The power in partnership

We have had an exciting journey the last few months. A lot of time in prayer and seeking God for the structure and DNA of our new church plant. Even if God spoke to me 18 years ago about starting a church in Gothenburg its not until now that the vision has become clear, and the the structure and strategy is starting to develop. Well its something that I have to get from God, and at the same time it is a journey I will have to take with my team and those that will build with us! The vision is birthed from God but developed in the team. Its something that is divine and at the same time it is a fruit of different gifts coming together and shaping the dream and strategy. Thats what I love with the church and the kingdom of God. We are fully dependent on God and it has to be Him building the house. But He still needs us. He still wants us to be apart of building His church! God is a team-worker! He has his divine dream-team in the trinity. Three persons but yet in the most perfect unity as one! That is a good lesson to learn for us! We need to be one in unity.. yes.. but we also need to see that we should not do it alone!

I used to be lone-wolf. I wanted to do everything myself. I don't know if it was the years on the mission-field in Africa that shaped me like that. I read Paul saying that he didn't want to build on anyone else's foundation. I interpret that that I could not build and work where other people had been working! Thats why I started writing books etc.. Why use other peoples books when you can write your own? Well that kind of mentality made the work weak and lonely. I did not see the power of partnership by then. I did not understand kingdom mentality. Kingdom mentality is that its not about me, but about the kingdom. If its not about building my kingdom it really doesn't matter who is involved as long as the kingdom growths and becomes what God wants! Kingdom mentality sets you free from prestige, competition and comparing with everyone. It helps you rejoice when somebody els has a victory and it makes you feel apart of that victory even though you did nothing to get it!

Dino Rizzos sermon on the All Access Conference in Baton Rouge; "Island dancing", pointed out the importance of us not dancing on our own. ARC's vision of building relationships and doing it together is amazing. There is power in partnership.

I spent ten days with Matt Fry and C3 church in Clayton NC. I was there basically to build the relationship even stronger with Matt & Martha and with the church. C3 will partner up with us and help us plant the church in Gothenburg. I felt so grateful of hanging with Matt. We had an awesome time together. more than anything we did was laughing. We talked a lot about strategy, planning and dreaming. But at the end of the day the relationship that was build was more important than anything else. To know that we are not dancing on our own here in Gothenburg means more than anything.

"One can chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight..." (Gen 32:30)

I love that verse. If I partner up with someone it will not make me double as strong. It will make us ten times stronger! Wow! What if we then are more than two!!

"..if two of you agree on earth concerning anything... it will be done for them... For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them." (Mat 18:19-20)

I love the word TOGETHER in that verse! Thats a powerful word that is one of the most important keys to successfully build the kingdom of God. Kingdom mentality is understanding the word; "together"! God gives us His dreams and visions but we have to work them out together and see to it that it is build. Team-work makes the dream work! An always so true statement!