For several years, founder and organizational development professional, Dal Anderson, was an executive leader working at a Bible translation organization. This organization was part of a broader group pursuing common goals aimed at eradicating Bible poverty – by no means a small-scale problem. Eventually, this group formalized their alliance and Dal transitioned from the executive leader role with the organization and took on a support role within the new initiative. It wasn’t long before the alliance’s big needs exceeded what he alone could provide. A backbone organization was essential to fully serve the need for coordination and cohesion. Dal recognized that this collective impact approach would also greatly benefit other sectors of God’s mission and the same backbone support would be valued. It was this aha moment that led to the beginnings of Mission Mutual.
In early 2018, Mission Mutual was founded on the simple observation that there had been a fundamental shift in the way some missions, ministries and philanthropic organizations were thinking about participation in God’s work. Contrary to former philosophies, many faith-based organizations were becoming less inclined to try to ‘go it alone’, recognizing the opportunity for greater impact through collective strategy and action.
But, as we often say at Mission Mutual, “collaboration is the hardest work” and … it really is. Shifting from isolated efforts to collective efforts is not merely about learning how to collaborate better. It requires systematic approaches, building focused relationships between organizations and an emphasis on progress toward shared objectives. And sustainable collective impact requires a centralized support system for those collective actions to be successful. Enter Mission Mutual.
Mission Mutual serves as a centralized support system for organizations desiring the fulfillment of a unified vision. Our team equips missions, ministries, and philanthropic organizations—of similar vision—with the organizational and relational perspective needed to align their missions, visions, strategy, and resources in order to drive cooperative, sustainable results within a collective climate. It’s the Ecclesiastes 4:12 truth, a cord of three strands is not easily broken. The strength of a multi-stranded cord depends on the strength of each individual cord and how they’re woven together. Strong, healthy individual organizations working together strengthen the collective impact of the alliance and ultimately advance God’s Kingdom.