“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Dear Beloved,
When I was a senior in high school, I got moved to the offensive line on my football team. We got a new football coach who inherited a new quarterback so we changed our offense. I always lined up next to Kevin Kramer and together we made up the strong side of our offensive line. The strength of an offensive line is never in the strength of an individual player but in the collective whole. Our team became one of the best running football teams in the state because our offensive line played as a unit. As a seventeen-year-old, I learned the beauty and power of partnership. Our offensive line was only as strong as our ability to work together. If one person did not do their job, the whole line suffered.
Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes that, “though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” There is greater strength in unified numbers. One of the reasons God has led Park Baptist Church to merge with Fellowship Baptist Church is because we believe that God can accomplish more with us together than with us apart. God has orchestrated relational and theological unity between our congregations that will enable us to move forward as one body with more fruitfulness and impact for God’s kingdom.
Partnership is a kingdom principle. Moses partnered with Aaron, Jesus labored with the disciples, Paul partnered with co-laborers from other churches in mission and with other churches in financial caring the impoverished church in Jerusalem. God delights when his people dwell together in unity. God delights when churches unite together for the glory of his name. God delights when churches show true biblical peaceful fellowship to a fallen world.
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