An extended model for partnership between mission agencies and churches in Singapore

摘要

The nature of partnership in missions is shifting dramatically. For many churches in Singapore, the desire for greater ownership of their missions program is leading them to choose to work independently, without partnership with mission agencies. This trend, together with a downturn in the availability of people for long-term missions sending, is affecting the whole Singapore mission system adversely. The consequences of these key trends is being observed in our missions system: local churches are making cultural and missiological mistakes, and they are also shrinking back from going to the difficult places, realizing that they do not have the individual capacity to handle such work. This paper evaluates the trends in the systems, reasons for the trends, and proposes a partnership model which will not only give local churches greater ownership and engagement missions, but which will see them supported more effectively by specialist mission agencies in integrated, value adding partnerships.