches. Let’s insist on partners that have godliness, are engaging spiritually needy places, and are engaging in line with God’s wisdom in his church.