Today, I want to give you a glimpse inside the Baptist Search Partners team culture and hope I can apply how we function to any gospel service.

You may have noticed on the homepage, front and center, our cornerstone principle. That principle is partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:5). I’ve long been drawn to the message and themes in the book of Philippians. Paul’s affection for this effective local church jumps off the page in the first few sentences. Why did he love them so much? Since the salvation of Lydia and the jailer, to the day Paul was writing, they had a bond that was forged in sharing the good news.

So, whether you are a pastor, missionary, para-church leader, lay leader, kingdom-minded business owner, or anyone who loves the church and desires to serve her well, I hope you will be encouraged and informed by these statements. A version of these form our “Partnership Principles” which every BSP team member wholeheartedly ascribes to.

1. True service in the church is partnership-driven.
   Many people act out of an ulterior motive when serving Christ’s church. It may be to bolster their reputation. Some want to build their own kingdom. Others may target the church for financial gain.
   
   Paul tells us that the highest of motives is the joy that comes through being a partner in the gospel (κοινωνία εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον/koinonia eis to evangelion, for the Greek nerds out there). You see that? Koinonia. Partnership in the gospel is “fellowship” in the gospel. It’s not just an act with others who have common interests. It’s a deep, deep unifying love for the saving good news of Christ that urges us to do it together through thick and thin.
   
   
2. The right heart as you serve the church is a servant’s heart.
   Fill in the blanks – “Jesus came to _________ and not be _________, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Self-service goes against the model of Jesus’ disposition toward his church. The work of teams, ministries, staffs, and committees take a nosedive when selfish motives enter the equation.
   
   Keep a towel around your arm and humility around your heart and your service in the kingdom will be faithful, fruitful, and far-reaching.
   
   
3. Foster a church-centric disposition.
   The body of Christ is the most beautiful, powerful, and effective organization of human beings on the planet. It is to be protected, treasured, served, loved, prioritized, and led well. When you believe that the church is the hope of the world, and that your gifts are needed to amplify that mission, your time, energy, talents, and resources will go toward it above other organizations.
   
   Place a magnifying glass on the commitments in your life. Would it reveal an oversized commitment to the body of Christ above other associations?
   
   
4. Practice abundant grace and scrupulous honesty.
   Jesus entered the world (John 1:14) with these two virtuous traits paired in full harmony. For the body of Christ to do its work to the fullest, she needs her members practicing both of these to the fullest. Grace and truth toward one another. Grace and truth toward a lost world.
   
   Go hard on grace and standards flail. Go hard on truth and damage of all kinds is done. Live a life being direct and kind at the same time, and you’ll be a more effective contributor to kingdom work than you ever imagined you could be.
   
   
5. Communicate quickly and effectively.
   Communication is demanding and growing ever more demanding every day. Some people prefer a call. Some people prefer text. Some want to talk over a social media message. Teams who don’t communicate effectively are often on their way to dysfunction.
   
   Just because communication is challenging, we use that as an excuse to be poor at it. Like anything else in the world, we can rise to the challenge if we intentionally work at it. The people you serve and serve alongside deserve your attention. Can you set a personal goal to respond to people within 48 hours? Can you take a “second look” at anything you write before hitting send or publish? Can you run your communication by others to help you include the details? The technological demands of our day no longer allow most people to sit back and excuse themselves with, “I’m just not a great communicator.” That won’t fly with most people.
   
   
6. Value the team over your personal preferences.
   If you haven’t caught on yet, there’s a running theme in these statements that reinforce you and I are not the king or queen of the world. The unity of the church, or the ministry in which we serve, is more important than our best idea rising to the top and being implemented.
   
   Should we voice our ideas and opinions? Yes. Should we strive for the best and spur others to as well. Absolutely. Should we want to serve and be an active part of the team’s work? You bet. But when our pursuits dilute our eagerness to “maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3), we set our priorities above our King’s.
   
   
7. Invite creativity and forward-thinking.
   Resistance to change is alive and well in our churches. Conservative theology is a breeding ground for overall conservative thinking, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can maintain an orthodox biblical theology AND resist the temptation to protect, preserve, and perpetuate ineffective methods.
   
   When we struggle to think creatively, we need to invite others in our circle to push the creative boundaries. That invitation, in itself, is an act of forward-thinking. You’ve heard it said from some wise leader, and I’ll say it again, “Methods change, but the message never will.”
   
   
8. Pursue excellence because God is excellent.
   God is many things. Excellent is one of them. His nature and character is excellent. His creation is excellent. His plans are excellent. His salvation is excellent. We could go on and on.
   
   In my mind, the pursuit to be an effective leader, serve others faithfully, succeed, do well, love the people around me, work hard, and more is rooted in this principle. Let’s give God our excellent best as a Spirit-filled imitation of his “excellent greatness” (Psalm 150:2).
   

These are a form of our “Partnership Principles.” Our corporate character and culture as a team of faithful servants of Christ’s body. It’s not perfect, but it keeps our focus on the church and off of ourselves. Take it, change it, add to it…whatever. I hope these principles can be implemented in your life and ministry for great gospel effectiveness!