Union with Christ is the foundational doctrine that shapes Paul's teaching on Christian life, including his approach to global partnerships in mission work. This theological understanding helps frame how churches can effectively partner across cultural and geographical boundaries.

Unity and Equality in Partnerships

In Ephesians, Paul uses the body metaphor to describe our union with Christ, where Christ is the head and we are members working together. This headship is characterized by love and sacrifice, not domination. In global partnerships, this means:

• All partners have equal standing regardless of resources
• No partner should dominate the relationship
• Fellowship is sustained through mutual respect

Overcoming Hostility Through Christ

While many partnerships form against common enemies, Christian unity is based on communion with Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus:

• Destroyed barriers between God and people
• Eliminated hostility between different groups
• Created a new, united people from diverse backgrounds

This enables churches to:

• Build partnerships across traditional boundaries
• Maintain unity even during spiritual attacks
• Base relationships on Christ's love rather than shared opposition

Unity Without Uniformity

Paul teaches that unity doesn't mean sameness. The church thrives through:

• Different spiritual gifts working together
• Diverse roles (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers)
• Complementary functions that build up the whole body

This diversity leads to maturity and shouldn't be seen as an optional extra for well-resourced churches.

The True Value of Partnership

Global partnerships matter not primarily for what they achieve, but because they reflect our union with Christ. They:

• Demonstrate the gospel's power to reconcile
• Show worship through collaboration
• Participate in Christ's mission
• Bear witness to the transformative power of the gospel

Sully Curtin (MDiv, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) serves as the executive pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago and as a member of the executive team for the Neopolis Network. He and his wife, Laura, have three children and live in Chicago. He is currently finishing his ThM in missiology from Edinburgh Theological Seminary.

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