Q2. Partners

[abram motswana]

MA Motswana.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              what we receive out of the partnership?

•  I do believe that by giving our gifts .i.e.. that is by Tithing and offering and donation willingly from the bottom of our hearts, We will be rewarded and protected as the scripture declares in Malachi 3V10.
• Our God will meet all our needs according to His riches and glory.
• we will grow spiritually and materially as scripture declares Philippians 4V1

 What kinds of support might we offer beyond financial?

• Personal and mutual support.
• We must give or do all in love to ensure prosperity of partnership.
• Looking at the need in the church of God ,e.g.. Clothing and food towards other brothers that cannot afford.

[angelbaby]

Q2. When we become financial partners we are sure the funds are utilised for the intended purpose.. We feel a responsibility to obey the Lord and do His will. We do not do only for rewards.God loved us unconditionally and so we also love to spend on His Kingdom work unconditionally. We can give money or some resources in kind ; in most cases we would like to help personally & physically but distances don't permit

From the ministry we always benefit .... If it's a children's ministry we are informed their progress , sent video clips of their activities and can interact with them in person giving a satisfaction that we are making a difference in society. However it is important that recipients are told it is the Love Of Christ which is Sponsoring them.... This isn't generally done ... It's a secular world out there even in Christian ministries

If it is for the needy we can attend the distribution of needs or get satisfaction when the needy use their gifts If it is towards a church planting ministry we will see the building soon .

All these results give us immense joy because God loves a cheerful giver .

[Ange]

Financial partnership is doing the next best thing to going there yourself. You become "closely associated" with the missionary, imagining what your needs would be if it were you preaching the gospel away from home, and then you finance those needs. That way you have the satisfaction that you've enabled your partner to deliver the good news to one more person.

Sending a sort of care giver is another way of support. Because, chained between two wardens, Paul needed meals prepared for him; a launderer, a scribe and etc. Here too, the reward is that the representative is doing what you would do if you could be there yourself.

Prayer, intercession, would be a key contribution. The Philippians had seen the opposition Paul faced in their country. So they knew that in Rome it would be worse. They had to hold him up in prayer.

[smithj77]

Q2. (1:6) When we become financial "partners" with a Christian missionary, minister, ministry, or church, what do we receive out of the partnership? What other kinds of support might we offer beyond financial? 

 

if we can become partners in a ministry we can see the blessing of our funds.  For example, I used to,... and maybe should again, support American Bible Society.  When I was in the Republic of Panama i saw one small village overjoyed to have just one Bible.  If you are from the U.S. like me, you know that many of us have more than one Bible, and bibles are everywhere.  The person asked for my new testament as it had Spanish (it was English/Spanish).  i gave the book with pure joy and wished i had had many others to give to that village at that time.  That kind of joy comes from the partnership.  We can also give our ourselves as stated by Mr. Dick Ross.  

 

 

OUR PRAYERS, our material gifts, our labor,our expertise, our attitude and our ears and tears.

[Selie Visa]

Since we are partners with them in God's ministry, we joyfully give them financial assistance. It means sharing with them what God has blessed us with.

We can also support them through prayers, through words of encouragement and appreciation and by loving them.

[joey felipe]

When we become financial partners of God's ministry in return we also received financial and most importantly spiritual blessing.

 

We can also give non-monetary support to the ministry like personnel, materials needed to carry-on God's work and more importantly our prayers.

[Rod Beenleigh]

When we give financial support to church or missionary we become sharers in that activity

 

Other kinds of support may include encouragement to the Pastor, elders, deacons and all the support teams (behind the scene) contributing to the needs of others. Volunteering for cleaning, gardening, building maintenance, even singing in the choir.

[royk]

Q2. (1:6) When we become financial "partners" with a Christian missionary, minister, ministry, or church, what do we receive out of the partnership?

 

What other kinds of support might we offer beyond financial?

 

Financial partners with God is to recognize that it is all His. So we must be wise and know when to be frugal, and when to give with abundance that which He has give to us.

Service is another way to give support. Time is money, time is precious, we must not squander our time. We must not procrastinate, still seeking wise advice before jumping into something. 
 

[JCservant]

@JCservant

 

What other kinds of support might we offer besides financial? We can volunteer, pray, give encouragement, share in fellowship and in reading God's Word, stay updated with letters and newsletters. 

