Kingdom Partnership

Introduction

Dear Friend,

In the last 35 years of ministry I’ve never had a partnership program. I’ve simply tried my best to obey the Lord and go where He’s said go and do what he said to do. In January 2007 when he instructed me to go back into mostly-time ministry, after 15 years of mostly business, I anticipated it would be the same. For the first year I was correct. Then He changed my strategy.

I’ve spent many hours in prayer, Bible study and consulting with my mentors, board, wife, and trusted counsels on this. It’s a huge step for me...a big change of thinking and action. I can’t and don’t take it lightly. I don’t want you to either.

What you’ll read in the following pages is a culmination of those hours of talks and study. It’s not perfect and it will change, no doubt – it has already. But it’s my best shot so far at expressing what I feel the Lord has shared with me. You’ll probably find it a bit linear, more like a study outline – but that’s just my administrative mind trying to say things in an easy to understand manner. I’ll get better at it as we go along.

The truth is partnership is all about relationship. It’s based in the family of God and establishing trust and a lifestyle of ministry. Ministry is about people, and to me partnership is definitely about ministry. At the end of the day I’m much more interested in how relationships have fared than bank accounts or material goods – though I believe the Lord will prosper all.

I believe partnership is a Kingdom way of getting ministry into our everyday lives – destroying the lines between church meetings and meeting as the church. It’s about using our gifts to bless each other – and that is my main objective.

I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of this idea. As you read it please feel free to make notes, and then send them to me to help me be sure to keep the Kingdom first in it all. I’m confident the Lord will continue to give us both more revelation as we progress.

Blessings!
Bill Greenman

The Kingdom Partnership Model

The New Testament reveals the Kingdom Partnership Model in both the ministry of Jesus and Paul the Apostle. The following outline gives clear and concise understanding of how this model works to the benefit of all involved. Pertinent words have been researched and explained concerning the original and deepest meanings.

It is interesting to note how in the Epistles Paul speaks of the abundance given and received by his partners and the same is exemplified by those who attended to Jesus’ needs. And Jesus was so abundantly blessed that He needed a fulltime treasurer. The clear implication here is the sowing and reaping law is working both ways - for the minister and the partners.

Partnership is a kingdom principle that is blessed by God to all parties involved. It is a two way flow of blessing that is augmented by the Lord Himself. There is no down side – only blessings. There are several levels of Partnership as we will see in the following passages.

1. Rights Of Ministers To Share In Partnership:

Here we see that it is the will of the Lord that those who are called to minster the gospel are not commanded to do so in a state of poverty, weakness, or lack of any kind. On the contrary, we see that those who minster the gospel are to be paid back in material things by the very people to whom they minister so that they can have a vibrant, full life.

1 Cor 9:3-14 – Paul’s defense of his ministry rights:

  1. Verse 4 – right to eat and drink
  2. Verse 5 - the right to take wife on ministry trips.
  3. Verse 7-10 - Soldiers, farmers, shepherds and even oxen – work in hope of being paid or sharing in profits of work they do.
  4. Verse 11 – if we sow spiritual things into others we should reap material things from them.
    1. Material (carnal) = things for the human body or soul
  5. Verse 14 - those who minister the gospel are directed by God to get their living from their ministry of the gospel
    1. Directed = commanded, ordained, ordered
    2. Living = Zao =
      1. to enjoy real life:
        1. to have true life that is worthy of the name
        2. to be active, blessed, and endless in the kingdom of God
      2. to be in full vigor
        1. to be fresh, strong, efficient,
        2. active, powerful, efficacious

2.Jesus’ Deepest Partnerships:

There were many women who Jesus had ministered to that followed Him for almost His entire ministry life and supplied for His needs – probably such things as travel, lodging, food, clothes, and transport. And several of these were women of means – some whose husbands worked in the Herod’s court, others from the business sector.

Matt 27:55/Mark 15:40-41/Luke 8:1-3: These women ministered to Him from their own wealth and possessions.

  1. Follow = be an attendant to; and or disciple
  2. Minister to = to serve
    1. supply material necessities of life - possibly raising money for them
    2. supply and serve anything that another may have need of.

3.Paul’s Deepest Partnerships:

Philippians 4:10-19 – Paul declared only over the Philippians that “my God will supply all of your needs” - because they “alone” shared with him abundantly and often in giving and receiving to help him minister around the world.

By stating the phrase “my God,” which is highly personal, in contrast to verse 20 where he says “our God,” which is corporate, Paul seems to be declaring that the benefits of his personal partnership with God (possibly even his apostolic anointing) would now flow into the lives of the Philippians as his partners.

