Wordeed is the convergence of two seemingly distinct but indissociable dimensions of God’s mission. Wordeed Magazine is a compilation of voices, sharing written stories of how we are called to be the heart, hands, and voice of God in the world.
Wordeed Magazine is published twice a year by Canadian Baptist Ministries. Copies are distributed free of charge and available digitally at cbmin.org/wordeed. Bulk quantities available by request.
Design alivelihood.me
Illustration Richard Owen & Ali Brew Printing Splash Graphics Ltd.
Come to the Table Partnerships Formed by the Trinity 4
More than a Transaction Relationships Shaped by the Kingdom 10
Open Hands, Open Hearts Mutuality Built on Equality 15
Charting a Course Sustainability Guided by God 19
Special Contributors
Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Ngumo Kiguru
Moderator, Africa Christian Church & Schools, ACC&S
Rev. Jeremiah leads the Africa Christian Church & Schools (ACC&S) with vision and authority, guiding its Supreme Governing Council and pastoral team. As the church’s head, chair, and official spokesperson, he represents ACC&S in government and ecumenical relations. Passionate about leadership development, he enjoys family time and rural retreats. Reflection on page 15
How Did We Get Here? Welcoming Partnership through Invitation 8
We Are Not Strangers Shared Moments Build Relationships 13
Siblings on the Journey Giving and Receiving through Mutuality 17
The Heart of the Mission Two Models to Building Sustainable Partnerships 22
Blair Clark Retired CBM Alumnus
Retired after 32 years with CBM, Blair served in Indonesia as a church planter and educator before holding leadership roles in Communications, International Ministries, and more. Now an elder at North Burlington Baptist Church, he enjoys supporting missions, spending time with family, and assisting Bible translation projects in Indonesia. Reflection on page 19
A Way with Words with Jennifer Lau
“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”
~ Helen Keller
At our heart, Canadian Baptist Ministries exists to partner with the local church, supporting them as agents of God’s transformation within communities around the world.
An integral key to this existence is partnership — a word that can be easily glossed over in its ubiquity. However, in the same way we intentionally pause to ponder Scripture we’ve read and heard time and time again and find that it speaks to us in new and unexpected ways, within this issue of Wordeed Magazine we pause to consider the deeper, always-evolving nature of partnership. At CBM, it helps to shape and inform everything we do.
What do CBM’s global partnerships look like in reality? How do they begin and how do they grow? What steps do we take to maintain health and equity? What is mutuality? How do we ensure that it is being actualized? When should a partnership continue or come to an end?
Reflections on these questions are threaded throughout the magazine through invigorating articles and thoughtful stories designed to help you better understand our approach to partnership — an approach that has been refined over the last 150 years as CBM has evolved by the leading of God’s Spirit.
First and foremost, in any partnership, we operate only by invitation. Today, allow me to invite you to consider the words and deeds these stories represent. Thank you for partnering with us to embrace a broken world through word and deed.
Jennifer Lau Executive Director, CBM
by Helle Liht Director of Partnerships, Africa, Europe & MENA, CBM
One December evening, my church home group gathered around my kitchen table for our regular meeting. Among us are an adult education expert, a musician, a couple of IT professionals, an artist, and a salesperson a diverse group brought together by a shared desire to study the Bible, reflect on our discipleship, and pray together. That evening, I asked what partnership means to them. We discussed how partnerships require giving and receiving, and that partnership is built on trust and relationship. The group compared partnership to a puzzle, where different skills, experiences, resources, and knowledge come together to create a more vibrant picture. And we all agreed: partnerships shape us.
Canadian Baptist Ministries is shaped by the people and organizations we partner with. We believe that the partnerships we build and nurture with our Canadian churches, with our partners around the globe, and with one another need to demonstrate that we are a “grateful, forgiving, and hopefilled community,” as expressed by our Executive Director Jennifer Lau at our Global Gathering in Frankfurt in November 2024.
We believe that the partnerships we build and nurture [...] need to demonstrate that we are a ‘grateful, forgiving, and hope-filled community.’
On this journey, we have identified four pillars for our partnerships:
• We enter into partnerships by invitation
• We build relationships that carry the partnership through the good times and the difficult
• We respect mutuality and recognize the need for everyone around the table to learn from each other and support one another
• We aspire to be sustainable, so that the fruit of our partnership would last even after certain people are gone, and programs finished, yet the seeds of it would sprout, grow, and continue revealing God’s Kingdom
This is our desire. Sometimes we do well; sometimes we make mistakes. But we know where to turn when we need wisdom: there is no better example of the ecosystem of partnerships than the Trinity. True, the Trinity is a mystery that even two thousand years of Christian theology has not been able to fully uncover. Yet, there is much we can learn from the Bible and from the very rich Christian theological tradition from East to West.
Rublev’s Icon
One of the expressions of this rich tradition is the icon by Andrei Rublev (14th-15th century), called “The Trinity.”1 For us Baptists, the icons often don’t make sense. Yet, in Eastern Orthodoxy, the icons play a very significant role. They are considered the windows to heaven. They frame something of the divine reality and help those who are praying to fix their eyes on something other than themselves. So, when Orthodox Christians look at the icon, they focus their prayer and worship on the topic of that icon, not on what they need from God.
Rublev’s icon is based on the story of three men visiting Abraham and his wife Sarah in Mamre (Genesis 18). Abraham receives the guests and serves them a meal. As the conversation continues, the Biblical language changes from “three men” into “the Lord,” and Abraham seems to be talking to God. Rublev paints these three men as three angels who also serve as a metaphor for the three persons of the Trinity. This is recognizable from the symbols painted above the three figures.
The first figure represents God the Father above, you see the house, which symbolizes the whole of creation as the Father’s household. The second figure represents God the Son, the tree above him stands for the oak tree in Mamre, but also for the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, and ultimately the tree from which the cross was made for Jesus’ crucifixion. The third figure represents God the Holy Spirit. The mountain above this figure represents the place to encounter God (Moses on Mount Sinai, the disciples and Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration), and tells us that, through the Holy Spirit, even we can encounter and experience God today.
