In the final episode of the church partnerships miniseries, we explore building deeper, non-transactional relationships with churches. We discuss the roles of sending and caring in church support, emphasizing koinonia (biblical fellowship) that integrates financial, emotional, and spiritual partnership. Local churches offer proximity for volunteering and direct ministry involvement, while out-of-area churches provide unique opportunities like mission trips. The three levels of partnership—participate (financial support), engage (personal care), and own (active advocacy)—are outlined, with tips to deepen connections through storytelling, hospitality, and shared mission.

[1:00-3:00] Role of Churches: Corrie outlines churches’ roles in sending (financial support) and caring (emotional/spiritual support) for missionaries, stressing that partnerships should extend beyond transactions to foster accountability and engagement.

[3:00-08:00] Impactful Stories: Corrie shares how a disciple’s testimony deepened her church’s connection, while Andy recounts a coached missionary’s rapid funding due to a church’s prior investment in her family, highlighting long-term relational impact.

[9:00-14:00] Local vs. Out-of-Area Churches: Local churches enable volunteering and direct ministry involvement due to proximity, but in sensitive areas (e.g., closed countries), partnerships avoid drawing attention to local churches to protect them.

[15:00-20:00] Opportunities and Challenges: Out-of-area churches offer mission trip opportunities but face “out of sight, out of mind” challenges, requiring creative updates. Local churches risk volunteer burnout and may expect missionaries to serve locally.

[35:00-39:00] Koinonia in Partnerships: Corrie explains koinonia as fellowship, partnership, and financial contribution, seen in New Testament examples, urging missionaries to view partnerships as shared missions, not just funding.

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In Episode 55, we stress tailoring presentations to a church’s focus, and using the 5 Ws and H to share a ministry’s vision. Prepare well, secure slots early, and use stories and visuals. Keep financial asks clear, seeking larger support from home churches. Engage post-presentation with a table and follow-ups. Churches may give love offerings, regular gifts, or non-financial support like space. Gratitude and consistent updates foster lasting partnerships, emphasizing preparation and authentic relationships.

[1:00-3:00] Tailoring Communication: Corrie stresses customizing presentations to a church’s schedule and mission focus, whether a brief pitch or longer talk, to resonate with the congregation and highlight the ministry’s alignment with their goals.

[4:00-9:00] Vision vs. Financial Ask: The hosts distinguish between informing congregations about the ministry’s impact and making financial asks, emphasizing vision casting. Corrie suggests securing presentation slots via the pastor or missions committee, ideally a quarter in advance.

[11:00-15:00] Visuals and Storytelling: The hosts highlight the power of visuals (e.g., Bible translation examples) and storytelling to engage audiences, noting that stories increase retention significantly and should be paired with context for impact.

[23:00-30:00] 5 Ws and H Framework: Corrie explains using Who (people served/team), What (activities), When (timeline), Where (location), Why (purpose), and How (methods) to structure clear, compelling presentations, ensuring context before specific stories.

[34:00-39:00] Post-Presentation Engagement: Corrie shares tips for lobby engagement, like setting up a table with ministry materials and signup sheets, using body language to manage conversations, and following up to build relationships.

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Episode 54 emphasizes reframing fundraising as an invitation for churches to join God’s mission, rather than a transactional process. The discussion covers best practices for approaching churches, finding advocates, aligning with like-minded congregations, and maintaining a mindset of prayer and humble confidence. Practical strategies include starting with one’s home church, leveraging personal connections, and ensuring theological and missional alignment with potential partners.

[01:00 - 05:00] Approaching Your Home Church & Timing Considerations

The episode begins by discussing how to approach a home church for partnership. Corrie advises identifying the right contact, such as a missions committee or pastor, and avoiding impromptu pitches in casual settings like church hallways. Timing is critical—setting up a formal meeting allows for better engagement. Andy notes that church leaders juggle many responsibilities, so missionaries should not misinterpret a leader’s busyness as disinterest. Corrie adds that churches outside one’s home congregation may take time to commit, preferring to observe a missionary’s work before partnering.

[05:00 - 10:00] Leveraging Personal Connections & Finding Advocates

The conversation shifts to approaching churches beyond one’s home congregation by leveraging personal connections, such as friends, neighbors, or community members involved in other churches. Corrie suggests identifying individuals with a heart for missions who can act as advocates. Andy references Steve Shadrach’s advice to personally ask church leaders for support to build stronger relationships. The group discusses the value of seeking advice from influential church members, which can foster investment and open doors to broader church support.

[10:00 - 16:00] The Role of Advocates and Managing Relationships

This segment emphasizes the importance of advocates within churches. Effective advocates are passionate about the missionary’s ministry, well-connected, and proactive in facilitating events or introductions. Corrie shares her experience of relying on advocates to organize speaking engagements and events, reducing logistical burdens. The group discusses the need for clear communication and a formal “ask” for advocacy, similar to a support request, and suggests maintaining a core team or advocate manager to streamline communication with multiple churches.

[16:00 - 22:00] Approaching Churches Without Connections & Building Long-Term Relationships

The discussion addresses “cold approaches” to churches with no prior connections, which are less effective but sometimes necessary. Corrie recommends identifying smaller churches, which may be more receptive due to fewer missionary requests. She advises attending church events, delivering a brief elevator pitch, and requesting a formal meeting. Andy suggests that some denominations expect missionaries to visit multiple churches, a process called deputation. Corrie shares an example of a church that began supporting her financially after two years of consistent communication, highlighting the value of long-term relationship-building.

[26:00 - 39:00] Ensuring Alignment & Practical Mindsets

The final segment focuses on ensuring theological and missional alignment with churches to avoid mismatched partnerships. Corrie suggests researchi

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