Building Stronger Connections Through Global Partnerships

What does it look like for the global Church to truly walk together?

For many years, Seventh Day Baptists have experienced this through what was formerly known as the Sister Church Program. Today, that vision continues and grows through Global Partnerships. This program is designed to connect churches, conferences, and believers across cultures and countries for mutual encouragement, shared ministry, and spiritual growth.

Global Partnerships allow churches to build meaningful relationships internationally. For churches that already have connections with Seventh Day Baptists in other countries, this program does not replace those relationships. Instead, it comes alongside them, offering support, guidance, and structure to help those partnerships grow stronger and remain healthy over time. The goal is to strengthen what already exists by providing guidance, training, and shared wisdom so that these connections remain healthy, sustainable, and Christ-centered.

What Are Global Partnerships?

Each partnership includes three participants: a Global Partner in North America, a Global Partner in another country, and the Missionary Society. Together, they form a shared commitment to grow in faith and mission.

Every partnership includes a required relational component centered on consistent, meaningful connection. Partners commit to communicating regularly, at least quarterly, while encouraging one another through prayer, mentoring, and shared learning. At the heart of this relationship is reciprocity, where each side both gives and receives, reflecting the mutual strengthening of the global Church.

Some partnerships may also include a financial component, though this is not required. When financial support is part of the relationship, it is approached thoughtfully. Support may be project-based, occasional, or set for a defined period, with a focus on sustainability rather than long-term dependency. All financial involvement is reviewed and supported by the Missionary Society to help ensure clarity, health, and long-term impact.

Why This Matters

Global Partnerships help churches think intentionally about how international relationships grow over time. Through training and ongoing support, the Missionary Society helps partners build consistent and meaningful communication, encourage genuine reciprocity, support local leadership rather than unintentionally creating dependency, and develop ministry efforts that are sustainable and locally led.

This also allows the Missionary Society to better understand and advocate for the mission efforts our churches are already engaged in. When a church is part of Global Partnerships, we can confidently support, guide, and strengthen those efforts. Most importantly, this program reminds us that missions is not about resources flowing in one direction. It is about the global Church walking together in faith, learning from one another, and growing together in Christ. This shared structure creates a strong foundation so that partnerships can flourish over time.

Take the Next Step

A virtual onboarding and training session will be held on Sabbath, April 18 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm ET. Each church currently involved with or considering a Global Partnership should have at least one representative in attendance, though you are welcome to bring more. This training is for churches in North America only. Other conferences will have onboarding and training on an individual basis.

Sign-Up for the Annual Training

Learn More About Global Partnerships

Reflection Question

Where might God be inviting your church to move beyond familiarity and build relationships that strengthen His global Church—and what step could you take to begin?

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