Relational connections

Relational connections are superior to organizational connections.

Don’t get me wrong; I am part of a church organizational structure. It is a good organization and an okay structure, but relational connections trump those formal, organizational connections every single time.

Let me give you two recent examples.

About 20+ years ago I met Paul and Nancy Roberts. They were formerly pastors in the same denomination in which I serve as Overseer of Hawaii and the Republic of Kiribati. They founded and built an international mission organization called World Mission Outreach Fellowship and have been responsible for training hundreds of pastors who have planted many churches around the world. WMOF is partnered with Berin and Lisa Gilfillan, originators of the International School of Ministry. ISOM produces a Bible College and community development distance learning delivery system in the form of video curriculum. Both of these relationships of mutual trust and respect have been developed over decades.

When I first met with our fledgling congregation’s leaders in Kiribati, sitting cross-legged on a straw mat in the pastor’s grass shack residence, the only woman present in the circle asked the most direct question” “Will there be a Bible College?” I was taken aback. I had been in the country less than 6 hours, had no idea what the needs of the people were or what the correct meeting protocol might be. I replied to the woman, “If that is your biggest need and priority, I will put it at the top of my priority list for Kiribati.” What I didn’t know then, but have since learned, is that our leader in Kiribati gets things done, but he does so by functioning in the style of “READY… FIRE… AIM!” He launched the Bible College six months ago. The fact that he had no infrastructure and no curriculum didn’t slow him down at all. He left those details for me to work out.

Flash forward to this week, when a UPS package arrived containing a Bible College in a Backpack. Through the generosity of Paul & Nancy Roberts and our relational connection the Bible College in Kiribati will soon have 5 Trimesters of quality video lectures, with about 70 total hours of video content and the technical equipment to deliver it.

Following on the heels of that praise report, my friend and fellow Overseer from the Philippines made it known that there were at least 10 students who might not have the ability to pay the 800 Peso tuition to camp. That’s about US$18.20 per student. Doesn’t sound like much by American standards, but more than some in that situation could afford.

I committed to my friend Roger, the Philippines Overseer, that I would see that ten students were given scholarships and the $182 would be provided. I felt impressed to throw it out on Facebook as an opportunity to be a blessing. As a big proponent of relational connections via social media, and one who believes that good people respond to good causes, I wanted to see what kind of support the appeal might generate.

This afternoon I transmitted to Manila US$600 donated in less than 48 hours. Even after being informed that we had long surpassed the original need for $182 people insisted on giving. So Rene, Dale, Fred, Sherry, Jonathan, Robyn, Phil, Chris and I met the immediate need, and then some!

Could both of those needs have been met through traditional, organizational, hierarchal procedures? Possibly, but it is doubtful they could have been met as quickly, and with as little red tape and paperwork.

Relational connections make the world a better place.