Partnership Values for Short Term Teams
Following is our list of 10 Partnership Values that lay the foundation for developing our Simpson "WorldSERVE" mission projects which, we pray, leads to a win/win for both the field and our college students. Yes, these are rather idealistic, but we'd rather set the bar too high when there is so much at stake. And no, these are not exhaustive and will probably be tweaked and refined for years to come. (Lord give us grace to impact many lives through this tool of short-term team discipleship!)
Simpson University WorldSERVE Partnership Values
We believe that short-term mission projects are only as effective as they are a catalyst to advance the long-term mission strategy on the field, AND to affect long-term change in the individual who goes. Because we are equally committed to transformation in our students and among the lost, we aspire to build our field partnerships around the following foundational values:
*Invitation: We wait to be invited by field workers who desire for us to join them in their work. We will not invite ourselves or assume that we are needed/wanted everywhere. We won’t just go where we want to go, but where we have been requested to help with a specific field ministry. We will watch to see where God is working and join Him!
*Vision: We long for unreached peoples to hear the Good News. We desire for our students to minister alongside field workers who are directly reaching the lost, therefore we are willing to go to dark and difficult places to bring light and further Christ’s church. We pray to be part of the work in Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Atheistic nations.
*Strategy: We endeavor to serve merely as tools for furthering the impact of our field partners. We do not wish to carry out our own plans or have ministry tasks created for us, but rather to assist in strategic opportunities for accomplishing the long-term goals on the field. We will humbly accept any assignment that will advance Kingdom work.
*Relationships: We are excited to be part of ministry projects that put our teams in direct contact with local people. We are willing to do labor-related activities but also desire to build new friendships and have meaningful conversations. We desire that our daily assignments will allow us to interact with and invest in peer relationships during our short stay.
*Development: We believe that even short-term teams can be part of development work not merely relief and charity projects. We aim to come as learners rather than heroes and not perpetuate a wide separation between "Giver" and "Receiver". We do not wish to do something local people can/should do themselves or create unhealthy dependencies.
*Mobilization: We pray our students will be inspired to join God in his global mission long-term. We seek relationships with field workers who will actively share their passion for the lost, pour into our students, and mobilize them to find their purpose in reaching the unreached. We expect our students to be discipled and challenged by our field partners.
*Learning: We desire for our students to have a significant educational experience “outside the classroom.” We train faculty and staff mentors to guide them in their cross-cultural learning and ask that our field partners would also expose them to the history, food, religion, and traditions of the area, teaching them to have God’s heart for all people.
*Community: We encourage personal growth to happen within community. We stress to our teams the importance of praying together, spending time in God’s word, debriefing regularly, and sharing joys and struggles. We expect that their daily schedule and accommodations would allow for this necessary aspect of doing “life together” on the field.
*Organization: We value safety, accountability, and structure for our teams and appreciate field workers who do as well. We desire clear and consistent communication (as possible) throughout the pre-trip planning, updates while on the field, and honest feedback afterwards, so that we may better our partnership together.
*Stewardship: We aim to be prudent with our donors’ financial gifts while also providing necessary resources for the work. We strive to operate on a budget that would total less than $50 per person per day on the field.
Ok, there you have it... I'm feeling quite vulnerable right now... But honestly, what would you add? change? push back on?
We also have another list of what our field workers can expect from us as far as the kind of leadership, training, and planning we provide goes. I'd be happy to share that too if you'd like.
- Kent Copley, Don Sappington, Ruthie Hankins and 1 other like this
I am wondering if there are too many values? Like for me I would want my students to be able to be able to remember or state what our values are....are there some that could merge together. The organization one - I am thinking is a given that I would expect. Does that make sense?
You have been such an encouragement to me, Sarah, to see your excellence in leading this program at Simpson and your intentionality in transformational leadership!