MINISTRY
Women and Men in Flourishing Partnerships
ROB DIXON
Foreword by RUTH HALEY BARTON
An imprint of InterVarsity Press
Downers Grove, Illinois
P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
©2021 by Robert Ford Dixon
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.
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Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989
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Cover design and image composite: Cindy Kiple
Image: two people reaching up: © Imagezoo / Getty Images
ISBN 978‑1-5140‑0070‑0 (print)
ISBN 978‑1-5140‑0071‑7 (digital)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Dixon, Robert (Robert Ford), 1972- author.
Title: Together in ministry : women and men in flourishing partnerships / Robert Dixon.
Description: Downers Grove, IL : IVP Academic, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021020561 (print) | LCCN 2021020562 (ebook) | ISBN 9781514000700 (paperback) | ISBN 9781514000717 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Group ministry. | Women in church work. | Men in church work. | Church personnel management. | Man-woman relationships—Religious aspects—Christianity.
Classification: LCC BV675 .D59 2021 (print) | LCC BV675 (ebook) | DDC 253/.7—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021020561
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021020562
To Amy, my forever partner in life and ministry
Foreword by Ruth Haley Barton
Introduction: God’s Intent for Flourishing Partnerships
1 The Together in Ministry Model
3 Shared Theological Conviction of Gender Equality
4 Awareness of Gender Brokenness
5 Vision for Freely Shared Power
6 Differences for the Sake of Mission
7 Value for Holistic Friendships
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About Together in Ministry: Women and Men in Flourishing PartnershipsWomen and men are designed to work together in fulfilling God’s mission on earth. Yet God’s original intent for equal partnership has been so distorted that churches and organizations continually struggle to foster healthy mixed-gender ministry collaboration. Is it even possible to return to the Genesis ideal of co-laborers in today’s contexts? Longtime ministry leader Rob Dixon knows it’s possible—though it takes intentionality, courage, and wisdom. Based on qualitative field research among ministry practitioners, Together in Ministry offers a prophetic roadmap for individuals and communities as they seek to develop flourishing ministry partnerships for women and men. Organized around the key domains of inner life, community culture, and intentional practices, this model identifies ten key attributes of partnerships that are both personally satisfying and missionally effective. For each attribute Dixon presents research findings and biblical examples, along with benefits, barriers, and practical next steps. With plenty of real-life stories from ministry leaders and reflection questions in each chapter, Together in Ministry casts a compelling—and encouraging—vision for flourishing partnerships and equips teams and individuals with next steps for making that vision a reality. |
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