When I studied accounting in college at least a millennium ago, Commander Young taught us that partnerships are typically the hardest business arrangements to start and maintain. Yet, strategic partnerships are clearly visible at just about every intersection of history. And, the rationale isn't mysterious. None of us the the entire package. We need other people to help us gap our shortcomings.
When God surveyed creation He himself said, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). His provision was stupendous, someone to make the man complete. a pair, a partnership that became the foundation of civilization. But, from that point in Scripture throughout, God did many things in pairs---Moses and Aaron and later Joshua, David and Jonathan, Paul and Silas, not to mention Timothy, Philemon, and Titus, plus a long cast of others.
Closer to home the American revolution happened as a result of strategic partners leading basically rural colonists in the break from British rule. And, what a group of partners they were---Patrick Henry, the voice of the revolution; Thomas Jefferson, the pen of the revolution; George Washington, the sword of the revolution; John Adams, the mind of the revolution. It's the same in just about every important epic in our multi-layered history: Dwight Eisenhower, George Marshall, George Patton, and many others during World War II; Billy Graham and Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea; Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis; Batman and Robin, Marshall Dillon and Chester; Tonto and the Lone Ranger; and dozes of other pairings.
The church today sits quietly in the corner of the world, unnoticed and shoved into the background in great part because we've forgotten the grace of partnership. Not very one can be an effective orator, nor can every person be the brains of the outfit, the strategist, the motivator, the leader, the intellect, the organizer, or any of the other strategic positions we can dream up. So, the entire body is idle while the world is on fire because we've forgotten what this body imagery is about, and the essential meaning of partnership.
So, it's a body. The parts are arranged just as God planned (see 1 Corinthians 12:18). They are all created to accomplish something vastly different from the others, with the intention that each is for the benefit of the body. None is more important than any of the others. And, they are kept in sync by being attached to the head, that is, Jesus Christ the Lord. In the New Testament the relationship of the parts of the body is often referred to as fellowship, a common bond that links the diverse parts for motion---mission and service and ministry. In some place this fellowship (koinonia in the Greek) is translated partnership. Paul thanked the Philippians for their partner- ship in the gospel. It was the rich fellowship than enabled them to function as a body, each performing a function that makes the whole possible.
Today, a world characterized by particularization and individualization celebrates diversity to the injury of this partnership. So, because we will not partner, there's no strong voice at the table of ideas. The church is closeted away from the public square because we can't get the minds and the voices and the hearts and the eyes and the ears connected. As a result, the influence of the church in the larger issues of life is missing.
What's the deal with this, the denominations forming monolithic pillars unattached in meaningful way? One group silences the other in the political arena, divided voices spout confusion about the sanctity of human life, we disagree about something as basic as a vision about marriage, or whether or not we can actually speak to the issues of life and death.
And, we're back at the beginning. Take the imagery a step farther. The church, the body, is the bride of Christ. The bride and bride-groom, in the covenant that joins them, and the result is that they become "one flesh". This is partnership on another level, a divine connection, a heavenly union.
This must happen, even within our own denomination and church, so that we can have minds, hearts, ears, eyes, and voices to speak to the times.
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