The Sticks
There are many symbols in this icon, but I will highlight two for our reflection on partnerships. As you can see, each person holds a stick. Why would angels, as depicted by Rublev, need a stick? What is the stick for? Can you stumble when you fly? Can your legs grow tired in the air? Well, we don’t know as we don’t share that experience. But we do know that on our own journey, stumbling and growing weary are very real, and we need support along the way. In the icon, the walking sticks symbolize that these three persons are willing to enter into our journey if we invite them. God is ready to accompany us on our human road where we stumble and grow tired, reminding us that we are not alone.
Similarly, CBM enters into partnerships when we are invited. But what does that truly mean? Yes, we sign the partnership agreements. Yes, Canadian churches help to fund programs across the globe. Yes, we visit our partners and invite them to visit us. But above all, I believe we are invited to become companions on a shared journey.
Becoming a companion means allowing our own story to be shaped by the stories of our partners as they serve their communities and build their churches. Just as the angels visiting Abraham became travellers, and just as God’s own story was shaped by becoming flesh and walking on this earth, we, too, are called to journey alongside one another.
God is ready to accompany us on our human road where we stumble and grow tired, reminding us that we are not alone.
When the Ukraine war began nearly three years ago, I worked for the European Baptist Federation (EBF) and coordinated the global Baptist response for the Ukrainian Baptist Union and its neighbouring countries. One of the issues I struggled with at the time was safeguarding policies. For example, in small Ukrainian church communities, it feels unthinkable not to hug a child grieving the loss of a father on the frontline. Yet for Western funders, implementing safeguarding policies to protect children from abuse was essential. And these policies included guidelines that limited physical contact between volunteers and children.
How to navigate this? How to reconcile these very different approaches and bridge the cultural differences? As we listened to each other, we learned to respect each other’s perspectives and find a mutually satisfactory solution for the safeguarding principles. This is true for all partnerships we need to enter into each other’s stories, build relationships, listen to one another, and learn from one another. We need a mutual learning experience to journey together so that our partnerships would glorify God and God’s Kingdom may grow.
Around tables, relationships are built — together with food, lives are shared, and mutuality is embodied.
The Table
Another symbol on Rublev’s icon is the table at the centre of the image. It represents Abraham's hospitality to the angels. Hospitality opens space for new opportunities and perspectives to emerge. Around tables, relationships are built together with food, lives are shared, and mutuality is embodied. Sharing food, one of the basic human needs, builds a foundation of trust and fosters the sharing of the deeper needs of human existence.
Yet another layer of Rublev’s icon is that this table becomes the symbol of God’s hospitality. As the angels eat, the conversation unfolds, and the guests share a prophetic message about Abraham and Sarah’s future they will have a son. This is a message of God’s grace from a human perspective, having a son would have seemed impossible given Sarah’s age.
On the table, there is a bowl with roasted lamb in it. It represents God’s lamb sacrificed for the world an expression of God’s timeless and boundless grace poured out for the flourishing of the world. Now, it is not only Abraham’s table; it is God’s table to those who have invited thirsty and hungry travellers to find new strength in a shared meal. Abraham was gracious to his guests and God’s grace filled Abraham’s life and gave it a new direction. This story echoes the New Testament account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after Jesus had been crucified and buried. They welcomed a stranger into their home and offered him a meal, only to discover that it was Jesus himself who broke bread for them. The disciples’ hospitality and the shared meal provided an entirely new perspective on their lives.
On Rublev’s icon, the table is depicted in such a way that the free space is on the viewer’s side. It is not only Abraham’s table where he invited his guests. As it has become God’s table, we are invited to take our place and become the recipients of God’s grace. And it is now we who are welcomed, equally with everyone else.
1 The interpretation of the icon follows the tradition presented by the Roman Catholic Sacred Heart Parish in Pullman, Washington, US.
2 Miroslav Volf, 1996. Exclusion & Embrace, p. 129.
Gathered by God’s Grace
From Rublev’s icon and the biblical account, we learn that the Triune God is not an exclusive club. Jesus says in the Gospel of John: “On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:20). By God’s grace, we are invited to join God’s table. However, Miroslav Volf makes its impact on us very clear. He says, “Inscribed on the very heart of God’s grace is the rule that we can be its recipients only if we do not resist being made into its agents; what happens to us must be done by us.” 2
Volf reminds us that as we participate in God’s work for the flourishing of the world, we act in God’s place, extending God’s grace to a stumbling, weary, and broken world. What happens to us must also be done by us. This forms the foundation of mutuality in our partnerships and guides us as we continue our journey with partners around the globe. At God’s table, there is always a free space for others to join.
by Gordon Brew Creative Strategist, CBM
How Did We Get Here?
Welcoming Partnership through Invitation
I am seated on the dais as a special guest of Craig Memorial Church in Kakinada, India. The service has barely begun, and the temperature inside the church is already over 32º. Sweat soaks through my shirt, and my tie feels more constricting with every passing minute. Around my neck, the garland of fresh marigolds I was greeted with its fragrance sweet, its color vibrant —has become an added weight in the stifling heat. A floor fan, too distant to be effective, swings lazily, offering only fleeting, taunting bursts of air. Under the stage lights, surrounded by a sea of attentive faces, I can’t help but ask myself, How did I get here?
A Shared Story
Craig Memorial Baptist Church, like CBM, is celebrating its sesquicentennial 150 years of ministry and I’m here to bring greetings on behalf of CBM, our alumni, and the entire Canadian Baptist family. In preparing for this moment on this stage, I spent hours sifting through the McMaster Archives, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stories, names, and contributions to our shared mission. Where to begin? One story has stayed with me as emblematic of who we are as Canadian Baptists. It’s the story of how our work in India began through an invitation. This is a very, very short version of how this came about.
