Guidelines for cooperative work are those elements which are unique to a particular partnership and are designed by mutual agreement between two parties in the partnership agreement.

Guidelines for a Working Partnership Agreement

The development of complementary working partnerships between ministries will result in the mutual sharing of vision, knowledge, wisdom, expertise, and material resources between all members of the agreement. This working partnership is defined as a dynamic relationship between two entities that is mutually edifying and enriching to all parties. It is a bi-directional relationship in which the unique strengths of each serves to enrich the others.

In order to establish an effective partnership, all participating ministries must have a firm understanding about what the working partnership is to accomplish, for whom, and by what methods. The goal of these strategic partnerships is to enable the body of Christ to grow stronger through a strategic utilization of global resources in a dynamic partnership of Christian ministries. The means for achieving these understandings and establishing necessary safeguards is the Working Partnership Agreement.

• Spiritual

  • The partnership is first and foremost a spiritual relationship.  All members of the body are admonished to minister spiritually to the other members of the body.

  • A Working Partnership Agreement emphasizes both the spiritual and the material dimensions of life and ministry

    • Paul's question to the Corinthian church provides the church with the supremacy of the spiritual over the material,  "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?" 1 Cor. 9:11 and Rom. 15:24-28 .

  • It is based on a mutual commitment to minister to one-another in all the ways designed by God.

  • Each partner commits to prayer, supplication, intercession and praise for the other partner.

  • All partners must recognize that the ultimate source of all is God Himself - He is the giver.  Ownership does not rest with the steward.  The mutual sharing of resources is always done with the understanding that they are from God as His provision for the needs, in answer to prayers, to be used according to His will."

• Specific Guidelines: The Working Partnership must:

  • aid in the development of a reproducible model of ministry.

  • clearly define the short-term and long-term goals, the duration of the partnership project, strategy for accomplishing the project, starting and ending dates, schedule for evaluation of progress.

  • define the specific responsibilities and resources each partner will contribute to the partnering relationship, recognizing that every member of the body has an integral part in the overall ministry of the body.

  • clearly state how this partnership will assist both partners in the accomplishment of ministries which are indigenous to the particular ministry.

  • guard against a unilateral relationship where one partner dominates in the relationship because of financial and material resources.

• Autonomous Ministries

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is established between two or more independent / indigenous ministries not functioning under the authority of another organization or mission agency, or a non-indigenous governing board.

  • A Working Partnership is normally made between two established ministries with a record of proven results.

• Communication

  • A Working Partnership Agreement establishes clear lines of communication between all partners.

• Doctrine

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is built on a mutually agreed upon doctrinal and ethical position.

• Financial

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is built around clear financial policies.

  • A biblical partnership is not one member with financial and material resources deciding to support a member who does not have the same level of resources.

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is not designed to provide for the regular support of pastors / evangelists / church planters.

    • The biblical relationship between a local church and the local church leadership of all ministries must be maintained.

• Reciprocal Agreement

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is built around the truth that God has gifted the church in a wide variety of ways and complementary gifts must be shared by the members of the body.

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is built on the foundation that all partners must view the others partners with an attitude of equality.  

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is mutually beneficial and all parties need to contribute an equitable amount to and receive from the partnership.

    • All partners must be diligent to avoid any form of dominance one partner might have over another partner.

    • Each partner is expected to participate in the agreement and not allow it to be a unilateral relationship where one member of the body gives and the other member receives.  

• Reproducible Model of Ministry

  • A Working Partnership Agreement is designed to assist in the development of a reproducible model of ministry. 

    • The project should be crucial to the development of a reproducible model of ministry. 

    • Ministries developed through a working partnership should not be based on outside funding, thus creating a form of dependency which will ultimately cripple a ministry and destroy the autonomy and independence of that ministry.

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