Love Joy Church
Pillars of Partnership
What is Partnership?
It's the ability to work together to accomplish something you could not achieve alone.
Why choose to partner with others?
Because partnership allows you to accomplish more than you could by yourself.
1 Kings 12:1-19 (NLT)
Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 3 The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. 4 “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.” 5 Rehoboam replied, “Give me three days to think this over. Then come back for my answer.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?” 7 The older counselors replied, “If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.” 8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.9 “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?” 10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11 Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”
12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. 13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14 and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!” 16 When all Israel realized that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded, “Down with the dynasty of David! We have no interest in the son of Jesse. Back to your homes, O Israel! Look out for your own house, O David!” So the people of Israel returned home. 17 But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.19 And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.
3 Pillars Of Partnership
1) Partnership is Intentional
If you don’t take the time to be intentional then you don’t really want partnership, you just want yes men.
Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
2) Partnership is Relational
They were qualified to GIVE advice, but without a relationship with Rehoboam they weren’t qualified for him to RECEIVE their advice.
Even if you are qualified to give advice, it’s the relationship that will give you the opportunity for your advice to be received.
The relationship gives you access.
Sometimes people don’t need advice they need a friend, but it’s a lot easier to give advice than be a friend.
Building relationships takes time, it doesn’t happen overnight.
When talking about how Mentoring is not important to Millennials Frank Powell wrote,
“This is a common misconception about Millennials. While they do not like paternalistic leadership, they place a high value on learning from past generations...They place a high value on learning. But they want to learn from sages, not dads.”
Paternal comes from a Latin word meaning Father and the adjective means fatherly.
Paternalism is action limiting someone’s freedoms which is intended to promote their own good. Paternalism can also imply that the behavior being forced on someone is happening regardless of that persons will. It’s a behavior that expresses an attitude of superiority.
If you want to influence, build relationships.
The relationship gives you access.
3) Partnership will cost you something
It’s not what we get but what we can give that matters.