Collaborate

One of the first principles of leadership and ministry taught to me seven years ago when I officially came on staff at Student Leadership University was by Dr. Jay Strack. This principle was, “all of us are smarter than any one of us”. Simultaneously, the idea that we can accomplish more together than on our own took root and collaboration became an assumed part of my thinking. When I use the term collaboration, I simply mean, the willingness to partner with likeminded individuals and organizations to accomplish a common cause.

This is a value held in the Scriptures. Our Lord, chose to have a group of disciples play a strategic role for accomplishing His great cause being to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost”. I’m not suggesting that a disciple could rescue someone from their sins or even help but no one can deny that our Savior’s cause became the great purpose of their lives. Consequently because the disciple collaborated with God’s great rescue plan for humanity, and throughout history disciples have continued to join that cause. When the disciples were sent out, the Lord partnered them together. Luke 10:1 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go”. Why was it so important that they were partnered together? Because they were stronger together as a team than separately as individuals. We read in Ecclesiastes 4:12 “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”.

Therefore, in light of the fact that collaboration is a biblical notion and a core value of SLU, I offer the following reasons of how collaboration could benefit your organization, church, or cause:

· Collaboration affords the organization to multiply or expand its capacity…rather than just striving towards an already existing capacity.

· Collaboration allows the organization to accomplish more without necessarily spending more.

· Collaboration creates a shared risk among the organizations involved, preventing one organization from having all the skin in the gain.

· Collaboration communicates to the audience or tribe of each organization collaborating: “We aren’t afraid of other organizations and place your well being above individual gain.”

· Collaboration exposes the organizations involved to new audiences.

· Collaboration many times can serve as a preventative of an organization becoming or appearing stale or stalled in their mission/cause.

Here’s to all those who collaborate with Student Leadership University to help a generation Think, Dream, and Lead at the feet of Jesus. Together, may we continue to accomplish more for the glory of God than we ever could as individuals:

Student Life
First Priority of America
Compassion International
Universal Orlando Resort
Rock the Universe
Sea World
Chick-fil-A
Care for Aids
LifeWay Students
AtlantaFest
Palm Beach Atlantic University
The College at Southeastern
Cedarville University
Samford University
Charleston Southern University
Open Doors
ACSI
Word of Life