Problematizing partnership: the experience, perceptions, and insights of Ugandan church leaders in church partnership with Christians overseas, in juxtaposition with the Western literature

This research examines the experience and perceptions of church leaders in Mbale, Uganda engaged in ‘local-to-local’ relationships: direct, cross-continental, missional partnerships without mediation by traditional gatekeepers (typically Christian missionaries or ministries). Its findings are then compared to the literature, most of which originates in and adheres to global-north perspectives.
A quantitative survey of church leaders found the incidence of these partnerships, gathered preliminary descriptive data, and uncovered specific cases for qualitative interviewing. Interviews with leaders and lay ministers followed, and lastly a review of secondary, historical literature was undertaken.
This research shows that just under one-third of all churches are engaged in a localto- local partnership with Christians outside of Africa; furthermore, that these same churches are more likely to be engaged in two or three overseas relationships rather than only one. Partners function as alien, ancillary patrons whose patronage supplements that of local patron-pastors, the new gatekeepers in overseas partnership. Church leaders engage in instrumental friendships with overseas partners as a means of production for their clients in the religious marketplace. They must weigh the helpful products of partnership against its risks, including that partners can be stolen and are often agents of division, financial temptation, and doctrinal compromise.
These results enable more open, profitable conversation in the literature by showing that local-to-local partnerships are more a product of history than a break with it, are sustained more by instrumental friendship than by relational solidarity, are more hierarchical than they are egalitarian, and are frequently contributors to division locally even as they build community trans-nationally.
Lastly, this study commends the model and practice of covenant in the Biblical literature as a means of purposeful friendship across great geographic and cultural distances, building solidarity from distrust and difference, gifting growth to each other, and harnessing hierarchy to bring inclusive blessing.