Romans 12:4-8 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 speak about the church being one body with many members. The members do not have the same function, instead they each have a gift that they use for God’s glory and for the benefit of the whole body.  

Each member brings their own gifts/skills and knowledge to the Church, and uses them to build up the body (1 Cor. 12:25), serve the Lord and His Kingdom to reach those outside the church, all for the glory of God. 

 

Some of the ways we do this is by:  

 

• Working on projects together  

• Partnering with and supporting other ministries  

• Providing and sharing resources  

 

In the early church, the churches were in separate locations, but they were not separate in support (1 Cor. 16:1-4). Though they were often miles away from one another, they stayed in contact, encouraging each other from afar and often sent support when they could. These churches were interdependent of each other.  

 

By working along side and partnering with churches, organizations, and individuals we don’t have to carry the burden by ourselves. We can work together to show others the reality of the Kingdom and live it out interdependently.  

 

We are made in God’s image, and we are not designed to be alone. We need each other. This goes against most of what society says about how we are to be independent, do it ourselves, make our own way, have our own business/brand/ministry, etc.  

 

It is very different, but it’s also what we were made for. Living and working together to live out the Kingdom.