As we have met with leaders or churches who have expressed an interest in Sovereign Grace, we have encountered an intriguing challenge: Some inspire our ongoing friendship and service but are not positioned to consider membership within Sovereign Grace Ministries.

In such cases, we often agree on biblical essentials but, especially because these groups tend to be located outside the U.S., the way these essentials are emphasized and applied is vastly different. Cultural gaps, the time required to build certain core attributes in a non-American setting, and our limited experience in cross-cultural ministry occasionally require us to take a different approach in defining these relationships. 

We began the Associate Program to learn from and serve these leaders and churches within the context of a defined relationship. The Associate Program clarifies our involvement and distinguishes it from our care for member churches. Such relationships are initiated by our invitation, established by mutual agreement, and may or may not envision Sovereign Grace membership as an eventual goal.