GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 6:7
Partnership
There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” which emphasizes the value of collaboration and community. In some cases, individual efforts might bring quicker results, but working together usually leads to greater and more sustainable results in the long run.
There are some projects where individual effort is preferable. For many years, my focus was on writing sermons, lesson plans, and class lectures. After gathering all the information, I began the process of molding it into a presentable form. On the other hand, I’ve found that many projects go much better with more hands. Recently, I drove by a new home-building project and watched the progress from the foundation up. There would often be five or more workers on the project, and the building took shape remarkably fast.
After being shunned by his hometown people, Jesus turned to evangelizing the surrounding villages, teaching wherever he went. It is likely that at least two things were happening. First, his disciples were getting “hands-on” experience in the ministry. Second, while Jesus could go from village to village, there were many more villages than he could reach. “And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” (Mark 6:7) None of the writers explains whether Jesus did the pairing, or the disciples made partnership choices themselves.
Throughout history, many partnerships stand out: Paul and Barnabas, St. Augustine and Alypius, Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, General Ulysses S. Grant and General William T. Sherman, and D.L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey, among many others. Jesus recognized the strength and value of like-minded partnerships.
Previous
Next
Directory