The Power of Partnership in Evangelism

“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”  –Luke 5:1-11 (ESV)

Evangelism is at the heart of the Great Commission—and at its best, it’s collaborative and not an individual effort. From the very beginning, God designed evangelism to be a team mission. Whether it’s two disciples walking side by side or entire communities mobilizing together, partnership in evangelism brings strength, balance, encouragement, and joy. 

In the Bible passage above, we can see that right at the beginning of Jesus Christ’s evangelistic mission, He started by reaching out and getting partners on board. Apart from Jesus Christ reaching out to Simon and the Zebedee brothers to follow Him in partnership for the evangelistic mission, something remarkable also happened which further highlighted the importance of partnership and collaboration. In verse 6, after the miraculous catch of fish, the Bible recorded that their nets were breaking. But rather than lose most of their catch if the net broke completely, in verse 7, they beckoned to their “partners in other boats” to help them. It is important to note, that the miracle of the fish was not the end in itself, but Jesus used that to point to them the role they will eventually play in reaching to the lost. Vs 10b “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. And at the heart of that miracle as an illustration lies the importance of partnership as a tool, not only to reach the lost, but also to manage the harvest.

Scripture paints a clear picture of evangelism as a team effort. When Jesus sent out His disciples, He did so two by two (Luke 10:1), underscoring the value of companionship in mission. The Apostle Paul, too, rarely ministered alone. He journeyed with Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and others (Acts 13:2–3; 15:40), showing that mission work thrives in community. The early church grew not by isolated voices but through believers sharing prayer, resources, and the gospel together (Acts 2:42–47). These biblical patterns remind us that evangelism flourishes when we unite, each playing a unique and valuable role.

In ministry partnerships, one person may sow the seed while another waters it—but it is God that ultimately determines and brings the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 also emphasizes the strength in partnership. Like the saying in corporate world, “work to your strengths and hire to your weakness,” not everyone is gifted the same way, and that’s the beauty of partnership. While one may teach, another may encourage or intercede and when one is weak another brings encouragement to lift up. Together, these diverse gifts create a more holistic and effective witness.

In my experience, since I have arrived in the Dakotas, I have seen how various strengths came together to make the gospel impactful. Despite the physical distance and separation by hills, prairies, and lakes, you have found a way to collaborate and work in many ways to overcome these challenges. It is a powerful reminder: no single person has all the tools, but through partnership, the gaps are covered. Our unity in mission is a testimony in itself. When believers from different backgrounds come together for the sake of the gospel, it sends a powerful message to a watching world.

An old friend asked me on my recent trip back to Africa last month how I was able to cope with the new environment and culture as he has been following me on Facebook and sees my photos. He could see that in most of the photos “I am the only one that stands out.” I understand what he meant in terms of my skin color, but I replied, “Partnership breaks down walls and builds bridges especially if it is anchored on the Gospel.” Jesus Christ further highlighted the importance of unity and partnership when He prayed in John 17:21 that His followers would be one, “so that the world may believe.”

And two other things……..

Dr. Fred and I, together with our African partners, had a successful mission trip to South Africa and Nigeria. We were blessed to see the power of partnership firsthand. In South Africa, we concluded year two of our pastoral training with Hope Baptist Church through the TASK (TELL Africa School of Kingdom Growth) program. Our focus this year is practical ministry. In Nigeria, we led church leadership conferences and evangelism training in Abuja and Lagos. On the last day of the mission in Lagos, we also had an evangelism outreach where over 70 people said “YES” to Jesus Christ. Among those were three Muslims, including an 86-year-old Muslim who heard the gospel for the first time. I deeply appreciate everyone that supported us in prayers and also made financial contributions, which made the trip possible.

Finally, I am thrilled to announce our new episodes of the Evangelism Hangout podcasts available in both audio and video on “Spotify”. Also, if you have a testimony or evangelism strategies you would like to share, we would love to hear from you and will be happy to feature you on our episodes. Let’s share and learn from one another!

As we move forward, may we continue to foster a culture of evangelism—rooted in partnership and unity, fueled by collaboration, and focused on making Jesus known.

Together, we reflect the heart of Christ and advance His mission.

Segun Adeyemo is an evangelism intern for the Dakota Baptist Convention.