In America, we love individual accomplishment. When discussing a team sport like basketball, the chat is more likely to be about the greatest player of all time (Kareem, Michael, or LeBron?) or the best individual statistics. We pride ourselves on our individual accomplishments in school or our workplace.
Many of us already struggle to give up our beloved individualism to invest deeply and sacrificially in a local church where Jesus is King and everyone else is more important than me. Hopefully, most of us reading this are invested in a church, but now our love for individualism takes on a pride in our church. My church sings the right songs. My church preaches the right way. My church does ministry the way it should be done. My church actually believes the Bible. We pride ourselves in what our individual churches have done and continue to do.
But how should we think about other churches? That church down the road that does ministry slightly differently than us or sings different songs? Do I need to care about them or can I just invest all my time and energy in my church?
Should churches have partnerships with other churches?
I do hope you love your church, being proud of how your church seeks to honor King Jesus, obey the Bible, and make disciples. However, I do believe that the Bible encourages us to not just think about our own church but also partner with other churches. Here are four reasons to partner with other churches based on the teaching of the New Testament.
- Churches and their leaders pray for one another.
In Colossians 1:3–13, Paul and Timothy pray for “the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae” (Col. 1:2a, ESV). Whenever Paul remembers the church at Philippi, he thanks God for them (Phil. 1:3–5). The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) says each church and its members are bound to pray continually for the good and prosperity of all the churches of Christ (Eph. 6:18; Ps. 122:6).
- Churches grow together and encourage sound doctrine.
In Acts 15:23–35, the church at Jerusalem helped the church at Antioch. The Midland Association of Particular Baptist Churches (1655) said that Acts 15 shows that churches should come together to give “advice after serious consultation and deliberation in matters and controversies remaining doubtful to any particular church.”
The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith says similarly about Acts 15: “In cases of difficulties or differences, either in point of doctrine or administration, … messengers, meet to consider, and give their advice in or about that matter in difference, to be reported to all the churches concerned (Acts 15:2, 4, 6, 22–23, 25). Churches will face difficult questions of doctrine and practice. In the New Testament, issues find clarity through discussion, encouragement, and partnership. There is an assumption that other churches will provide help and encouragement in seasons of difficult questions.
“As Baptist churches, we are autonomous, meaning that neither other churches nor the denomination has the right to tell a local church what to do or believe. But we still need each other’s help. Proverbs 11:24 proclaims, ‘Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.'” Church partnerships help provide an abundance of counselors to ensure orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right practice).
- Churches share people and finances.
Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22). Barnabas and other men go back to Antioch to report on the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:22). Paul sends Titus and two others to Corinth to collect money for Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:16–24). Third John 8–10 exhorts for brothers to be received in other churches. Gifted brethren are provided for the edification of other churches, helping churches carry on their work.
Gentile churches support the saints at Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26). Paul instructs the church at Corinth like he did the church at Galatia: They are to take up a collection so that Paul can carry it to Jerusalem (1 Cor. 16:1–4). Macedonia and Achaia are generous to Jerusalem. Paul then sends a group of three delegates to prepare the contribution from the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 9:1–15). Again, 3 John 8–10 encourages the support of fellow workers. Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Churches must be generous.
- Churches partner together in gospel ministry.
Paul is grateful to God for his partnership in the gospel with the church at Philippi because it enables him to plant churches and encourage established churches (Phil. 1:3–5). In Romans 16:1–3, Paul recommends that the Romans receive Phoebe. He then greets Priscilla and Aquila, his “fellow workers in Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s letters generally show encouragement and communication passing between churches, signifying a level of gospel partnership (Rom. 16:1–16; 1 Cor. 16:19–24). In Colossians 4:16, Paul encourages the church at Colossae to read his letter in Laodicea, showing a level gospel partnership between the two churches.
What are the benefits of these partnerships?
Many of the benefits of partnerships are seen and understood in the biblical warrant listed above. However, I do think there are a few other practical benefits of church partnerships.
- Churches get to practice humility.
None of our churches are the be-all and end-all. None of us gets everything right. We have not figured out the perfect way that everyone should do church around us. Partnering with other churches allows us to recognize all of this and practice humility (Phil. 2:3).
- Churches get to share and walk through hard things together.
Suffering and difficulties are present realities of a fallen world (Job 2:9–10; John 16:33; Rev. 21:4). You and your church are not alone in your suffering and hardship. Other churches are eager to encourage and pray for you to persevere and see how the Lord will work through your trials (Gen. 50:20). Other churches near you have probably been through something similar. Cry with them. Lean on them. Learn from them. Be encouraged by them.
- Churches get to play their part in the kingdom.
The Midland Association of Particular Baptist Churches mentioned above saw 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 as being important not only for individual members of individual churches but also for associations of churches. Each church gets to be the foot or the eye or the nose, playing their part to impact their community for the glory of God. Our churches are all members of the same body of Christ, responsible to each other for “purity of doctrine, exercise of love, and good conversation.”
What can these partnerships look like?
- Pray at your corporate gatherings and prayer meetings for other churches.
- Pray in your private devotions for pastors and other churches. Reach out to them and encourage them with a passage of Scripture and the prayer you prayed.
- Pray with members of other churches.
- Encourage your pastor to make friends with another pastor in your area.
- Be generous to another church.
- Ask for help from another church.
- Serve a church plant in your area.
- Plant churches together, even encouraging your church members to consider being part of the plant.
- Engage in evangelistic outreaches with other churches.
- Send and support missionaries together.
— Aaron Markham serves as a pastor of Ridgewood Church in Greer. He is a graduate of Furman University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.