Consistency marks a key ingredient in a successful partnership, said Mitzi Gibbs, children’s minister at Southside Baptist, Gadsden.
Gibbs, who has taken three trips to Lanzarote Baptist Church in the Canary Islands, a province of Spain located just off the coast of Morocco, has witnessed the growth of the church firsthand.
She said a consistent relationship not only builds trust on the part of the Spanish church, but also keeps the momentum high at Southside.
“Our church realizes it does have a responsibility in the partnership. We can’t just go once and get a spiritual high,” she said. “We have to stay in touch.”
By sending some of the same people back every time, less time has to be spent figuring each other and determining what is needed.
Robert Velert, pastor of Bona Nova Baptist Church, agreed.
“We need repeat comers,” he said. “You cannot evangelize unless you love the people you are going to evangelize,” he said, adding that the best way to love the people is to build a relationship with them.
Diego Martinez, pastor of Barceloneta Baptist Church, said being consistent is the only way to build credibility with the Spanish people. “It is not a one-time thing that makes an impact,” he said. “It is something you have to do year after year that makes a difference.”
Daniel Escribaro, a member of First Baptist, Madrid, said he made close friends and still receives emails. He writes more because he also shared in the partnership by serving at Shocco Springs.
Ray Lee, pastor of Lebanon Baptist, Falkville, said, “It is hard to maintain (a church-to-church partnership) because of the language, cultural and geographical differences, but you have to stay on it.”
Lebanon has a partnership with La Creu Alta Baptist, Sabadell.
The one public profession of faith his team saw in 1999 was a result of a relationship formed in 1997.
“Relationship evangelism is the way to reach people in Spain,” Ray said. “To build relationships, you have to build trust and acceptance.
And to do that you have to spend time together.
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