The Catalyst
In 1873, the invitation to assist in missions work in India was extended to two people: John McLaurin and A.V. Timpany, both Canadians serving with the American Baptist Union out of Boston, Massachusetts.
As his residency in Boston came to an end, McLaurin applied to the Baptists of Ontario and Quebec for support and supervision. He invited the Baptist church association to fund, direct, and commission him on their behalf. It is this moment marked in the calendar of March 1874 that we celebrate today. The meeting at Beamsville Baptist Church records that they accepted his request, marking the start of what we now know as CBM. But CBM wouldn’t be known as it is today without that first and powerful invitation to help spread the gospel in India, which came from a man named Thomas Gabriel.
A Mission Pioneer
Here is an abridged version of the life of Thomas Gabriel, taken from a manuscript * published in 1924 to mark the 50 th anniversary of his faith-filled invitation:
Thomas (Talluru) Gabriel, an Indian man born on December 15, 1837, in Masulipatam, was a pioneer in the early years of the Baptist mission in India. Raised near mission schools, Gabriel pursued a career in telegraphy with remarkable determination, becoming a skilled operator and eventually securing a respected government position. Yet, his personal journey took a transformative turn when he encountered Christianity. In his early twenties, he joined the Lutheran Church, and soon after, his faith deepened through interactions with a Baptist, Mr. Das Anthravady, who inspired him to embrace baptism by immersion. This encounter set Gabriel on a path that would lead him to leave his secure job and devote his life to ministry.
Gabriel’s faith journey profoundly impacted his family and community. His parents converted to Christianity, taking on the name "Gabriel" in solidarity with his newfound identity. He also inspired several family members to join the faith, which laid a strong foundation for his mission work. With a vision to reach even more people, Gabriel opened a tannery to support his ministry financially, though it eventually failed. Facing mounting financial pressures, Gabriel journeyed to Madras in 1871 to seek assistance from the Strict Baptists in England. During this trip, he crossed paths with Canadian missionaries Rev. John McLaurin and Rev. John Timpany, who were moved by his passion and vision.
Gabriel continued his ministry, baptizing many converts, including several family members, in villages around Kolair Lake. But his financial situation became increasingly dire, and in 1873, he reached out through McLaurin and Timpany to the Canadian Baptists, hoping they would support his mission in India. Recognising Gabriel’s dedication, the Foreign Mission Society of Ontario and Quebec responded and decided to take up his cause. McLaurin arrived in Cocanada (now Kakinada) in March 1874, supporting Gabriel in baptising 133 new converts by the end of the year.
Unfortunately, Gabriel fell seriously ill just months later and, despite every effort, passed away on January 1, 1875. In his final days, he expressed his unshakeable faith, declaring Jesus “most precious.” His legacy lives on through the early Baptist movement in India, a testament to his vision and the Canadian Baptists who answered his call.
Here, sitting on the dais in Kakinada, I am reminded that I came here because I was invited — just as those who began this work 150 years ago were invited.
A Legacy of Shared Mission
Here, sitting on the dais in Kakinada, I am reminded that I came here because I was invited as those who began this work 150 years ago were invited. It’s humbling to represent all those who have served and walked with these partners, bound by the same thread of faith and commitment that connects us to McLaurin, Thomas Gabriel, and the beginnings of this shared mission. The faint breeze of the fan passes over me as I reflect on this legacy of faith, partnership, and invitation. It’s a legacy not simply rooted in the past but one that also guides CBM into the future, beckoned by the call to participate in God’s mission. I’m honoured to take part in this ongoing journey one that, like today, began with a simple yet profound invitation.
by Adrian Gardner Director of Partnerships, Americas & Asia, CBM
At Canadian Baptist Ministries, we firmly believe that God works through local churches to bring transformation to communities around the world. Guided by this conviction, we commit to joining God on his mission by partnering with the church in the Majority World in meaningful and relational ways. Mutuality in partnership is a cornerstone of CBM’s values. But what does partnership truly mean to us? Are these connections simply transactional agreements, defined by terms and conditions? Is CBM’s role as a mission agency reduced to being a source of funding for its Majority World partners? Conversely, are global partners merely a means through which CBM fulfills its mission? Or is there something deeper something more profound that defines these relationships?
More than a Transaction
Relationships Shaped by the Kingdom
Faces and Stories
When I reflect on our global partnerships, my mind is not drawn to organizational structures or contractual obligations but to the faces and stories of those I have had the privilege of serving alongside. I think of Maykel, Javier, and Coralia from the Caribbean, whose perseverance and faith amidst incredible challenges continues to inspire me. I remember moments of worship, prayer, and fellowship with Pastor Enrique and others in the Dominican Republic times marked by a profound sense of God’s presence and shared purpose. I recall a recent meal shared with the leadership of the Bolivian Baptist Union, a gathering rich with wisdom, history, and collaboration.
My thoughts turn to Rev. Jeremiah, Beth, and Martha from our Kenyan partner, the Africa Christian Church and Schools, and the joy of hosting them during their visit to Canada. I picture sitting with Pastor Doudu in rural Myanmar, listening as he shared his heart and vision for people living in rural mountainous communities to know the love of Jesus.
“You can’t spend money to buy a relationship.” Those words have stayed with me, reinforcing the truth that partnership must be more than a financial transaction.
A Rwandan church leader once shared, “You can’t spend money to buy a relationship.” Those words have stayed with me, reinforcing the truth that partnership must be more than a financial transaction. To faithfully carry out the mission God has called us to, we must embrace a relational model one where the church in Canada walks in step with the church in the Majority World, learning from one another and growing together in Christ’s mission.
Reflecting God’s Kingdom
This relational approach is rooted in the understanding that God’s very nature is relational. The doctrine of the Trinity reveals God as a community of three persons in perfect unity a divine model of love, partnership, and interdependence. This theological foundation underscores the belief that relationships are central to human flourishing and integral to reflecting God’s kingdom on Earth.
