The Power of Collaboration in an Era of Tribalism
Date/Time
Thursday, February 26, 2026
9:00am - 11:00am
Location
St. Paul's Evangelical Church
Description:
In a time marked by increasing polarization, it can feel easier to retreat into familiar circles than to work across differences. Yet meaningful change has always required collaboration—especially when perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences don’t naturally align.
On February 26, 2026 Send Me St. Louis invites church leaders and nonprofit partners to explore a different way forward. Together, we will examine how collaboration can become a faithful and practical response to tribalism—strengthening relationships, expanding impact, and modeling unity in our communities.
Through guided discussion and real-world examples from Together STL, this training will encourage participants to move beyond “us vs. them” thinking and toward partnerships rooted in humility, trust, and shared purpose. Attendees will leave with renewed vision and practical insights for working together across divides for the good of our city.
Training Focus:
Featured Speakers:
MARCO VAN RAALTEN: Marco van Raalten is the Co-Founder of Together STL. At the age of 19, he left his native Holland to serve as a missionary, participating in four city-wide collaborative efforts in Lomé, Togo (Africa); Kampen, Holland (Europe); Wichita, Kansas; and Farmington, Missouri.
Marco also served for 13 years as a pastor, ministering to congregations in both Holland and the United States with the Evangelical Free Church of America. In 2018, he was invited by St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in Creve Coeur, Missouri, to serve as a city missionary with a vision to promote unity within the Church across the St. Louis metro area—a calling that ultimately led to the birth of Together STL.
Marco met his wife, Kari, on the mission field, and together they are raising their four children. In their spare time, they enjoy being with family, exploring nature through hiking and biking, and appreciating the rich cultural life of the city of St. Louis.
BRANDON WILKES: Brandon Wilkes has been married to his high school sweetheart, Dorothy, since 1997 and is the father of 3 outstanding children. Brandon II, Isaiah, and Keilah. He has been in ministry since 2004 and currently co-leads a house church with his wife called Peoples Church St. Louis, which they planted in 2017.
For the past 4 years Brandon has co-led TogetherSTL with Marco van Raalten under the mission to bring God’s people together so that miracles can happen. Building pastor collaboratives around the metro area and developing focus teams for ministry. He also serves as the Executive Director of the St. Louis Reconciliation Network which is an organization that equips churches and their leadership in the area of multi-ethnic ministry.
Last but not least, he is a dedicated OSU Buckeyes football fan and head cheerleader for his children in all their athletic, academic, and life endeavors.