The Power of Partnerships
I am very thankful for the recent addition of Pastor Mike Ware to the “Surge” leadership team. Mike is our “Director of Partnership,” and has a great thought for you this month on the power of partnership!
“Our greatest successes in life don’t come by what we do as individuals but by what we accomplish together.”
When a relationship is formed a partnership can be forged to work hand-in-hand with shared values and goals. This truly explains SURGE. All that has been accomplished over the last sixteen years is because of incredible partnerships that came from relationships.
Ecclesiastes 4:9,12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor…a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Nothing describes this more clearly than the following story I just recently read.
“During the summer of 1904 an unlikely partnership was formed at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. The summer was extremely hot and people were searching for something to help them cool off. Arnold Fornachou, a local food vendor, had just what they were looking for – ICE CREAM!
People lined up for what seemed miles to get some of his cold and satisfying ice cream but there was a problem. Arnold was not prepared for the demand and ran out of paper bowls. He was forced to wash a few porcelain bowls over and over again. The result was too few bowls and many people getting tired of waiting.
Next to Arnold’s ice cream stand was the booth of a pastry chef named Ernest Hamwi. Ernest was selling a Persian wafer called “zalabia.” Ernest had a different problem: his pastry was not selling!
He noticed the dilemma Arnold was having. He took some warm zalabia and rolled it into a cone shape and showed Arnold how it could hold a scoop of ice cream.
On that hot day during the World’s Fair THE ICE CREAM CONE WAS BORN because a partnership was formed!
Since reading that story I have been seeing a vision of a long line of hungry and thirsty souls surrounded by spiritual darkness. These multitudes are waiting and waiting in hopes of tasting something that would quench their thirst and cool their tongue. Some have been waiting in line so long they have lost hope, given up or walked away.
Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” If only a partnership could be formed between those with the “ice cream” and those with the “cones.”
Surge has 304 trained leaders ready to plant churches, to feed the hungry and to rescue the lost. They have the “ice cream” but they need somebody that will partner with them to bring the “cone.” That’s us! We have the resources.
Would you partner with those faithful church planters? They are ready to reach the people but they need you…
I trust that you will see today how vital your “cone” is for God’s “ice cream!”
We love you and thank God so much today for your PARTNERSHIP.
Blessings,
Larry Stockstill
Director, Surge Project