God’s word provides a rich foundation for relational ministry. The incarnation of Jesus is the ultimate example, as God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), entering fully into the human experience to reveal his love and redeem the world. The Great Commandment to love God with all that we are and to love one’s neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39) calls us to deep and sacrificial connections. Additionally, the Apostle Paul’s metaphor of the church
Just as Christ entered our world to demonstrate his love, we seek to embody an incarnational approach — walking alongside partners in authentic, life-giving relationships.
as a body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) emphasizes the interdependence of individuals and communities, where each member joins in partnership and contributes uniquely to the whole.
For CBM, these theological and biblical principles shape our engagement with global partners, emphasizing the importance of relationships built on mutual care, respect, and accountability. Just as Christ entered our world to demonstrate his love, we seek to embody an incarnational approach walking alongside partners in authentic, life-giving relationships.
People Over Projects
While relationships are vital, building and maintaining them is not without challenges. Relationships are inherently complex. They are often messy, non-linear, and unpredictable, requiring patience, grace, and vulnerability. In a world that prizes efficiency and measurable outcomes, prioritizing relationships challenges us to sacrifice our Western obsession with control and expedience. Partnerships are not always the easiest way to carry out ministry, but I believe strongly that they are the best way.
At CBM, relationships are the essence of our global mission strategy. True and lasting change rarely comes from perfectly executed plans or adhering strictly to tight timelines it emerges in the spaces where we engage deeply with one another, navigating misunderstandings, cultural differences, and even conflict. Partnership calls us to embrace this messiness, trusting that the transformative power of relationships mirrors the way God continually shapes and refines us through our relationship with him.
To prioritize people over projects and relationships over results is to commit to placing people and their stories above the comfort of predictable outcomes. It requires sitting with discomfort, listening to perspectives that challenge our own, and relinquishing the desire to always “get it right.” Yet, this is where the beauty of partnership lies. Just as our relationship with God invites us to grow, evolve, and be transformed, so do our relationships with one another.
In walking alongside global partners, we are reminded that the Kingdom of God is not built on efficiency but on love, grace, and mutual transformation. This relational approach demands much of us, but it also offers deep rewards strengthened faith, profound connection, and the shared joy of witnessing God’s work in and through us all.
Reflecting God’s
Kingdom
Our global partnerships span continents and cultures, addressing diverse challenges in various contexts. To ensure that relationships remain central to our mission, we follow several key principles:
1. Mutual Trust and Respect
Strong partnerships are built on trust, developed over time through consistent communication and shared experiences. CBM prioritizes listening to and learning from partners, recognizing their deep understanding of their own communities’ needs.
2. C ultural Sensitivity and Humility
Engaging in diverse global contexts requires humility and openness to learning. CBM approaches each partnership with cultural sensitivity, ensuring that initiatives respect and incorporate local traditions and wisdom.
3. E quity and Shared Leadership
True partnership transcends hierarchical structures. CBM fosters equitable relationships where power and resources are shared, and decisions are made collaboratively, reflecting the voices of all stakeholders.
4. L ong-Term Commitment
Relationships take time to flourish. While some partnerships have predefined timelines, many are long-term commitments that allow for deep bonds to form and sustained impact to be achieved.
by Erica Kenny Discipleship Programs Facilitator, CBM
We Are Not Strangers
Shared Moments Build Relationships
Discipleship is one of those words you don’t hear much outside Christian culture. It’s “church speak” for the process of becoming more like Jesus as we follow his teachings and are transformed by his love. Jesus wants to change every dimension of our lives our words, our actions, our attitudes, and our character. The place we see discipleship lived out is in relationship: is our faith connected to how we live in the world with others?
As Canadian Baptists, we have learned that a vital part of joining God in his mission is about joining the Global Church in partnership and partnership, at its core, is all about relationships. We build these relationships through generous hospitality, recognizing, exercising, and celebrating our unique spiritual gifts, and, above all, embracing one another in self-giving love.
One of the most powerful ways I have witnessed this unfold is through the SENT ministries of CBM.
A Shared Experience
SENT is an essential way that CBM seeks to foster deeper relationship between our Canadian Baptist family and global partners. How can we experience partnership if we do not know one another? SENT experiences bring together people within the Church to break bread, walk alongside one another, pray, serve, and share the struggles and hopes of life. Relationships are built in these shared moments, where we form understanding and build connection.
Jonathan and Nicole Storr recently returned from a SENT trip serving in El Salvador alongside CBM’s partner ABES. “I was surprised by how quickly a community can form,” says Nicole, reflecting on their experience.
“Just after two weeks,” Jonathan adds, “we wanted more time, because you meet someone, and you just want to keep that relationship going. The people we met in El Salvador and our Canadian team… we didn’t know them well before, but by the end, we felt like family.”
Relationships are built in these shared moments, where we form understanding and build connection.
A Face to a Story
Throughout the years that I hosted SENT teams in Kenya, I witnessed people stepping out in faith to join others in a common work, drawing them into a deeper understanding of being a part of Jesus' body in the world just like the Storrs. From hosting women’s groups in the slums of Nairobi to the Kamp Tumaini summer program with children infected or affected by HIV and AIDS, I was blessed to witness God bringing about change in the lives of both the local host community and the Canadian guests who came to serve with them.
As CBM Africa Team Leader, André Sibomana, reflects: “It is our human nature to want to attach a face to a story. We want to connect to one another. We serve people. We serve communities. We desire a continued relationship.” André goes on, “In 2008, a Canadian couple came to volunteer with us in Rwanda. This couple has now returned seven or eight times; they come on their own budget to visit families and people because relationships are important. Since Covid, they call me every week. It is our nature to love and connect to people. To know who we are praying for. The relationship is what is essential.”
Our Common Calling
When you read the letters of the Apostle Paul, the great missionary of the New Testament, it is hard to miss how each letter is ultimately about relationships: repairing broken relationships, encouraging deeper relationships, and centering relationships in the reality of Jesus. He calls out to people by name. He remembers their shared experiences. He reminds them of their common calling to Jesus and the gospel.
