If you’ve been at Browncroft for even a short time, you’ve likely heard some about our mission partnerships. A mission partnership is a shared ministry by the church and an outside partner for the purpose of advancing the gospel of Jesus. This partnership may be with other churches, missionaries, organizations, or institutions. Central to the idea of our partnerships is mutuality, a shared commitment where both parties learn from each other as they work together to serve God’s greater mission in the world.
We desire to involve our congregation in all aspects of this spiritually formative work, including creating shared vision, faithful prayer, sacrificial giving, regular going, and training. We see mission partnerships as a key component of discipleship and a central vehicle to mobilizing the church. We desire to see an increased number of Browncrofters become part of a local or global partnership as a regular expression of their faith.
The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.
How are these partnerships different from supporting missionaries?
Browncroft has a long and rich history of supporting missionaries in Rochester, in different places in the country and in many places around the world. This commitment will continue. In the last few years, however, we have made a move to bring missions more into the larger work of discipleship at the church. In the future, we hope to see more of our missionaries become key players in a partnership.
What partnerships do we have presently?
Wolof Partnership
In 1999 Browncroft began a partnership with those who serve the Wolof people of Senegal, West Africa. The Wolof are considered an unreached people group, defined as a group of people who have little to no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the last 25 years, our church has provided regular financial and prayer support to the Wolof and has sent more than 30 short-term teams to Senegal to work side by side with our Wolof ministry partners.
We continue to support this ministry through leadership training, education, health care, and encouragement. Further, we seek to assist in the establishment of a viable reproducing Church among the Wolof community. Over the years, Browncroft has supported as many as five missionaries at the same time in different parts of the country of Senegal. Several of these missionaries have also ministered at Browncroft, and some will be present this fall to celebrate the partnership’s 25th anniversary.
Peru Partnership
In 2018 Browncroft established a partnership with the Christian Missionary Alliance Church of Miraflores in Lima, Peru. The unique purpose of this partnership is to grow in our understanding and experience of global Christianity. As partner churches, we hope to learn from each other and work on projects together, with teams going from here to Lima and teams coming from Lima to Rochester. We have sent and received several teams in the last six years. Looking ahead, Browncroft aims to work together with the Miraflores church to support a Peruvian mission as well as a possible Hispanic ministry here in our region.
Kosovo Partnership
In the spring of 2024, Browncroft entered a partnership with a new church plant in the town of Fushe Kosove near the capital city of Pristina, Kosovo. This congregation is part of network of new churches under the leadership of Pastor Femi Cakolli at the Messiah Evangelical Fellowship. The goal of this partnership is to help this church grow and reach the largely Muslim population of the country. This group also has limited access to the gospel and is therefore considered an unreached people group. In the last year we have received two pastors here at Browncroft and hope to welcome the pastor of the new church plant here sometime next year.
441 Ministries
Earlier this year, Browncroft entered a new partnership with 441 Ministries, located in a Rochester city neighborhood not far from the church. 441 Ministries is a gospel-focused community development organization that brings hope, healing, and holistic development to the Beechwood neighborhood of Rochester.
Over the last five years, Browncroft has made a significant investment in funds and key volunteers but has only recently formalized an ongoing partnership, with the goal of growing our engagement in this local ministry. This includes opportunities for mentoring young people, the promotion of holistic health programs, affordable housing, economic development, and evangelism.
CarePortal
In the spring of 2024, Browncroft entered a new partnership with the CarePortal, a ministry of Hub585 here in the city of Rochester. The CarePortal is a web-based system that connects struggling families with people who can help. The purpose of our partnership with this ministry is to collectively address the needs of children and families in Monroe County. Practical needs for children or families are pre-vetted and shared with volunteers who can contact the family and then make a home delivery. The hope is that, through the meeting of a simple need, a relationship can develop and lead to personal discipleship.
What about additional partnerships?
It is our prayer that, in the future, additional partnerships will be formed and supported by our church. Central to each new partnership will be the advancement of the gospel, sustainable ministry, and the mobilization of people from the congregation. Our hope is that new ideas will emerge both from the congregation as well as from leaders in the church.
How can I get involved?
All the partnerships will be highlighted in the upcoming Send Me conference this November. If you would like to know more about a specific partnership or talk to someone about a partnership idea, please reach out to us at missions@browncroft.org.
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We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5.20
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday at 9 or 10:30am as we begin our Send Me season with a special prayer and worship service.
Pastor Rob
