Introduction:
The Great Commission is a collective calling, not a solo endeavor. At Global Assist, we believe that fulfilling this divine mandate requires strategic partnerships that multiply, impact and ignite global movements. To fulfill the Great Commission , we partner with native disciple making and church planting organisations. Currently as of January 2025 we partner with 15 organisations across 6 continents—from the vibrant towns of Indonesia to the remote villages of India, Cambodia, Brazil, Ethiopia and more —we’ve witnessed the transformative power of collaboration and partnerships.
Our partnership approach is built on a two-phase framework: Partner Relationship and Partner Development. By investing in these critical phases, we’ve seen partnerships flourish, leaders empowered, and global movements ignited. Let’s explore how this process works and why it’s so effective.
The Foundation: Building Trust Through Listening & More (Partner Relationship)
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful partnership. As Stephen M.R. Covey writes in The Speed of Trust, “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
At Global Assist, we dedicate the first 12 months of any partnership to building trust through intentional listening. This phase is not just about understanding our partners’ ministries—it’s about creating a foundation of mutual respect and shared vision.
What This Looks Like:
- Listening to Ministry Models: We learn about their vision, discipleship methods, and church-planting strategies.
- Field Visits: We meet core team members, visit church plants, and observe their work firsthand.
- Receiving Reports and Stories: We review statistical updates and testimonies to understand their impact.
But it’s not a one-way street. During this phase, we also share about Global Assist’s vision and services—whether it’s leader development, strategic planning, organizational development, or resource management. This mutual exchange ensures alignment and sets the stage for meaningful collaboration.
Why It Matters:
A study by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that “listening is a critical component of building trust… When donors and partners feel heard, they are more likely to trust the organization.” By prioritizing trust, we create partnerships that are not transactional but transformational.
Scripture Insight: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, ESV).
The Growth Process: Partner Development Through Collaboration
Once trust is established, we move into the Partner Development phase. This is where we identify areas where Global Assist can contribute to our partners’ growth and collaborate on solutions.
Our Approach [ ABCD – Assess – Basic Training – Coaching – Deploy Solutions ]:
- Assessment: We assess our partners’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to identify areas for growth.
- Basic Training: We provide targeted training to equip their core team with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
- Consulting & Coaching: We work alongside our partners to brainstorm and implement solutions, providing guidance and support along the way.
- Deploy Strategies: We help our partners deploy strategies and systems to achieve their goals.
Case Study: A partner in India had onboarded a team of 8 church planters who came from door to door evangelism background but here joined as church planters because their previous mission organisation had closed down. But a challenge was building healthy churches was new to them. Through strategic planning sessions with them we came up with a 3 year leader development and healthy church development framework and pathway and now in this 3 year period more than 50 house churches have been formed through them and they are growing well and multiplying , this was possible through partnership with other organisations who gave audio bibles, women related books , donors who sponsored meals for the training and more.
Why It Works:
The Bridgespan Group highlights that “effective capacity building requires a tailored approach that addresses the specific needs and goals of the organization.”
At Global Assist we come up with tailored solutions for each of our partners to accelerate their work of fulfilling the Great Commission. Our ABCD framework ensures that every solution is customized, sustainable, and impactful.
Scripture Insight: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17, ESV).
The Role of Global Assist: External Catalysts for Growth
We see ourselves as external catalysts—coaches and influencers who bring out the best in our partners. Our role is to equip and empower, while the partner leader functions as the internal catalyst driving change within their ministry. Thus we partner to produce results and growth.
What This Means in Practice:
- Coaching, Not Controlling: We guide and advise, but decisions remain in the hands of our partners.
- Long-Term Commitment: Development is not a quick fix but a journey. Some initiatives take 1–2 years to fully implement.
- Celebrating Wins: We highlight successes, both big and small, to encourage and motivate.
Example: A partner in India struggled with team members burnout. Through assessments, workshops to create job descriptions, RACI Matrices , mind maps we helped them develop a set of systems and processes to run operations and projects and resulting in healthier teams in mission field and in their back office and thus increased church growth and employee retention.
Encouraging Diverse Partnerships
We don’t just partner with our partners—we encourage them to build their own networks. Here are some of the partnerships we advocate for:
- Funding Partners: Churches or individuals providing financial support.
- Prayer Networks: Intercessors committed to spiritual covering.
- IT Experts: Tech volunteers streamlining operations , media work
- Training Organizations: Equipping disciples and leaders with new skills.
- Curriculum Providers: Donors of discipleship materials.
- And more…
Why Global Assist Model Stands Out
In a world where 70% of nonprofits struggle with sustainability*, Global Assist’s relational approach ensures lasting impact. Unlike transactional funding models, we invest in people, not just projects.
Quote: “We are better together than we are alone” (Rick Warren).
Join the Movement: Your Role in Building Healthy Partnerships
Are you content with writing checks and receiving reports? Or do you crave deeper Kingdom impact? Global Assist invites you to explore a partnership model that transforms both giver and receiver.
Call to Action:
- For Donors: Fund a coaching program for $5,000/year—equipping 10 leaders to become church planting movement catalysts
- For Ministries: Contact us to start your partnership journey.
