Five Reasons Church Leaders Don’t Get Involved in Their City’s Unity Movement: Part 2

(Adapted from Well Connected: Releasing Power, Restoring Hope through Kingdom Partnerships by Phill Butler)

You may not have said one of these statements out loud before, but if you listen closely, you might notice a small kernel of truth that mirrors your own perspective.

Reason #1: “We don’t see any need to change the way we’ve been working.”

What worked beautifully ten years ago may be a poor fit for today’s needs. Although it's uncomfortable, we must take a hard look at what's happening in the world right now and consider how the unity of God's people can transform the current narrative. We can become part of the story where God’s Spirit is uniting people, in communities all over the world, around a fresh shared vision for church unity and a flourishing city. Read- What Is A Gospel Movement?

Reason #2: “Our funding base is very specialized and they care only about our work.”

The fear here is that donors will think you can’t “do it on your own.” But mature supporters often want to see their investment multiplied. Partnership can actually make your ministry more attractive, not less. At For Columbus, we’re aiming to help coordinate and align mission goals by getting leaders talking and learning from one another, so we may truly steward donors’ gifts and invest together in the most impactful outcomes. Your story to donors only improves when you get involved in a movement like For Columbus!

Reason #3: “Partnership is a waste of time and there’s no real value add.”

Old models of isolation may feel safe, but they rarely lead to long-term transformation. To solve complex problems in our communities we need to learn to work across a myriad of networks – For Columbus can help. Read about how the Affordable Housing Network is gathering leaders to solve pressing issues.

Reason #4:  “We don’t have the time to invest in working with others.”

Time is the most precious resource leaders steward. The thought of adding another meeting or another commitment feels impossible. But here’s the shift: unity isn’t “another thing”—it’s the way we do the things God’s already called us to do. Collaboration actually saves time in the long run by reducing duplication, streamlining efforts, and creating collective solutions. What feels like a time cost at first becomes a time multiplier in the future.

Reason #5:  “Collaborative efforts have unclear goals and it is hard to measure success.”

Many of us have experienced collaborative efforts where leaders were asked to partner without being presented with clear goals. Unclear goals drain trust and momentum. That’s why at For Columbus we’re committed to defining clear outcomes, roles, and timelines for every collaborative effort. Leaders shouldn’t walk away from a table wondering what’s expected—they should walk away with clarity and confidence.

If reading this stirred something in you (even if it was just a polite eyebrow raise), let’s talk. Email us at info@forcolumbus.org and we’ll carve out time–coffee’s on us. Our mission is pretty straightforward: unite the “Big-C” Church of Columbus so we can be unapologetically for Columbus. No one pulls off citywide transformation solo, so let’s figure out how to do this together–learning, failing, laughing, and trying again–until we get it right!