Our Partnership in the Gospel

I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now… -Philippians 1:3-5 

The book of Philippians speaks of our partnership in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are, in fact, as followers of Christ, partners in the gospel ministry.  This is why individual Christians and congregations should strive to never be at odds with each other.  If we are partners then we share some common characteristics of those who work and labor together for a common cause.  Partners work, labor, strive, sew, and reap a harvest together.  We cannot accomplish any of these results if we are at odds and refusing to work together.

Here we see why unity within the church is so vitally important.  As believers we are in this together – the ministry of sharing Jesus Christ with a lost world.  Consider that marriage is a partnership.  Both husband and wife must work cooperatively together in order for their relationship to thrive.  When people are in business together they have a partnership and must work alongside one another in unity in order for their business to be successful.  The church is not a business and should not try to function like one, but the principles of partnership remain the same.  Within the church there must be: 

• Cooperation
• Agreement
• Unity
• Shared goals
• Clear vision
• Strategies for reaching goals and making the vision a reality.

We as followers of Christ can accomplish so much more together than we can alone.  We are better able to share Jesus with more people when we commit to pray for and support one another.  When we encourage one another we are strengthened, unified, and more able to forgive one another and continue to bear with each other in love as commanded in Scripture (Ephesians 4:2).  God is always faithful, and when we are faithful we are empowered to accomplish that which the Lord has called us to do.  Christ will help us to carry through to completion the good work He has begun in us.

   

Pray for one another, stand firm in God’s call upon our lives, love one another, and seek first Jesus Christ that He will be at the center of our lives and all that we do.