If you’ve been around Watermark for long and tried to serve in the community (which we hope you have!), you may have noticed that a non-staff person responded to your emails about serving with a partner. These External Focus Leaders serve as our "frontline" for the Watermark body – leading our people to care about and serve those outside the church walls.
But many churches don't handle their partnerships with "lay leaders." I admit, when I originally came on staff, it seemed at times that we were duplicating efforts this way - and maybe even adding a layer of complexity that could slow things down or discourage people from serving.
But after seeing it in action for the past two years, I now see the very important (and biblical) “why” behind this unique – though often messy! – approach.
As staff, our job is to “equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Eph. 4:11-12 NIV). By “giving ministry away,” we accelerate the disciple-making process while stewarding well the gifts, talents, and resources God has given us through His people.
And yes, it gets messy at times, but it’s worth it.
If you'd be interested in serving on a leadership team with a Ministry Partner, contact us at externalfocus@watermark.org!
For more information about how Watermark chooses Ministry Partners, check out these blog posts:
To learn more about External Focus visit watermark.org/blog/external-focus for our weekly blog!
_Photo Credit: quinn.anya via Compfightcc
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