EMQ » April–June 2018 » Volume 54 Issue 2
[memberonly folder=”Members, EMQ2YearFolder, EMQ1YearFolder”]By Eldon Porter
We live in an unprecedented period of mission history. The new paradigm of “from anywhere to everywhere” is by nature complex, resulting in an increasing need to partner with others for effective ministry. The challenge of connecting with potential partners in the global context is best done in and through the evolving world of networks.
The website Linking Global Voices (www.linkingglobalvoices.com) tracks over 500 networks globally. These networks are the nodes of a highly interconnected global Church and are an essential tool for effective ministry in the global partnership dependent context. The Body of Christ from around the world is coming together in networks around hundreds of different challenges, seeking to learn from each other and to find ways to work together in unity. The real challenge is to understand the world of networks and how specific networks might be beneficial for one’s ministry. This article seeks to provide an overview of the world of evangelical networks for the purpose of helping ministry leaders develop an appropriate network engagement strategy.
A New Global Reality
Over the last thirty years we have witnessed a shift from a reality described as “from the West to the rest” to that of “from anywhere to everywhere.” Three factors have driven this change, each underlying the need for the global Church to partner for effective ministry. First, there is now a Church in virtually every country of the world which in turn is obeying the Great Commission in ways relevant to them. The second driver of change is communication technology that has resulted in this global Church now becoming highly interconnected. This factor alone has enabled local churches to engage directly with global partners, no longer limited to simply working through the traditional mission agency. And the third factor is the unprecedented number of people moving from their context of origin to other locations around the world. This global diaspora movement significantly challenges the notion that a missionary is sent “from here to there” to reach a specific people group. In many cases that same people group is now scattered to different regions of the world which in itself highlights the need for, and the complexity of, ministry partnerships.
Until about the mid-1980s almost everyone who wanted to serve cross-culturally joined mission agencies and went from the West to the rest of the world. While there was some agency to agency collaboration, most ministry strategies took place within the confines of each traditional agency. But in sharp contrast, in the new global paradigm, we find local churches, ministries, and mission structures all engaging in cross-cultural ministries. The vast majority of those leading these ministry teams desire to work in unity with the rest of the Body of Christ. But the reality is that most are doing their own thing with little or no awareness of potential partners. It is in this reality that networks are developing and beginning to play such a strategic role.
Definitions
There are some basic differences between a network and a partnership. A network is a coming together of totally autonomous entities around either a geography or issue that is shared in common. A partnership is characterized by collaboration between entities that know each other and agree to work toward a common goal. One only partners with those that you know and to some degree trust. A true partnership takes place when two or more entities agree to work together as equal partners to achieve something they could not do independently. Well-run networks are constantly birthing partnerships.
Clarification
Every network is unique and has the potential of empowering those they serve. The description below of evangelical networks is intended to highlight general principles at play within this environment. No network complies with all of the points that are made, nor should they. But these points provide some categories to use as one begins to engage with the world of networks.
Categories of Networks
There are two basic categories of networks. The first are those defined by geography and the second by those that focus on specific issues. Geographically defined networks break down into two subcategories. The first is the networks or alliances of churches in a given country or region. The majority of these tie into the World Evangelical Alliance which officially represents the global body of evangelicals. The second is the mission networks either originating from a country or region or those that are focused on an unreached country or region. The first is referred to as mission movement networks and the second is mission focused networks.
The second category is that of networks focused on specific issues. While some of these are geographically restricted, the vast majority are global in nature. These issue focused networks take different forms but they all seek to encourage the coming together of independent entities in order to achieve greater collaboration. Almost all the issues we face in missions are addressed by a network. In some cases, you will find multiple networks focusing on the same issue.
A search under “Issues” in the Linking Global Voices website will reveal the wide spectrum of issues addressed by different networks. But it is important to understand that not all issue focused networks are organized and led in the same way. Here are some basic examples of how some of these networks are run.
Some represent a specific group of autonomous ministries all sharing the same core ministry focus. The European Freedom Network would be an example. This network represents ministries related to the challenge of human trafficking.
There are also “concept networks.” The International Orality Network, for example, pulls together those wishing to wrestle with the concept and implications of the “orality issue” for the global Church.
Platform-based networks are networks that leverage the trust and respect of a global network to champion a cause. You will find some excellent examples of these tied to larger networks such as the WEA, Lausanne, or Transform World. These networks are led by individuals respected in their specific field who champion collaboration on a particular issue.
Vision driven networks, such as Finishing the Task, encourage collaboration around a shared vision. Their events are usually motivational with reports of the progress being made.
Some networks are defined by a commitment to use a specific ministry methodology. Some of the church planting networks that champion the Disciple Making Movement methodology would be good examples.
The Significance of Networks
If you want to know what the Lord is doing in a specific area of the world then you must spend time with and learn from the Church leaders who meet together as part of the evangelical alliance representing that region. And if you want to learn about a specific issue, then you must listen to and interact with those who come together from around the world with first-hand experience regarding that issue. This phenomenon of the coming together in networks of those most directly involved in a region or around a particular issue has significant implications. Networks are quickly becoming the best platform for leadership and influence and the best space for the global Church to engage around a common challenge.
Primary Task of a Network
In very general terms the primary task of a network is to empower their clients for more effective ministry. They do this first by curating resources. These resources could be information on who does what kind of ministry or who are the experts in a particular area, etc. The goal is to become the place to which people look for good information related to the core identity of the network. Networks also empower their clients by facilitating ministry connections. These could be simply for the purpose of linking an expert to those looking for information or by connecting two or more ministries that potentially might become partners. The third way that networks empower their clients is to represent their interests both in relation to governments and the general public as well as to outside ministries seeking to know how best to connect with their context.
