When determining who will make the best ministry partners on mission trips one consideration I take into account is whether they are Calvinistic or Arminian.
Most of the time I will pair them up with a partner holding the opposite viewpoint. My purpose is to build them into stronger disciples of Christ and more effective evangelists of the Gospel.
My History on Mixed Theological Teams
My own experience includes being saved within an Arminian perspective. Much of my early Christian growth was with organizations and from leaders who also held this viewpoint, although I didn’t understand much about these theological differences at the time. Nonetheless, I held strong Arminian opinions. A pastor and good friend at one church I attended challenged me to keep on digging deeper into the Scriptures, to take my time and learn.
It was a good number of years later while I was teaching through Romans and Hebrews, and during my formal theological training, that I became thoroughly convinced of the Reformed or Calvinistic perspective. The seminary where I studied had faculty from both perspectives, which made learning about this important matter all the more fascinating, valuable and a great blessing.
I strongly believe that the Calvinistic understanding most faithfully and accurately represents the biblical teaching on salvation. Yet, while serving in my first official ministry position in a local church, I was ministering alongside a fellow assistant pastor who attended the same seminary I did, but who was thoroughly committed to the Arminian view. We had great debates, challenged one another, and yet we still found ourselves able to love one another and one another’s families, and advance the Gospel together.
When the Lord led me into the role of a lead pastor it was with an association of churches that welcomes both viewpoints. Our particular local church was committed to the Reformed position on the doctrines of grace, but we were called to graciously work alongside other churches with different commitments on these matters.
Because of my personal experience I know mixed theological ministry teams can work, can work very well, and that everyone will grow in the process of doing ministry and mission together.
Conflicts on Mixed Theological Teams
A person’s theological position makes a really great difference in how that person ministers the Gospel. Some today try to minimize the value of theology and strongly held opinions, ignorantly thinking that theology makes little difference in doing ministry.
Nothing could be further from the truth! Once people are on a team having to strategize how to reach a group of people, deciding on how the Gospel will be presented, and then actually presenting the Gospel from a variety of biblical passages in multiple conversations with unbelievers, the truth can be easily seen and felt—doctrine matters a whole lot!
Here are some of the most important and defining questions separating the two theological systems: How depraved are people? How does this affect them and their ability to respond to the Gospel, or not? What does it mean that God is sovereign and that He choses some for salvation? How do we understand the role of the free will of humanity? What exactly did Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplish? For whom was it designed and how do we see its effects? Can people resist the call of God? What would this look like and how would we respond to real people in the midst of it? Can people fall away from the faith, and if so how do we explain this? What is the basis for a secure salvation?
Benefits of Mixed Theological Teams
Conflict will be inevitable between viewpoints and between us as people. We both want to serve the Lord whole-heartedly and faithfully. And here is one of the greatest benefits of being together, seeing the vitality and reality of one another’s faith in Christ though from a very different evangelical theological system. He or she is also a godly Christian believer!
John 13:34–35 ESV “[Jesus said,] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”Serving this closely with others who hold the opposite view also helps us deepen our own convictions. We are driven to the Word of God to rediscover what the Holy Spirit wrote about Jesus Christ and the work of God in our salvation. This is a really good thing. We are also made better theologians, more humble theologians who can respectfully disagree and learn from one another. Who knows, we may convert the other to the truth of our own view!
Moreover, the debates and discussions we have are no longer only biblical and theological, but practical as well. We are serving on mission together at the same time, praying with one another, and declaring the Gospel to real people for the purpose of God’s glory being revealed!
My teams of mixed theological persuasions have proven my approach over and over. It has been a great blessing for them to work in such an environment and many have told me it was one of the best training and equipping experiences of their lives. They enjoyed being challenged to think more biblically, dialogue more honestly with others, and rejoice above all in the advance of the Gospel! In the end, they had even more confidence that regardless of their differences the basic truths of the Gospel were being proclaimed.
It is also good to be on teams that hold the same view as one’s own, just not exclusively. It is perhaps best to be in a church, or with a mission, that has a clear theological commitment so everyone can move in the same direction. Just make sure to get out once in a while and partner in some ways with those of the other viewpoint.
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