Motivation for Your Ministry: We’re All in This Together

CollaborationCollaboration is defined as the act of working with another or others on joint project.   If there is any context where this should be modeled, it should be in the work of advancing God’s Kingdom.  Yet, what should be common is rarely happening.  Perhaps it is the underlying messaging of the America culture, which encourages independence, that has made it difficult for collaboration to take place.  Does this impact how you do ministry?  Do you struggle when it comes to collaborating with others?

To be honest collaboration is not as easy as it sounds.  It is risky working with people that have differing strategies, ideas and even visions.  Never the less, the Bible is clear that we were are not meant to do Kingdom work alone.  The Bible records in Ecclesiastes 4:12 “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”   Solomon shares some wisdom about the benefit of collaborating.  Two nuggets of wisdom outlined in the passage are, there is strength and stability when working collaboration.

We are excited about UYWI heroes, like Greg Washington of the City of Refuge, that have chosen to collaborate verses work in isolation.  Greg is a passionate leader that has a heart for at-risk youth of Atlanta.  Through UYWI partnership, Greg has connected with several resource partners to help serve students at the City of Refuge.  Greg shares, “The relationship with UYWI, has given me a hunger to develop other relationships outside of my network. Connecting with Aaron Harris (Foundation Youth Center) has stretched me because where I am weak, he is strong and now he is able to meet a need that I could not due to my limitations.  I am able to stay focus on my gift of encouragement and allow him to use his gift of music and as a result, the ministry is enhanced.”

So as leaders, it is important for us to recognize that we are much stronger together than we are apart.  So I ask, who has God placed in your network that through collaboration may enhance your ministry.

 

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