LESSON FIVE: PRINCIPLE OF PARTNERSHIP

UNDERSTANDING KOINONIA AND ITS IMPORTANCE

PHI 1:3-7 God's Church Planting Design: For churches to do missions together.

Koinonia in Missions & Church Planting

Part One: UNDERSTANDING KOINONIA AND ITS IMPORTANCE
In the book of Revelation, what the Spirit says of one church, He says to all the rest. PHI 1:3-7 "Partnership in the Gospel" of v. 5. God's missions and church planting Strategy is for all His churches to obey the great commission together.

DEFINITION: Partnership (koinonia, from koinos, meaning, common ).

1. Sharing, close association, unity, communion, the fellowship, the brotherhood. EPH 3:6

2. To have/ share with others something in common; to be a partner and partaker together (you take from it and you also give to it).

3. That which is the outcome of fellowship, communion and contribution.

4. The unity brought about by the Holy Spirit in the Body, the Church where each believer blends together his/her varied personality, gift and ministry with others in the Body. .

5. This term in its present context (PHI 1:5, 7) describes a sympathetic cooperation and practical contribution towards the furtherance of the Gospel. The apostolic task to preach the gospel to the world for a witness to all nations (MAT 24:14) requires an effective koinonia of all believers and local churches.

6. The word pictures solidarity and cooperation for the common cause of the Gospel, its proclamation and propagation in the world.

I. THE TASK OF MISSIONS AND PLANTING OF CHURCHES

MAT 16: 18-19 FOUNDATIONAL PHILOSOPHY: (MAT 16:18) On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it, (Oikodomeo, to build or construct as a house, to confirm, to strengthen or embolden).

MAT 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.

1. The TASK: The building of the Church. The main agenda and "project". It is god's eternal plan. It is a plan that works: to gather a people belonging to God!

2. The TOOLS: Jesus uses the Church to build the church. The church is not just an "end" but also a "means to an end." He empowers the church. He equips His people - to reach more people.

3. The TEAM: Local Churches, leaders and members, becomes a team to build the church. All believers and local churches.

4. The TEST: The standing order of the church is to make disciples of all nations, which must be done until the end of the age.

a. The best way to evangelize & disciple a whole nation in obedience to Christ's command is the proliferation of churches being planted.

b. The existing local church is the major agency of God to plant churches.

c. The believers are God's method to provide the money and the manpower to plant churches.

d. The maturity of a local church, and therefore, of any church planted, is measured by its ability to reproduce itself. The aim is not just to plant any kind of church but to plant a church planting church.

II. MODELS OF KOINONIA

EXAMPLE OF THE CHURCH'S IN ANTIOCH, ACT 13:1-2 14:23-26 THE CHURCH IS BOTH AN END AND A MEANS IN CHURCH PLANTING. After a church is established, it becomes God's instrument to plant other churches! The Task is great and difficult but not impossible! "Kayang kaya kung sama-sama!"

A. IN-CHURCH PARTNERSHIP

1. Often conducted by a sufficiently big church where the Leadership and Membership of a local church functions as partners together for missions and church planting.

2. Leadership motivates, trains and mobilizes the members, the priesthood of believers is practiced. The believers support the local ministries and commit further to support ministries beyond the church walls. (Leaders should not feel that missions activities threaten their financial support).

3. The Church has included missions as their vision and normal activity, it's part of the budget of the church. This missions vision directs the activities and focus of the church.

B. INTER-CHURCH PARTNERSHIP - Where many local churches combine resources together to accomplish missions enterprise. Where different autonomous local churches mutually agree to cooperate to plant a church or a number of churches. Can be in different types:

1. Shared Responsibility of directly supporting a New Church. Money and Man-power.

2. Common Fund where participating churches give to a common fund for Church Planting.

3. Mentoring Type where a bigger church which already has its own church planting program begins to help another maturing congregation to start its own church planting program.

III. ADVANTAGES OF KOINONIA

Major Obstacles to Missions: Lack of cooperation; independent attitude (each to his own!); Lack of logistics and laborers, can be overcome if we are in a partnership! Modern problem in denominations: Partnership becomes partisanship, Communion becomes competition, Partners become rivals! Result: The task is unfinished, the job is not done.

A. PROTECTION.

1. By counsel. PRO 11:14 15:22

2. By prayer. ACT 12:5-12 ROM 15:30-32 EPH 6:19-20

3. By moral support. 1CO 16:8-18 PHI 4:2-3 2TI 4:9-18

4. By sharing material support. 2CO 11:8-9 PHI 4:10-19

5. By the force of unity. ECC 4:9-10 Satan's devise is to divide & conquer. Partnership gives a covering effect, specially in war. Standing together in battle.

B. POWER.
The anointing of God flows upon brethren in unity! PSA 133 ACT 2:1-2 4:24-31

1. In dedicated agreement. MAT 18:19-20 ECC 4:11-12, In unity there is strength!

2. In one accord. ACT 2:46 PHI 1:27-28

3. In organizing. All efforts are directed and used. Each finds their place in the body. Example of the impact of SOS in the towns and cities.

C. PRODUCTIVENESS.

1. More people contribute and get involved. EPH 4:16-17 Each part doing its work.

2. More places & people are reached. Concept: The total result of say, 5 people working together is greater than the sum of all of them working separately. LEV 26:8 DEU 32:30

3. More harvest, more wages. John 4:37-38 1CO 3:5-9 Paul may plant, Apollos may water, then God gives the increase.

D. PRESERVATION.

Of results. "That your fruit shall remain."

1. Sharing of ministries - Encourage, exhort, build up!

2. Sharing of man-power - where the need is great, where work is neglected or abandoned.

3. Attention given to weak parts - 1TH 3:2-10

E. PLEASURE. JOH 4:31-38 Reaper and Sower rejoice together!

1. Sense of satisfaction. v.32 "Food to eat." 1TH 2:18-20

2. Sense of fulfillment. v.34 "To do the will...and to finish His work!" An individual worker cannot complete the work alone! But as a partnership, ministers can (will be enabled to) do it! "Lord, enable us, increase our capacity to fulfill the great commission!"

3. Seeing the work is done together by all!