Every opportunity we have as Canadian Baptists to invest ourselves, our time, and our attention in others is an investment in the Kingdom of God. Relationships take effort, intentionality, and time. And we all know that relationships are fragile. They require trust which is formed through abundant communication, forgiveness, and grace.
We Are Not Strangers
When SENT teams travel to be with our CBM partners, I am thankful for our staff team embedded throughout the world who are there to strengthen our journey of discipleship.
In Africa, Laura Muema is our SENT coordinator. For close to ten years, I had the great joy of working with Laura nearly every day in the CBM projects in Kenya. In reflecting together on the importance of relationship in our CBM partnerships, she shared these words:
“How long we serve, how well we serve, comes down to trust the trust we build with the partners we are working with. They need to know that we care, that we are not going to market [their] problems. Trust is everything. If you join us on a SENT team, we will walk with you. You are in good hands. And that is true for the partners here because of years of good relationships and navigating cultural differences we are not strangers.”
I am encouraged to be a part of a movement that understands how partnership is built on genuine relationship and appreciates how the slow and delicate work of building true Christian community is essential for our formation as followers of Jesus. May we continue to take seriously the words of Jesus, “They will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another” (John 13:35).
“It is our nature to love and connect to people. To know who we are praying for. The relationship is what is essential.”
Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Ngumo in conversation with Catherine Cole, Team Lead, Communications, CBM
Open Hands, Open Hearts
Mutuality Built on Equality
For 150 years, CBM has served as the mission arm of Canadian Baptists, bringing together the Canadian Church and the global Church in partnership. As our understanding of partnership has changed, so has our approach in some cases, shedding the Western model of parent-child relationships and moving toward sibling relationships. These are horizontal partnerships, where each is both the giver and receiver. Embracing this approach where appropriate in our partnerships is our faithful pursuit of mutuality. But what does mutuality in partnership mean?
In October 2024, CBM’s Team Lead for Communications, Catherine Cole, sat down with the Right Rev. Jeremiah Ngumo, Moderator for the Africa Christian Church & Schools (ACC&S) in Kenya, a partner that CBM has served alongside for 50 years, to discuss the significance of mutuality in partnership.
Catherine: How would you define effective partnership?
Jeremiah: I think the best definition of partnership is “that which is mutual” mutual in the sense that we operate at a relational level. As we come together in common understanding there is mutual respect. We respect your views, you respect our views, and collectively we can hold on to an agreement where there is understanding because we retain our individual identities. This works best when there is a common objective that drives the purpose of the partnership. Partnership is also about coming together as the body of Christ. There could be pioneer partners, but they must continue to accommodate other people, other players, and other stakeholders so that our mutual understanding is inclusive as we serve one purpose together.
C: What is the significance of mutuality in partnership?
J: I will use the model of horizontal relationships as an example. If we can identify that which unites us, then that becomes our foundation. We can forfeit the things that divide us. Coming together with mutual understanding does not diminish who we are, it strengthens. This is something I appreciate about CBM. Yes, CBM could be seen as the “bigger brother,” but that hasn’t stopped you from coming together as common people and as mutual partners. This has kept us going, and I believe is one of the significant factors that has sustained our partnership with CBM beyond five decades, by the grace of God.
C: How do power dynamics impact partnership?
J: Many partnerships have started and crumbled because of power dynamics. The moment one partner is made to feel inferior, that breeds hostility towards the other. But I admire the model of CBM. In our context, you do not come to Africa to dictate how churches are going to be run; you’ve come as co-facilitators in the aspirations of the individual denominations. Because of this approach, we have continued to pull together as partners, without conflicting power dynamics. We come together as equals, lay things on the table, discuss matters, and then agree on which areas we are going to move forward with in partnership.
C: What is a practical example of how partners can outwork mutuality?
J: I think the best thing that helps us to work together with multiple partners is capacity building: that we are able to build capacity for leaders and we are able to see and discuss matters on the same table across the various denominations.
Part of this is a peer capacity assessment. It requires vulnerability but ultimately helps us understand how we each operate. It has made us very open to each other: looking at our finances, our administrative structure, our governance we had to be very honest. Now we can shape the direction of our ministry together. Instead of “sibling rivalry,” this fosters sibling fellowship.
Through the peer capacity assessment we can appreciate the giftings that each church has. Some of us are good at the leadership level. Others are good in the management of finances. Others in theological education. And still others in integral mission. Our coming together helps us to appreciate the various giftings of each partner.
C: What role does context play in mutuality?
J: We must appreciate that, much as we are individual churches and our faiths we also have our cultural biases. Exercising mutuality means that when someone is coming from across the nation, across the border, to come and facilitate, it removes the stereotypical understanding: that this is a foreigner coming to us. In mutuality, there is receptibility.
At the same time, there are benefits to acknowledging the reality of these cultural biases. For example, having the CBM Africa Team Leaders be from Africa it removes the foreigner bias from churches that would feel that “Aye, this is things from the West.” We can nurture ourselves and navigate our differences by feeling very close to each other. The important thing is to navigate context and cultural differences together.
C: Are there barriers or risks when it comes to mutuality in partnership?
J: In every relationship, there are bound to be differences differences of perspective, the way you look at a given challenge is not the way I look at it, and therefore that is a potential conflict point when we talk about our identities. That can be a risk.
I think through the Gisenyi Covenant (now known as the Nairobi Accord), the peer capacity assessment has largely mitigated those risks. Being open, honest, and vulnerable with each other has minimized potential conflict.
There must be vulnerability in coming to the table. We are opening ourselves to show our strengths and weaknesses. You cannot hold a hand if your palm is not open. But when you open your palm, the other partner can hold on, pull you up when you need it, and walk alongside you.
C: How did Jesus model partnership or mutuality?
