Working Together: Expounding Paul’s Letter to the Philippians for Today’s Church

WORKING TOGETHER is an often overlooked, yet vitally important aspect of New Testament Christianity. Although the ministry of Paul and other prominent New Testament leaders was in some ways unique and, therefore, in some ways unrepeatable, the pattern of working together is repeatable. God still provides suitably gifted people to facilitate such partnerships today. Paul used the word, partnership, to describe both church leaders and churches working to gether: I thank my God in all my remembrance of you…because of your partnership in the gospel. (Phil. 1:3-5). Partnership is necessary for mission and maturity, partnership is biblical, partnership is a expression of humility and honour the body of Christ, partnership provides synergy and partnership provides protection. Church-to-church partnerships are Biblical and necessary for the church, both local and global. The challenge, however, is working out how these partnerships worked in the Bible, and then faithfully imitating them. This book focuses on the clearest view that the Bible gives us of church-to-church partnership - the partnership that developed around Paul. The author discusses how early church partnership was shaped around four main themes and calls all local churches to partner around: similar doctrine and values, shared mission, genuine relationship and recognised, suitably gifted leadership.