  1. Verse 14 – Shared with me =
    1. Come into communion with - became partners
    2. to join with as an associate with someone
  2. Verse 16 - Sent gifts - at least twice when he wasn’t even with them
  3. Verse 17 – I seek that profit may abound to you
    1. Profit = fruit; results; advantage; praise
    2. Abound = to Super abound; to make increase in things
  4. Verse 18 – I abound in all and I am full and your gifts please God
    1. Abound = exceed a measure; great supply; overflow; excel; affluence; furnish richly.
    2. Full = filled to brim so nothing is lacking; supply liberally; make full
  5. Verse 19 – My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory
    1. Supply = same word as ‘full’ in verse 18
    2. Needs = base word for employment; business; necessity; duty;
    3. Riches = wealth; abundance of external possessions; a good that enriches
    4. Glory = opinion; judgment; splendor; radiance; majestic; most exalted condition

Notice the use of the word ‘abundance’ to describe the 2 directions of the flow of blessings – both to Paul and to the Philippians. These are not small amounts, but those that fill to overflowing! And the promise is that the flow to the partners comes directly from the Lord Himself, which means an unlimited supply of wealth, and it’s washed in the glory of God.

4.Receive a Prophet:

Matt 10:41 "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Jesus is very clear in pointing out the difference between receiving a prophet or righteous man and gaining that person’s reward. There are 2 different words used for receive in this verse. The first speaks of a meaningful relationship and the second of willfully and actively taking hold of the reward. Neither are passive, but rather they are aggressive in their nature. Neither is automatic, but relationship must be given and rewards taken as a act of the will and of faith.

Also, the word name here denotes an understanding of the person, their anointing and authority in the spirit and natural realms, which requires a high level of belief and trust in them. And rewards refers to that which the prophet/righteous man have earned through their work in the Kingdom of God – which we receive simply by the way we befriend and show hospitality to them. I believe this is what Paul was referring to in his letter to the Philippians concerning “my God will supply all your needs” He was referring to their opportunity to take hold of and enjoy the rewards of his apostleship work.

  1. Receive (dechomai) a prophet = to receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse friendship; to receive hospitality; to receive into one's family to bring up or educate; to take upon oneself, to sustain, to bear; to endure.
  2. Receive (lambano) a prophet’s reward = to take with the hand, to lay hold of, in order to use it; to carry away; to make one's own; to claim, to procure for oneself; that which when taken is not let go of; to take possession of; to appropriate to oneself; to receive what is offered; not to refuse or reject.
  3. Name = everything which the name covers, the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, that is, for one's rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.
  4. Reward = dues paid for work, wages; used of the fruit naturally resulting from toils and endeavors; used of the rewards which God bestows, upon good deeds.

5.Anything Useful and Needful:

Gal 6:6-11 – share all good things with those who teach you; you will reap what you sow – God is not mocked!

Here we see that the famous verse concerning God’s law of sowing and reaping is directly tied to that of partnering with and blessing the one who ministers to you. God declares no one will mock this law – it is in full operation for good to those who give to their minister partners.

  1. Share = become a partner or associate with them;
  2. Good thing = every useful, pleasant; excellent, honorable and enjoyable thing.

6.Food:

Matt 10:10 – laborer is worthy of his hire [hire = food]

The Lord is stating that when you go on the road to share the gospel your needs will be taken care of by those to whom you preach. Simply find the people in the area you go to who have spiritual and social ‘weight,’ who have value equal to what you are sharing - examine them strictly - and ask to stay with them. And if they do not show you hospitality (food & housing) and do not accept your teachings, then leave them and find those who will.

7.More Than Normal:

1 Tim 5:17,18 – give double honor to those elders who: a) guard, protect and care for the people; and b) work hard to the point of exhaustion to teach the word, for the laborer is worthy of his wages and don’t stop the ox from eating from what he’s working on.

This is probably one of the least obeyed commands in the New Covenant. It literally means to pay excellent leaders twice what a person get’s paid for teaching the Christian principles. Of course there is no set price for such work, but the clear Kingdom model is to pay in abundance that is overflowing the needs, as we’ve seen in the scriptures above. This is clearly speaking of material remuneration to the spiritual leaders among you.

  1. Elders = recognized leader in/over the congregation
  2. Double = two times the normal
  3. Honor = the value of something – the fixed price (not platitudes or compliments.)
  4. Wages = amount paid for work done [not food]

8.Pass Through Partnering:

2 Corinthians 8 & 9 – In Chapter 8 Paul uses the Macedonians gifts to spur the Corinthians on in making good on their previous pledges. He tells of how the Macedonians gave from the midst of deep poverty – and they gave liberally. In Chapter 9 he states that he used the Corinthians pledges to stir up the Macedonians. He then tells how the sowing and reaping law works, and then the benefits of such partnership for everyone.

Here we see Paul discussing with the Corinthians their pledges of partnership with him in meeting the needs of famine victims. He elaborates on the reasons to do so, the ways to do so and the rewards of doing so.

9.In A Manner Worthy:

3 John 1:5-8 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; …and you will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

This is perhaps the clearest exhortation for taking good care of the travelling ministries among us. The question we must always ask is “are we sending the ministers we are partnering with in the same manner/supply we would Jesus or as He would if He was sending us?”

  1. Send = on a journey with all prerequisite needs supplied
  2. Worthy of God = 1) as you would send Him; 2) as one who represents Him would send someone; 3) as He would send you.
  3. Support = welcome; show hospitality toward

I hope this short study has helped you see both the heart of God and our hearts in this unique area called Kingdom Partnership. While this is by no means an exhaustive study, it does lay a firm foundation to build upon. I know the Lord will lead you into His perfect will in it and I look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings
Bill Greenman

Site and hosting by VerticalExpressions