J: In Jesus’ time, religion was very patriarchal. Even the layout of the synagogues had the inner court for men, then the outer court for women, and then another outer court for Gentiles. But Jesus came and demolished that in a very big way, by interacting outside the synagogue with the very same people who were despised. I see that as a partnership.
Looking at all those that were viewed as outcasts, Jesus crossed the border; he entered partnerships with them and even went to the house of sinners because he offered a way that accommodated everyone. Because the synagogue system had divided them, he went out into the mission field and embraced them.
From Jesus, we learn that each one of us has a place in the Kingdom of God. In our mutual understanding, we need to focus not on those who are in the inner circle but focus on those who are on the outside of it because that is where Jesus is sending us.
C: If there was one thing that you would say to summarize the importance of mutuality in partnership, what would it be?
J: Training and capacity building are vital because every day we learn from each other. If we open ourselves, we not only learn from our friends, but we also give them an opportunity to learn from us.
We have an African Proverb that says, “He who does not travel thinks only their mother is the best cook.” Not until you travel, not until you go out of yourself, can you see that there are other cooks. So, in the same manner, once we open ourselves in this mutual understanding, we learn from each other just as we equip others in the ways that we are gifted.
by André Sibomana Team Leader, Africa, CBM
Siblings on the Journey
Giving and Receiving through Mutuality
Canadian Baptist Ministries has a long history of partnerships with African churches in DR Congo, Angola, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Togo, Liberia, and Central Africa Republic. The recent celebration of 52 years of Partnerships between CBM and the Africa Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S) in Kenya in March 2022 is a testament of these partnerships, highlighting a journey of faith requiring each partner’s commitment, responsibility, ownership, and mutual trust.
It has not always been this way. Partnerships in this region have been and to an extent, still are influenced by various binaries: rich vs. poor, strong vs. weak, donor vs. recipient, Global North vs. Global South. Within these binaries, partnership was understood only as bilateral where CBM developed a unique agreement with each single church partner in isolation.
“No
participation, exchange, and ownership. It is obvious that Canadian Baptist churches through CBM have been sharing resources with each individual African partner church. However, through these conversations, it became clear that each African church partner has resources that they can share both with their neighbours and with Canadian churches.
one is so rich to not need anything, and no one is so poor to not have anything to offer.”
However, since 2009, CBM has been intentionally bringing together African partner churches to discuss and explore a model of partnership that would promote more mutuality,
I like the way my colleague Polisi Kivava puts it: “No one is so rich to not need anything, and no one is so poor to not have anything to offer.” This brings a nuance to the meaning of partnership, that it needs to be two-way, each side should be both a giver and receiver. What does this look like in practice? Each of the African church partners share resources, supporting one another as neighbours sisters and brothers in the Master’s Vineyard. CBM joins alongside as a sister organization, sharing resources, and receiving support to serve contextual needs within the Canadian church. This is mutuality in partnership.
A New Philosophy
This new philosophy on partnership was made concrete by the signing of the Gisenyi Covenant in October 2019. The ceremony was held in the town of Gisenyi in the North West of Rwanda, where five leaders from five organizations signed the covenant: Association of Baptist Churches in Rwanda (AEBR), Communauté Baptiste au Centre de l’Afrique (CBCA) in DR Congo, Faith Evangelical Baptist Church (FEBAC) in South Sudan, the Africa Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S), and Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM). Together, they made this declaration:
“GISENYI DECLARATION: In the coming five-year period, 2019 to 2024, we commit to honoring the Mombasa Memorandum 2009 and the Zanzibar Agreement 2014 by taking to heart the GISENYI AFFIRMATIONS and CHALLENGES. We commit to increasing our mutual engagement as South-toSouth partners through prayerful commitment, joint opportunities for learning, resource sharing, peer engagement, and advisory planning alongside CBM’s Africa Team Leader for the glory of God.”
For the past five years, each organization has committed to improving leadership, governance, and financial management by establishing a Peer Organizational Capacity assessment to keep one another accountable. This initiative was conducted by a team member from each partner, including CBM.
Mutual Learning
This covenant has been a framework of mutual learning and crosspollination through exposure visits between African Church leaders and CBM staff, which have included joint training and participation in official ceremonies and functions. CBM has shared resources like the Peace and Reconciliation curriculum and the Integral Mission in the Workplace training materials.
Each organization is learning from and being inspired by one another to grow in professionalism, infrastructure, and maturity. The covenant has extended beyond upper leadership to engage specific departments, too. Peers in the same areas of ministry collaborate to share experience and knowledge t heologians, development teams, youth workers, and women’s ministry coordinators have established forums to support one another spiritually and practically.
This spirit of mutuality and resulting collective impact has attracted two new Baptist churches from the region to join the covenant as partners in this shared mission: Communauté des Églises Baptistes du Congo Est (CEBCE) and the Association des Églises Baptistes Évangéliques de la Centrafrique (AEBEC).
Past Reflections, Future Plans
After five years, the signing members of the Gisenyi Covenant (2019-2024) affirmed that the work together in the past years has:
• Built our skills and capacities.
• Strengthened our organizations through peer capacity assessments.
• Broadened our understanding and practice of mission and partnership.
• Deepened our relationships and collaboration.
• Expanded to include multiple working forums, focusing on strategic priorities.
• Demonstrated our need to increase a sense of ownership in our joint ministries.
• Benefited from sharing expertise and resources with one another.
In the celebration ceremonies in July 2024, the signing members recommitted to mutuality in partnership for another five years. Together they signed the Nairobi Accord (20252029). They challenged each another toward the following goals for this period:
• To strengthen our partnership through collaboration, effective communication, sharing expertise and resources.
• To stand with one another in prayer, mutual respect, and support.
• To increase a sense of ownership through participation as equal partners.
• To prioritize capacity building, leading to greater resilience, individually and collectively.
We are siblings on this journey, working together equally to advance God’s Kingdom around the globe.
