When Collaboration Mirrors the Trinity

“This book is crucially important because it calls us back to the heart of our faith and mission—love of God, love of neighbor, and love of each other before a watching world. . . . This book is an honest, hopeful call to face our failures, redefine our success metrics, embrace our challenges, and love one another in ways that show the world who Jesus truly is.”


—Dave Martin, Coordinator, Mosaix PDX





“The American church has never really come to terms with our unity in Jesus. . . . Stafford’s book is a clarion call to the church of Jesus to return to Jesus so that his dream—for one people of God living and proclaiming the gospel of hope in a polarized and broken world—can be realized in our day and time.”


—Rick McKinley, Lead Pastor, Imago Dei Community





“Stafford reminds us that Christians must hang together or we will certainly hang separately. His call for collaboration is badly needed in a post-Christian society. We must take seriously his call for unity and find ways to work together as the body of Christ. Use Stafford’s effort to inspire you to take the intentional steps necessary to become truly one in Christ.”


—George Yancey, Professor of Sociology, Baylor University





“As an African American female pastor, I found great comfort and wisdom in Pastor Avery’s words. He beautifully weaves together Scripture with our cultural realities to exhort and bring healing to the church, highlighting hope in the midst of heartbreak. Every personal story, observation, and critique points us back to the importance of our relationship with Jesus and one another, serving as an anchor for the church—present and future.”


—Ashley Bell, Global & Local Outreach Pastor, Cedar Mill Bible Church





“Avery Stafford is serving the church well by reminding us that while Jesus was on his way to the cross, he stopped to pray for the unity of his disciples. Through that highlight of its importance and the model of the Trinity itself, we learn four rhythms that are important for the church. I think you will be surprised and challenged, as I was, as you wrestle through these concepts while asking yourself, ‘Do others know I’m Jesus’ disciple as Jesus defined it?’”


—David Whitaker, President, Venture Church Network





“I love this book! . . . I view this book as a ‘train the trainer’ model for kingdom-building pastors. Imagine heading out to regions in the US to equip pastors to apply these concepts in their communities. Work with local coffee shops to host church collaboration meetings. All pastors need a good reason to hang out and drink more coffee. Well done, brother. This book is just the beginning.”


—Dan McClure, former Lead Pastor, First Christian Church Palo Alto





“Stafford’s writing is theologically rich and practical every day, just like the faith and the life of discipleship to Jesus he lives every day. Every leader, and really anyone, would benefit greatly from reading this book. It tells how we can seek to engage the heart of God and live out a robust and genuine kingdom faith that seeks unity and collaboration while embracing a God-created diversity and modeling a better way forward for an onlooking world.”


—Dominic Kan, Lead Pastor, Missio Community





“Avery may be overly hopeful. Fair warning: he has the humility, biblical clarity, and track record of resiliency that will make you want to join him. His vision for unity and collaboration feels like turning down a street in my neighborhood that I’ve passed by countless times but have never turned down—I know it’s there, but I’m just not sure I’ve ever truly experienced it. After reading Avery’s heart in these pages, I’m compelled to stumble down this unknown block of the bride of Christ being one today. I’m hoping more of us join him.”


—Tim Osborn, Lead Pastor, Mosaic Church Portland





“Can you imagine a world where the church works together as all the tribes of humanity to tell the good news about Jesus? Avery Stafford can imagine that world. In his thoughtful, theologically sound, and very challenging Trinitarian proposal, he asks believers to imagine collaborating with one another. . . . Are you considering where to go with your ministry? Then you and your leaders must walk through this work and consider how God is calling you to be a part of what he has always been doing.”


—Stephen Maxwell, Worship and Communications Minister, North Atlanta Church of Christ





“This work is thoroughly undergirded by Trinitarian theology, pastoral wisdom, and bold insight. It is a timely course correction for any of us who by degrees have been captivated by our cultural narratives of individualism, corporate visions of success, and cheap token attempts at woke virtue signaling. Instead, Avery gives us a rich Trinitarian exhortation to live out of our collective family identity with relationships of love rooted in Jesus’ gospel.”


—Matt Bowen, Lead Pastor, Emmaus Church





“I wholeheartedly agree with Pastor Avery Stafford’s challenge to pastors and church leaders that we must pursue ‘collaboration as a practice of unity.’ I recommend When Collaboration Mirrors the Trinity to any church leader who desires to build a culture of collaboration within their local church context. Church collaboration is at the heart of Jesus’ prayer in John 17 and is the key ingredient in his command to ‘go and make disciples.’”


—Doug Boyd, Pastor, Parkside





“Stafford’s writing reveals that he spends quality time in the timeless presence of divinity within the Trinity. His gospel-saturated book calls local churches and pastors to engage in Christ-centered collaboration instead of religious competition and racial contempt. . . . Stafford is right to believe that when churches collaborate through Christ, they are empowered to join the triumphant Christ in his assaulting march upon the collapsing gates of hell.”


—Jerry Taylor, Associate Professor, Abilene Christian University