If the objective of a network is to empower their clients, then the success of a network needs to reflect the degree that clients are empowered. Does the network leadership know and understand the needs of their clients and are they intentionally developing services that will empower them for more effective ministry? While not necessarily unimportant, all too often networks consider factors such as the number of those who attend their conference as being the measurement of their success.
Primary and Secondary Clients
Every network has both primary and secondary clients. Primary clients are those that naturally affiliate with the network because of either geography, as with the evangelical alliance of a particular country, or an issue that is central to a particular ministry. Secondary clients are those networks of ministries that intersect with the core identity of a network because of a particular challenge. For example, the Refugee Highway Partnership network is comprised of individuals and ministries focused on refugee ministries. These would be their primary clients. But there are other networks of ministries that bring a valuable specialty to the context of serving refugees. Some examples of these secondary clients would be networks with expertise in media, advocacy, human trafficking, and the evangelical alliances in the refugee context. A network must function with both categories of clients in mind. Effective ministry leadership in today’s environment also requires an intentional engagement with multiple networks that intersect around a particular ministry focus.
Network Leadership
Leading a network is not the same as leading an organization. A network leader has no authority over any of those he or she seeks to lead. Network leadership has a lot to do with creating an environment that attracts their primary clients to their sphere of influence. The vast majority of network leaders are knowledgeable of the focus of their network but are not necessarily the experts. But the effective network leader knows who the experts are and is able to provide a context where their voices are heard.
Network Finances
There are three main sources of income to cover network operational expenses. Some generate income from events they organize, others from membership dues, and still others from donations. But the vast majority of networks do not have any solid income source and depend almost entirely on volunteers.
This brief overview of evangelical networks provides points of reference for those trying to understand the dynamics at play. Finances, leadership styles, security concerns, cultural differences, and the fact that most networks are led by volunteers all have an influence on how networks are organized and function. While the vast majority of networks struggle to achieve their goals, the simple fact that these networks exist is significant.
Developing Your Network Engagement Strategy
If we value the unity of the Body of Christ, then it is important that one functions as part of the global Body rather than as an isolated entity. With a basic understanding of evangelical networks, one can begin to craft a network engagement strategy for the purpose of connecting into what God is doing around the world.
The first step is to understand and articulate your identity. What is it that is unique about your church, ministry, or mission agency? What ministry expertise, fields of service or relationships define your ministry? Understanding your unique identity will determine which networks to engage with or invest in.
Once you have a fairly clear understanding of your identity then you can begin developing your strategy for engaging networks. There are four degrees of network engagement. These can be illustrated using the analogy of hundreds of country homes spread out across a large valley. Each home represents a specific network. There are both geographically defined networks as well as issue-focused networks. The first task is to research which networks align with your institutional identity. Explore the database of networks listed on the Linking Global Voices website and make a list of those that are of particular interest. Having done this, you are ready to develop your strategy.
Using the analogy of the country homes, the four degrees of engagement are represented by different parts of the homes. Each home has a front porch with a couple of rocking chairs, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. The direction for greater engagement moves from the porch to the living room then into the dining room and finally into the kitchen.
The first level of engagement takes place on the front porch. The windows into the living room are open so take a seat in a rocking chair and listen to the conversation coming from there. You do this by reading the network’s website, following their Facebook page, and subscribing to any communications the network provides. This will give you an idea as to the nature of the network and whether or not you feel it has sufficient value for you to move to the next level. You also have the option of remaining on the porch waiting for the correct time to take the next step.
If you like what you are hearing from the network then you might decide that it is worth your while to move to the second level of engagement. In that case, you come through the front door and sit down in the living room with other network participants. The living room represents a network event. Those attending a conference are there to learn and meet others with shared interests. Many of the conference participants feel that simply attending an event meets their needs and don’t engage on a deeper level. But there are always some who get up and move into the dining room.
The dining room represents the third level of engagement. It is around the dining table that critical issues are debated and papers are reviewed by those who have extensive experience and understanding. Those at the table come from different areas of the world with different perspectives on the particular issue. It is when those from this group begin to speak about the particular issue or region that those on the porch or in the living room take notice. It is what happens at this level in a network that has led many to say that networks are becoming the best platform for leadership.
But it is from the kitchen that the leadership of the network takes place. The network leaders don’t sit at the head of the dining table to direct conversation but they are rather in the kitchen preparing the meal. They know who is at the dining room table, what they need to eat or be exposed to, and when and how the meal needs to be served. And when serving the food, the cook might tap the shoulder of one of those at the table and suggest that he or she “share the story about …” because he knows it is something everyone needs to hear. The network leader provides leadership by creating an environment where leadership happens.
The four levels of network engagement are all legitimate and every ministry will decide to position themselves at different levels with different networks at different times. Almost everyone will have only a few networks in which they decide to engage at either the third or fourth level. But there is a growing number of agencies and churches that are deliberately positioning themselves in the kitchen, recognizing they can achieve far greater influence serving from there than they could in a local ministry context.
Conclusion
Christ is building His Church around the world and calls us to live and minister in the unity of the Body of Christ. While the new paradigm of “from anywhere to everywhere” is complex, networks are filling a strategic role in connecting the various parts of the Body where collaboration is most needed. Understanding and engaging in and through networks will help you to recognize the unique place God has prepared for you and the partners He would have you collaborate with.
Eldon Porter serves as a Consultant for Global Engagement within the evangelical missions community. He is considered an expert on the role networks play in the highly interconnected world of global missions. In addition to his formal role as a consultant with Missio Nexus (North America) and COMIBAM (Ibero-America), Eldon assists network leaders around the world as they seek to adapt their networks to the current globalized missions environment.
