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By Dr. Marc S. Blackwell, Sr.
As you serve God, join with the others - cooperate, rather than attempting to be a so-called “lone-wolf.”
Christians to be like their Savior must / should prefer others over themselves, join in fellowship and upliftment of one another.
Paul, the Apostles, and the early- churches’ members (all), were edified in Christian love by an amazingly ‘network’ of servants of Christ in mutual fellowship.
What Harry Ironside called the “Gospel-band” was an interdependent “team” of co-labourers, yoke-fellows, and all were simple believers but also faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sir William Ramsay referred to this network of early Evangelists as being like ‘colporteurs’ or “fellow Gospel travelers on the Roman roads…”
Here are just a few in Paul’s ‘network’ ….
Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Dionysius, Damaris, Tychicus, Apollos, Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, Trophimus, Justice, Epaphroditus, Christus, Clement, Euodias, Syntyche, Phebe, Priscilla and Aquila, Epænetus, Mary, Andronicus, Juna, Amplias, Urbane,Stachys, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Narcissus, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, Philologia, Julia, Nereus, Olympas, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Tertius, Erastus, Quartus, Apollos, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus.
ADD YOUR NAME TO THIS LIST, if you would care to do so… and set out with your fellow servants to share the Good News of the love of God, the death, burial, resurrection, and soon return of Christ for His saints.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.”
Philippians 1:3-7
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Acts 17, 18 …
Romans 16
Philippians 4
1 Corinthians 16-20
