We had so much fun last week at our Kanto Thanksgiving Gathering. One of the highlights was meeting with some potential missionaries to Japan who had a wonderful story of how they met and how God called them to Japan. Hearing how they had met with so many people who discouraged them about Japan but then meeting with A3 gave them a sense of hope in serving here really warmed my heart!
What's the Value of Networking & Partnership?
They also asked great questions! One of them was asking Jeffery Sonnenberg (pictured here with his wife Akiko) why we encourage church planters to work together. In other words, What’s the value of networking and partnership?
Jeffery’s answer was impressive! Jeffery is on our key partnership leadership team here in Japan so his wisdom was spot on. Here's a summary of his response:
You see, it’s difficult enough to be a church planter, let alone being one in the country of Japan where the soil is really tough. It takes a lot of patience, perseverance, and guts to stay the course. In addition, the hierarchical structure of East Asia makes it difficult to collaborate with those you serve under. Through Networks of Partnership, church planters come together on equal footing, gain the coaching and mentoring that helps build their capacity, and encourage one another. When one sees failure, another will see success and thus they can gain strength from one another. They learn from each other in ways they may not be able to from their supervisors and it is in this Learning Community that they gain insight and innovations that help them move forward.
This is why A3 focuses so deeply on working together in partnership and through networks. We are better together. We LIVE Community!
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. - Ecc. 4:9
Do you have stories to share of how you have worked together that have improved the ways things are? We’d love to learn from you!
Joe Handley
@jwhandley
