wfn.org | ABCUSA: International Ministries Moves Forward on Missionary Partnership Teams

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

by Eleanor Lundy, American Baptist International Ministries 

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/12/04)--International
Ministries is moving forward with the development of Missionary Partnership
Teams, an important new initiative that will help strengthen relationships
between American Baptist churches, regions and missionaries committed to
sharing the whole gospel with the whole world.

A Missionary Partnership Team (MPT) is a small group of people from one or
more churches, invited by the missionaries themselves, who covenant together
to build a support network of individuals, congregations and regions. The
network will come alongside each missionary to support his or her ministry.
Missionaries invite team members to serve in a variety of key roles,
including prayer and communication, pastoral care, financial advocacy,
missionary kids support, website management, and much more. 

"When churches choose to participate in a missionary's network they have the
opportunity to become personally involved with a missionary's ministry. That
relationship can become a catalyst for personal and congregational renewal
and outreach," said the Rev. Stan Crews, International Ministries' MPT
coordinator. Crews noted that International Ministries would retain its
long-honored identity as a missionary sending and mission service
organization, and that the World Mission Offering would continue to provide
significant support for IM missionaries and new mission initiatives.

Since the Board of International Ministries endorsed the MPT model in
November 2003, several missionaries have already begun building partnership
teams. Missionaries on U.S./Puerto Rico assignment during 2004 will also
begin assembling their teams. International Ministries' staff have been in
dialog with American Baptist regions, missionaries and representatives from
local American Baptist congregations in order to develop MPTs contextualized
to their needs.

Crews will work with regions to select and train MPT coaches. MPT Facilitator
Ruthann Stevenson will work closely with missionaries and local churches as
the Missionary Partnership Teams gear up and begin building their networks.

"As part of IM's strategic Go Global plan for the current decade we are
committed to taking the local church and regions seriously as partners in
mission. The MPT initiative is a direct response that expands on our desire
to do mission in new ways," said the Rev. Eddie Cruz, team leader for
U.S./Puerto Rico Mission Partnerships. 

K/2004ABNS/04ABN32	

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org