Florida, Philippi, and Fargo

Partnership in the Gospel

At Wycliffe's headquarters in Orlando they have what's called the Discovery Center. It's a fun, interactive center that shows the history of Bible translation and the complexity of languages around the world. 

As you walk out, there's a wall of names representing individuals and churches that have partnered with missionaries. On the wall there's a quote from a church leader in Southeast Asia after a dedication of the Gospel of Mark in his language. He said, "Please give our greetings in Christ to our friends in the U.S. And please express our appreciation to them for their partnership in the Gospel in this effort."

Entrance to the Discovery Center

My first assignment with Wycliffe is building a prayer and financial partnership team. Wycliffe uses the term "partner" because when someone comes alongside a missionary with prayer or finances, they are truly partners in that ministry. This is how Paul described his relationship with the church at Philippi: "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5, ESV, emphasis mine)

I love the relationship Paul had with this church; it's a beautiful picture of the Body of Christ. From his letter we know they prayed for him and he knew their prayers help him (1:19). He thanked them for the gifts they sent to help him with his needs (4:14-18). Paul prayed for them, and his prayers give us a glimpse into how much he loved them and how we can pray for our brothers and sisters (1:9-11). Finally, Paul is excited to see their generosity because of the fruit that it will bear for them: "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit." (4:17). What a wonderful example I have in Paul and the Philippians as I develop a partnership team for my Wycliffe ministry.

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