Redefining our understanding of mutuality in partnership brings us closer in unity of mission. We are siblings on this journey, working together equally to advance God’s Kingdom around the globe. As we continue this spirit-led journey edifying one another by sharing our unique resources we look ahead with hope at how God will use this example of mutuality as a powerful witness of collaboration and faith.
by Blair Clark in consultation with David Philips & Bill Dyck
Charting a Course
Sustainability Guided by God
Sustainability is one of the key words of the 21st century. Whether it’s sustainability in energy, agriculture, forestry, or the general sustainability of our planet, we cannot avoid hearing about the need for sustainability in much of our daily lives.
In Christian mission, sustainability is necessitated by the ongoing nature of the task (until Jesus returns), and by the demands of Christian stewardship that what we invest in should last (1 Corinthians 3: 10-14, 2 Timothy 2:2). Both Jesus and Paul focused on training leaders to ensure the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20) would continue. In the same way, CBM’s commitment to assisting our partners with leadership development is central to our emphasis on sustainability in our mission strategies practices were as follows.
[left to right] Church in Karangan, Indonesia. Boat similar to Kapal Baptis used to reach villages along the Kapuas River, Indonesia.
Task Force Mission
This emphasis on sustainability in mission strategies dates back to the mid 20 th century. Conceptualized by Dr. Orville Daniel in the 1960s and initially operationalized by Dr. John Keith in the 1970s under the term Task Force Mission, the first generation of Task Forces were sent out to Kenya, Indonesia, and Brazil. Several of the key principles that guided CBM in their goal of developing sustainable mission practices were as follows:
1. They were sent out in response to an invitation from a national church body. Unlike during the age of colonialism, we were not imposing ourselves on another country but were there at their invitation.
2. They would work under national leadership, so they never faced the challenge of transitioning the ministry from missionary leadership to national leadership, contributing significantly to its sustainability.
3. Much of the focus would be on leadership development, particularly providing teachers for newly established national seminaries which would provide trained leaders for the growing number of churches that were being planted.
4. CBM’s primary contribution would be personnel and not finances, so that whatever was built would be appropriate to the national context and could be maintained into the future by the national church.
5. These agreements would be for a limited period of time. The initial thinking was that in 10 years, CBM and the national church partner could train nationals to assume the roles that were initially filled by CBM missionaries, and the missionaries could then leave while the ministry continued without them.
Joint Pioneer Outreach
As the ten-year deadline for these first Task Forces approached, CBM faced a major challenge. The national church partners, upon being told that the missionaries would be leaving, felt abandoned. They had come to love and appreciate their Canadian colleagues and couldn’t imagine ministry without them. While they had accepted the initial 10-year limit in the partnership agreements, when that end date drew near, they had absolutely no desire to see it end. Out of this dilemma emerged the next phase, Joint Pioneer Outreach, with our partners in Brazil, Indonesia, and Kenya.
The Pantanal Project
In Brazil, it was the Pantanal Project that emerged a church planting, medical and educational outreach by boat along almost 400 km of the Paraguay River. In this project, costs of building and operating the boats was shared 50/50 with the national church, and new CBM personnel worked alongside graduates who had been students trained by the initial CBM Task Force missionaries. As this ministry grew and thrived, and was on its third boat, CBM determined that it had reached the limit of our capacity to continue, and so at that point the national partner invited the Southern Baptists to partner with them in continuing and further expanding that outreach.
Author John Grisham, for his book The Testament, visited the Pantanal project and traveled on the boat that CBM helped to build, a photo of which is featured on the cover of The Testament.
[top to bottom] Drug rehab ministry near Brasilia. Youth music lessons at Voo Livre street ministries, Brazil. Gathering at the Bustins' in Indonesia, 2009.
Outreach to Somalis
In Kenya, the Joint Pioneer Outreach initiative involved CBM missionaries partnering with national missionaries from the Africa Christian Church and Schools (ACC&S) in an evangelistic and development outreach to the Somalis living in Kenya’s Northeast province. This ministry was eventually impacted by the civil war in Somalia that saw tens of thousands of Somali refugees flee into Kenya’s Northeast Province, resulting in CBM being involved in the establishment of the Dadaab Refugee Camp, which for many years was the world’s largest refugee camp. This development significantly impacted the initial Joint Pioneer Outreach strategy in Kenya, but CBM and the national partner were able to make the necessary adjustments for the outreach to continue.
Church Planting
In Indonesia, the Joint Pioneer Outreach initiative sent national missionaries from North Sulawesi to West Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo, to be involved with a new cohort of CBM missionaries in church planting and leadership development among the Dayaks. This represented a significant increase to a ministry that the KGBI denomination had begun years earlier on their own, but which had been struggling. The national missionaries were supported by the KGBI churches in North Sulawesi while CBM provided motorcycles or small outboard boats to facilitate their ministry. CBM also helped fund a larger ministry boat, the Kapal Baptis, that supported evangelism and church planting in the many Dayak villages along the Kapuas River.
God at Work in the World
Knowing when to end a partnership is not an exact science. One principle, articulated by Canadian Southern Baptist Henry Blackaby, is that we should look to see where God is at work in the world, and then join him in that work.
When the initial goals have been met, if there is a clear synergy in the partnership and new and potentially fruitful ministry opportunities have emerged, then partnerships have been renewed with new goals and parameters. Recognizing CBM’s own limitations of personnel and resources, we have also had to weigh the potential of new partnership opportunities against the future fruitfulness of continuing an existing partnership.
... look to see where God is at work in the world, and then join him in that work.
From time to time, revolutions, wars, and bans on missionaries by host countries have necessitated changing strategies and goals, even ending partnerships. In some cases, serious internal conflicts within the national partner organization and among its leaders have resulted in CBM making the decision to terminate the partnership. While CBM does not expect 100% agreement with partners on every issue, we are careful to ensure that there is agreement on the most important theological and missiological positions.
