Skills for Collaborative Ministry

Book excerpt: Contemporary mission and ministry, as well as best practice in secular government, emphasize partnership and working together. Yet this can be easier said than done. At its best, working together brings energy and synergy and enables you to achieve something you could never do alone. At its worst, it's a nightmare that you may well wish you had never got into. Skills for Collaborative Ministry will help you to work more effectively with other people, both inside and outside of the Church. Each chapter focuses on a particular skill - such as team building, facilitation, diversity skills, conflict resolution and evaluation techniques - outlines the theory and the theology behind it, and gives practical guidance and advice. Written by an experienced team, the book includes exercises for both individuals and groups, along with a range of ideas that can be adapted to your own context. It will enable you to work collaboratively with confidence and skill.