[Charis.Shalom]

In the ESV, the word partnership is used twice in Philippians:  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now (V1:5) and ..in the beginning...no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only (V4:15).  In KJV, the terms fellowship [koinonia (2842):  partnership; participation; (social) intercourse; (pecuniary) benefaction--also translated (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-) distribution)] and communicated [koinoneo (2841): to share with others--also translated  distribute, be partaker] are used.  Throughout the epistle of Philippians, Paul makes multiple remarks referencing  himself and the church as Philippi as sharing in a common and mutually beneficial work of the ministry. 

The congregation at Philippi was the first and most faithful congregation to provide support to Paul.  Thus, they did have a vested interest in learning about Paul's work and success--so this book would appear to be, in part, a report to benefactors.  It was also a way for Paul to give them assurances that even though he was in prison, the work was continuing--but even more importantly, that he wasn't in chains because he was a criminal but because it was how God was allowing the Gospel to be shared in Rome--to the Roman citizens through the Roman church and to the royal household and the prisons through his presence in prison. 

As an inspired writing, though, it leaves us a blueprint for missionaries and missionary support for the church.  It gives us evidence that our desire to support missions is God-given; that missionary work is a way for the church to vicariously make an impact to areas outside of its normal day-to-day reach; that the work and reward of the missionary is shared to the benefactors; and that the church may expect that missionaries in the field may or will encounter situations that may not look good at the outset but may very well be the working of God.  By including this verse here, it also means that missionary work that we are involved in is really just a part of on-going missionary work that started with the start of the church and will continue until the day of the Lord.

Beyond financial support, the church learns about missionary work and raises people who can join in supporting missions by going the mission field to aid using personal expertise and ability, on-going prayer for the work; providing transitional re-entry support when missionaries return; serving as a home base for missionaries; and developing sustainable partnerships with the mission field to help them replicate how to support missions in their newly established congregations in furthering the Gospel.  It is a means to send agents of the church to do remotely what the Church is doing locally.

[Karen11]

On 3/14/2005 at 1:57 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (1:6) When we become financial "partners" with a Christian missionary, minister, ministry, or church, what do we receive out of the partnership? What other kinds of support might we offer beyond financial?

 When we become financial "partners" with a Christian missionary, minister, ministry, or church, what do we receive out of the partnership?

Prayer and Fellowship..Blessings

What other kinds of support might we offer beyond financial?

To sow Blessings to others we meet each day, Weather just a smile or holding a door, listening to someone, helping.

[kupnsaucer1]

When we become financial partners in a ministry of any kind, we receive spiritual blessings that come in many forms.  There is joy in giving, sometimes we receive the benefits of the ministry such as our local church or a Christian radio ministry that we listen to.  Other times the blessings are more hidden.When we give to a ministry that is not directed at us, such as missionaries to other areas and countries, we can rejoice with them that we can indirectly be a part of the ministry through them. 

One of the most important things we can give a ministry of any kind is prayer for the leaders, the ministries effectiveness in bringing the gospel to the people, those who are hearing the gospel to be open to hearing and taking to heart that which they hear.  There are all sorts of way to pray for a ministry. 

Other ways we can give is to give our own time or send a note of appreciation, there are endless ways we can give.  Thankfully we can ask the Holy Spirit how to pray for and help those in ministry, knowing He will lead us.

[Krissi]

There are seasons of life when we have an excess of financial blessing … and other seasons when we are poor or less financially blessed. In the past, when I had much more, I anonymously gave, but as I look back, I should have given more.

What did I receive from giving, is your question?

Perhaps there were spiritual blessings of which I was unaware. Honestly, I don’t see any connection between my giving and His blessing of me, particularly with regards to financial blessings. I do see, however, a connection between my giving and the blessing of others.

The one who gives may not be the one who gets. And that's okay! 

I’m in a position, now, where the support I am able to give is mostly labour which I try to give freely and generously. I give, thus, my time. I give my words. I give what I know and think. That’s what I have, now, to give. I believe God uses and honours these small gifts in unknown ways.

[Marquita Lawson]

Being a financial "partner" with a Christian missionary, minister, ministry, or church, we receive spiritual and material blessing.  We can give support in many forms.  Sometimes it's meals, clothing, a place to rest our heads at night.  Sometimes it's prayer, love and visiting.