CBM’s relationship with the various partners in Brazil and Indonesia have ended, but those ministries continue, in some cases with new partners whose contributions are appropriate to the new challenges and realities that they face. In Kenya, CBM continues to partner with the ACC&S in new program areas, but all with national staff only many of whom have been trained and mentored by previous CBM missionaries. This also represents progress towards sustainability in mission practice.
As we look back on 50 years of partnerships in these three countries, we praise God for the vision of the leaders, both Canadian and national, who charted the course and made the necessary adjustments. We give thanks to God who sustained us and who, through these partnerships, has grown his Kingdom.
by Jessica Banninga Communications & Digital Media Specialist, CBM
The Heart of the Mission
Two Models to Building Sustainable Partnership
When it comes to sustainable community development, one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why Canadian Baptist Ministries takes different approaches to its partnerships all around the world. While Bolivia’s model thrives on deep, long-term collaboration, India’s focuses on shorter, targeted partnerships that empower communities to stand on their own.
Bolivia: Walking Together for the Long Haul
In Bolivia, CBM’s partnerships stretch over decades, and these relationships are built on trust and time. According to Patty Nacho, Team Leader for Latin America, these relationships are more than professional collaborations; they’re deeply personal.
“Friendship is at the heart of everything,” Patty explains. “We’re not just organizations working together we’re people who care about each other. That kind of bond doesn’t just happen overnight; it’s built over years of walking together through good times and challenges. The idea of being equal partners is very important in this long-lasting relationship between CBM and Bolivia.”
Bolivia’s unique social and political landscape requires creative solutions. Corruption and bureaucracy can slow things down, but CBM equips partners to navigate these challenges with a focus on capacity building—helping partners gain the skills and networks they need to keep projects running smoothly. The key here is respecting local leadership and letting our partner communities take the lead.
“It’s about trusting our partners and knowing that they can develop new projects and work in new areas, and we’re going to be with them and work with them in that process,” explains Patty. “We approach everything with humbleness. We don’t know everything, and there is so much we can learn from our partners in Bolivia.”
CBM’s role is less about directing and more about supporting. Partners like the Emmanuel Foundation exemplify this. They don’t just rely on CBM’s funding; they contribute financially themselves, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.
“Success here means ownership,” Patty says. “When a partner is willing to invest their own resources and develop their own networks, we know we’ve done our job well.”
And the church is central to everything. “The local church will outlast any partnership,” she emphasizes. “When churches take the lead, the impact doesn’t just endure it grows.”
“When churches take the lead, the impact doesn’t just endure — it grows.”
India: Planting Seeds for Independence
In India, the rhythm is different. Formal partnerships are shorter, often lasting just three to five years. Suraj Komaravalli, CBM Team Leader for Asia, explains why: “We want to train and equip partners to carry on God’s mission without our sustained financial support. It’s about giving them the tools to thrive independently.”
This approach fits India’s vast and diverse landscape, where needs vary widely from region to region. CBM partners with churches and community organizations, often in remote areas where resources are scarce. The goal is to empower local leaders to meet those needs in ways that last.
Take the Soura Baptist Church, for example. CBM helped them start a goat-rearing income-generation project. Today, the goat rearing continues to expand into more than 22 areas and helps them fund tutoring centers and programs for widows, entirely managed by the church. “That’s what success looks like for us,” Suraj says. “When our formal partnership agreement ends, the work doesn’t just continue it grows. We want to make sure that the partner’s capacity has expanded.”
The process begins with clear expectations. From the start, CBM emphasizes that the projects belong to the partners, not to CBM. “We tell them, ‘This is your mission. We’re here to walk with you to get started, but you’ll take it forward,’” Suraj says.
Capacity building is key. Workshops teach partners everything from financial management to approaches to Integral Mission. In most cases, CBM helps launch income-generating initiatives like fish farms or poultry businesses as part of these projects. This not only addresses immediate needs but also provides funds for future community projects, allowing the local church to continue building impact in their community.
Monitoring and mentoring are ongoing. CBM staff visit quarterly to check on progress, provide guidance, and celebrate successes. Even after a partnership ends, Suraj and his team make annual visits to check in with former partners and see how the work is continuing.
“My goal since I started with CBM,” Suraj says, “has been to move partners from a place of dependency to sustainability, a lack of ownership to now being owners, and from a lack of vision to now being self-reliant and helping their communities stand on their own two feet.”
Sustainability fosters partnerships rooted in mutual growth, respecting capacities, building trust, ensuring accountability, managing expectations, and sharing responsibilities equally without superiority.
Two Paths, One Goal
While the approaches in Bolivia and India differ, the heart of CBM’s mission remains the same: to ‘Partner with local churches around the world to bring hope, healing, and reconciliation through word and deed.’
CBM’s work in Bolivia and India reminds us that there’s no single formula for creating sustainable change. What works in one context might not work in another. The key is adaptability listening to local voices, respecting expertise, and tailoring approaches to meet unique needs.
For Patty, the lesson is clear: “Sustainability isn’t something we impose. It’s something we nurture, side by side with our partners.”
And for Suraj? “Partnerships should always reject dependency. It’s about empowering communities to lead and grow on their own.”
In both Bolivia and India, CBM’s partnerships are proof that lasting change doesn’t come from onesize-fits-all solutions. It comes from relationships, respect, and a shared commitment to transformation that endures.
Join us in Partnership
Within the reflections and stories between these pages, we hope you are inspired by our commitment to embrace a broken world through word and deed. Our approach to partnership doesn’t only focus on our global partnerships but includes individuals and churches in Canada, too. Beyond these pages, we encourage you to partner with us in our mission by:
• Inviting us into your church to continue the conversation around our shared mission
• Praying for our staff, partners, and those impacted by our shared work
• Reflecting on mutuality in partnership in your local context
• Helping us faithfully sustain our mission through the sharing of resources entrusted to us by God
Together, in Kingdom partnership, we can see a broken world made new. cbmin.org
