International (MNN) — Partnership is the “name of the game” for mission groups in 2019. But what happens when competition, insults, and injury rear their ugly heads?
Division, hurt feelings, and resentment are typical results. However, Spoken Worldwide’s Ed Weaver is calling believers to a different response. It’s the same one found in Scripture.
“Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘if someone has something against you, leave your gift on the alter and go and seek reconciliation’,” Weaver recalls, referring to Matthew 5:21-24.
“Our goal should be getting the Gospel to the ends of the earth and instead, we care about what man thinks of us or what we think about man.”
Two-thirds of the entire world needs information to be spoken instead of written. This global group is called an oral community, and Spoken Worldwide’s mission is to reach this group for Christ. Learn more about Spoken Worldwide here.
Division stops that critical work in its tracks. “We’ve really got to let that go and begin to seek reconciliation,” notes Weaver.
“I think that’s where true partnership happens: when we’re seeking the best interest of others and not just ourselves.”
(Graphic courtesy johnhain via Pixabay)
These problems aren’t exclusive to Spoken Worldwide. They’re true of most ministries and churches because they’re true to human nature.
“Sometimes people have things against us, sometimes we’re holding grudges against others… sometimes this comes up when it comes to fundraising… ‘I want to keep all my donors to myself’,” Weaver describes as examples.
“Those are things that are really going to get in the way and harm the Body of Christ in general.”
Pray for leaders of churches and missions organizations like Spoken Worldwide as they start the work of self-assessment. “We all need to do some self-assessment,” Weaver says of Christ-followers.
“Are there grudges that we’re holding? Is there unforgiveness that we hold against our brother or sister in Christ?”
Pray for unity in the global Body of Christ.
“In the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to be one. These are our brothers and sisters. We’ve got to figure out a way to work together at all costs.”
Header photo obtained via Pixabay.
