From the very beginning, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit worked together.
From the first chapter of God’s Word we see work of togetherness being used to build creation. The Bible even closes its pages with the Trinity still working together: the Father preparing the everlasting kingdom, the Holy Spirit calling the Son to come back, and the Son getting ready to be united with His Bride.
God’s heart is for His children to be one and to serve His purpose together as one. God is not just commanding us to work together, but has demonstrated the principle and the power of togetherness.
Working together brings strength, divine blessings, victory, effectiveness as a witness of Jesus and increased fruitfulness – and God receives glory.
But often we don’t work in a coordinated way. We stray from maximizing our efforts and minimizing duplication.
Learning to partner, to co-labor with your brothers and sisters in Christ, helps us to learn and grow toward the unity and intentional collaboration that glorify God.
This challenge is not meant to be put on the to-do list that you get to next year. No, this is a calling for this very moment. It’s a calling for right now.
Why? The best and the right time for any believer to fulfill the purpose of God is while we are alive. Once we are gone, we can’t collaborate.
“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
If the favorable time is now, then we must use it now. If the day of salvation is now, then we must preach the gospel now. If we want the world to believe that the Father sent Jesus to this world, then we must be committed to love and work with one another (see John 17:20-23).
Is there something stopping you from partnering now? From talking with your neighbor, a fellow ministry or a fellow co-laborer?
This year, God has given Cru an enormous vision, “Movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.”
We can't do this alone. There is no way we will achieve that goal within the walls of this organization without linking arms with those who have been given a similar mission.
This year at Cru17, Cru® is pleased to host Connection Weekend for our partners who have a heart to see the world radically impacted by partnership in the gospel. I trust and pray that this will be a time for all of us to grow together and learn from one another.
See also:
Bekele Shanko serves as the chairman of GACX (Global Alliance for Church Multiplication) and the vice president for Global Church Movements for Cru.
“God has called the Global Church Movements, a ministry division of Cru, to work together with churches and mission agencies. We are working as a catalyst for planting 5 million additional churches and missional communities around the world – one for every 1,000 people in every village, high-rise apartment and digital community. Such a goal can only be accomplished through intentional collaboration in the Body of Christ.”
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