Reviews of the Book:


Phill Butler gives us one of those books that takes an action sport or skill that is usually performed on an intuitive or visceral level and reduces it to a formula.

Don't get me wrong. This is not a criticism. Many of us need precisely such a formula that provides a handle, a method, or a path. Butler has given us that, and is to be thanked for doing so.

Six more or less balanced sections move from top to bottom as they view the complex dance that leads to partnership among Christian churches, parachurch organizations, and related missional groups:

One: The Big Picture
Two: The God Design
Three: Behind the Scenes
Four: On the Way
Five: Working It Out
Six: Special Cases, Special Opportunities

After telling his own story in an introduction, the author utilizes Part One ('The Big Picture') to build a case for partnership based on both pragmatic and biblical principle. In the first instance - and since 'all truth is God's truth' - Christians have much to learn from the business world and its own experience of strategic alliances. What's more, we ought to anticipate that many of the dynamics that lead to success or failure in that arena will also prove to be operative in our own.

With respect to biblical instruction on partnership, Butler believes that partnership is akin to unity and that unity is near to the Father's heart. It may work, and that's all to the good. But it's also *right*, Butler would seem to argue, and that's almost justification enough for the significant and sometimes grueling exertions that true partnership requires.

Finally in Part One, the author defines the menu of alliances that are commonly available, subjugating structure and talk to matters of mission as he does so. Butler has a penchant for graphs, many of which repay careful analysis. He introduces his first one here in a visual that anticipates his perception that certain commonalities in form and process produce the possibility of discerning laws of partnership, though I am not aware that he uses such terminology.

In Part Two ('The God Design'), Butler unveils the theological conviction that drives his work. Many Christians launch facile declarations about 'unity' that mistake intense preoccupation with the matter and location of one's calling with a fractious spirit. This is an unfortunate and undeliberated conclusion, and one that Butler comes perilously close to adopting as he explains why unity is God's idea before it is ours.

Yet he skirts the danger by his confidence that unity is not only God's idea but God's project, thus only worthwhile as God births its, nurtures it, and teaches it to flourish. It is not essentially a feat of human engineering and is to be seen as a process that is watered by human laborers insofar as they offer prayer and relationship in service of its growth. In my judgment, Butler hits the mark with these observations and escapes the tendency of elevating partnership for partnership's sake to the top rung of an organization's strategic planning ladder.

Part Three ('Behind the Scenes') fleshes out how vision, prayer, and relationship join together like three strands of a strong rope.

It was not until reading Butler's Part Four ('On the Way') that I was persuaded I'd depart this book with something valuable in hand. Here WELL CONNECTED morphs into a practical manual for partnership-building to which I will refer frequently by taking it down from the book of well-thumbed manuals perched within reach on the shelf above my desk. In these pages, the author distinguishes himself as someone who has done the thing rather than as a dreamer of fine dreams that lose their pertinence by Thursday afternoon's leadership meeting. If you read only one portion of this book, start here.

Parts Five ('Working It Out') and Six ('Special Cases, Special Opportunities') move the discussion in the direction of case studies and special circumstances. In doing so, they link closely to the fundamental declarations of Part Four.


Phill Butler's WELL CONNECTED is not likely to be of service to you as a quick read. However, if you find yourself in leadership of a church or Christian organization, you probably already undertand that today's world is not kind to those who go it alone. If you embrace that apparent fact, then this book can prove a valuable manual as you seek to build the right partnerships for the right purpose at the right moment. It's value will only be multiplied if the coterie of leaders at the head of your organization covenant to read it together.

-- D.B.




Reviewer: Dr. Mark Avery

A landmark in contemporary literature focused on partnership in Christian Mission

2006, Butler, Phillip W.
Well Connected: Releasing Power and Restoring Hope through Kingdom Partnerships.
Waynesboro, GA: Authentic Media

Applicability: 10 Background: 2 Readability: 10

This is a landmark in contemporary literature focused on partnership in Christian Mission. Butler's book is very readable, very well organized and thought out, and a bull's-eye for the intended audience (as I perceive it) of reflective practitioners who want to know "why", not just "what".

Upon first reading, one gets the distinct sense that this is as much a testimony as it is a text. While the initial chapters of the book are quite
generic to the field of literature on partnerships, what makes this work stand out is both the consistent relational tone towards both God and people and the tremendous wealth of personal and communal case stories. Latter chapters are genuinely ground-breaking in the context of a book on this subject. Butler develops the literature now available on mission partnerships in the following ways:

1. Significant development of the theological aspects
2. Considerable development of the how-to and why of partnership
3. A huge array of case stories, some abbreviated, some more developed
4. Special case-scenarios (typology of networks, city-reaching)
5. Applications beyond the not-for-profit to the marketplace-inviting Christians of other professions into the dialogue!
6. The future partnership from the author's perspective

The book also includes a website for ongoing dialogue about issues raised, opening the door for development of concepts articulated in the text. The bottom line here is that it actually is " one of those very rare books which became an essential classic the day it was born" (Winter).




Reviewer: Tony Whittaker

IS THIS THE MOST STRATEGIC BOOK OF THE LAST YEAR?

WELL CONNECTED - Releasing Power, Restoring Hope Through Kingdom Partnerships
Phill Butler
Authentic Books/World Vision
ISBN 1-932805-54-0

Restored relationships are at the heart of the gospel. There is even relationship within the Godhead. And only through relationships can groups of Christians share the gospel (1 Cor. 12:12-31). Sadly, we are not always good at partnering across organizational or denominational boundaries. Yet there are many strategic outreaches which are only possible at this co-operative level.

Phill Butler's new book is born out of many years of helping missions, ministries, and churches to collaborate strategically. (Phil is the ministry leader of www.visionsynergy.net which exists to facilitate such collaboration.) He explains, with frequent case studies, the principles needed to unlock the incredible potential of partnerships. There is really no other book that offers all these insights.

The list of commendations for this book from mission, church and ministry leaders reads like a Who's Who of the evangelical world. It really is that good! Some organizations are buying the book in bulk for all their ministry leaders (see website for volume discounts). "It's a must read," says Bob Buford of Leadership Network. Sample chapters are available on their site:
http://www.connectedbook.com

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