At the Hummingbird Trust, we believe humility and partnership are vital components to our mission. In this blog post, we discuss how we want to see both at work in the life of our charity.
We all agree that humility is a good thing! We have Christ’s example of humility in Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV):
2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
This letter is also a warm correspondence from Paul thanking the church for their partnership with him in the gospel. As we can see here, humility and partnership go hand in hand. In our vision to see God glorified through people from all nations acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we want to adopt the same attitude of Christ – one of humility and genuine partnership.
What does this look like?
Humility and Partnership with God
We believe and want to express that we are partnering with God in His global mission! We seek to be of one spirit and mind with God. We get closer to this goal through prayer and allowing God to speak to us, whether through His word or however else He chooses. When we seek Him first, we can trust Him to lead us through the plans He has for us.
Humility and Partnership with the Church
While we exist as an individual charity, we do not want to appear separate and in anyway superior to others. We believe, from being prayerful, led by God, and enriched with experience, that we do have something to offer to the Church around intercultural discipleship and church planting. As a result, we want to be in a position to share what we know in a way that builds up the Church and encourages it in its mission. We want to be invited into spaces at local churches, hubs, and sphere levels, where we can partner with those in these communities to send out individuals and groups who have a desire and calling to go.
Humility and Partnership in Those Who Have a Calling to Go
When we believe we have a calling to go, it’s important that we develop a genuine compassion for the discipleship of others, and not to proceed out of selfish ambition. Philippians 2:3-4, as we read earlier, says, ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’ We can learn to do this through training and seeking wisdom from examples, both from the Bible and from those we can talk to today – to imitate them and learn from their experiences with an attitude of humility.
The Unreached Network exists to inspire and strengthen cross cultural mission to Unreached Peoples across the global Newfrontiers family.
We do this by training, resourcing, inspiring and creating spaces for network, with individuals, churches and spheres as they take responsibility for sending.
Want to partner with us? Get in touch at www.unreached.network/contact-us
