Two New Partnerships
Through the years, Northside has established and maintained working relationships with congregations in Japan; Scotland; St. Paul, Minnesota; Mexico; and Argentina. Last year, we helped start a new work in Salinas, Ecuador, and now we have started a new mission outreach with the Downtown church of Christ in the Kansas City, MO, metro area. Because there are similarities and differences between individual church families, how do we decide where to spend our time and energy? What is the biblical foundation for partnerships between such varied congregations of the Lord’s church? We seek partnerships with congregations with whom we share common values and with whom we fight a common foe.
In Ephesians 4.1-6, Paul described the common ground between Christians. “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
As individual followers of Christ, we try to live a life worthy of our calling. Our shared lifestyle, humility and patience, and our hard work enable us to find and keep unity. As we start each new day, we have one Lord and one faith and one God and Father. Amen.
In 1 Peter 5.8-9, the apostle speaks of the worldwide church (the ‘family of believers’) and identifies our common enemy and our common exhortation: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
We’re excited by our new partnerships in Salinas and now in the downtown KC area. (Note: We’re currently at 53.5% of our 2023 mission budget, so submit your pledge today.) May God bless our brothers and sisters, today and in the future.