In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, there's a profound truth that we as Christians sometimes overlook: we were never meant to go it alone. The journey of faith, with all its joys and challenges, is one best traveled in community. This truth echoes throughout Scripture and is vividly illustrated in the early days of the church.
Consider the apostle Paul, a titan of faith whose missionary journeys shaped the spread of Christianity. Even Paul, with all his zeal and passion, found strength and support in partnerships. When he arrived in Corinth, a city known for its wealth, diversity, and rampant sexual immorality, Paul was weary. He had faced opposition, imprisonment, and rejection in city after city. Yet it was here, in this unlikely place, that God provided him with companions who would share in his mission.
Aquila and Priscilla, fellow tentmakers and believers, became Paul's first connection in Corinth. This seemingly chance meeting was anything but random – it was a divine appointment. Their shared vocation allowed Paul to support himself while also creating a network of support for his ministry. This providential connection reminds us that God often places people in our lives at just the right moment to encourage us and partner with us in His work.
As Paul's ministry in Corinth progressed, he was joined by Silas and Timothy, bringing financial support from the Macedonian churches. This collaboration allowed Paul to focus fully on preaching the gospel. It's a beautiful picture of the body of Christ working together – some providing resources, others proclaiming the message, all united in the mission of spreading the good news.
But why is this collaborative approach so crucial? The reality is that sharing our faith and living it out in a hostile world is challenging. It can feel awkward, even frightening at times. When we try to go it alone, the weight of rejection and the constant push against cultural tides can wear us down. However, when we cultivate a culture of evangelism within our church communities, we create an environment where sharing our faith becomes an expected, supported, and celebrated part of our collective identity.
Imagine a church where conversations about recent gospel encounters are as common as discussions about the weather. Picture small groups praying together for specific individuals they're hoping to reach, offering childcare so a member can have dinner with a seeking friend, or pooling resources to support local outreach efforts. This is what it means to collaborate wisely in the work of the Kingdom.
Yet even with strong partnerships and a supportive community, there will be times when fear and discouragement creep in. Paul experienced this in Corinth, despite seeing initial success. It was in this moment of vulnerability that God spoke directly to him: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:9-10).
This divine encouragement carries a powerful message for us today. When we feel overwhelmed by the task before us or disheartened by apparent lack of progress, we must remember that God is always at work, often in ways we cannot see. He has "many people" in our cities, our workplaces, our schools – individuals whose hearts He is preparing, even if they don't yet know Him.
Our call is to cultivate faithfully the field where God has placed us. Like a farmer patiently tending his crops, we must plant seeds of faith, water them with prayer and love, and trust God for the growth. This process requires perseverance and a long-term perspective. In a culture that craves instant results, the patient work of spiritual cultivation can feel frustratingly slow. But it is in these seasons of faithful endurance that we often see God do His most profound work.
The story of the 40 wrestlers under Emperor Nero powerfully illustrates the strength found in standing together for Christ. These elite athletes, faced with the choice to renounce their faith or die, chose to stand united on a frozen lake rather than compromise their beliefs. Their solidarity was so compelling that it even moved their commander to join them in their stand for Christ.
This account challenges us to consider: What might God do in our communities if we truly banded together in unwavering faith and commitment to His mission? How might our campuses, workplaces, and neighborhoods be transformed if we approached the task of sharing the gospel as a united front rather than isolated individuals?
The call to "do hard things together" is not just about making our individual loads lighter (though it certainly does that). It's about creating a witness so compelling that it draws others into the story of God's redemptive work. It's about forming communities of faith so vibrant and loving that they serve as beacons of hope in a darkening world.
As we reflect on these truths, let's ask ourselves some challenging questions:
Who in my life am I partnering with to shoulder the burdens of faith and ministry?
Am I accountable to anyone in my walk with Christ? Who has permission to ask me the hard questions?
Who am I praying with regularly about the people we're trying to reach with the gospel?
The invitation before us is clear: to connect providentially with the believers God places in our path, to collaborate wisely in the work of the Kingdom, and to cultivate faithfully the fields where God has planted us. As we do so, we can trust that God is working, even when we can't see immediate results.
Let us commit to becoming churches and individuals known for our culture of evangelism, our expectation of God's movement, and our willingness to stand together in faith, even in the face of difficulty. For it is in doing hard things together that we often see God's power most clearly displayed, His Kingdom advanced most significantly, and His glory most brilliantly revealed.