Two Are Better Than One

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 ESV)
"And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing." (Luke 9:1-2a ESV) 
"And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits." (Mark 6:7)
     God never intended "ministry," perhaps especially the ministry of announcing the Kingdom of God with its accompanying supernatural power, to be done alone. At least three reasons for this come readily to mind. The first and less obvious reason is that the message of the Kingdom of God is a message about "family" and loving, healthy relationships. A single individual, alone in proclaiming this message of family without any brothers and sisters with him/her to demonstrate it, is an giving an incomplete proclamation at best. In other words, the disciples who were sent out in pairs not only announced this new Kingdom and validated it through supernatural power, they also modeled it through their relationships with one another. It would, after all, be rather odd to have one person speak of "loving one another" if there was not "another" to love!
     I am quite convinced that this is one of the main reasons why Paul never traveled alone in his journeys. He knew that he was called to model the loving relationships of God's new family as well as to talk about it. The Apostle Peter, too, traveled and ministered with others (see, for example, Acts 10:23).
     A second reason that God intends ministry to take place through community rather than a lone individual is seen in the scripture from Ecclesiastes above: there is a strength and support in being connected with others. And in my opinion this is not just personal strength for the people in the relationship, but also an increased benefit  in terms of what God is able to bring to others through the partnership. In other words, as powerful as Paul's ministry was, it would have been less powerful if he had chosen to be alone rather than teamed up with Barnabas or Silas or Timothy and/or others. It may not be mere coincidence, then, that Paul's least fruitful time of ministry happened when he was alone in Athens--see Acts 17. There is a synergistic release of God's love and power that happens when His people choose to serve others as a team rather than alone. 
     The third reason that we should avoid the "one man (or woman) band" approach to ministry is perhaps the most obvious: there is too much danger for the raw power of the Kingdom of God to lead one astray when s/he is all alone. Jesus clearly taught that power alone is not a sign of God's approval or true fruitfulness but rather character is. It's character, not power, that most clearly demonstrates the Kingdom of God (see Jesus' rather scary words in Matthew 7:15-23). And character cannot be developed in a relational vacuum but obviously requires us to be in deep relationships with others. This does not mean, of course, that character alone is enough, but it's clearly the premier mark of authenticity.
     But if we are in healthy relationship with another as we experience God's power demonstrating His Kingdom's presence, we have a built in safeguard against pride and the "pedestal syndrome"  that people have when they see "success" and power in an individual. There's nothing like God flowing powerfully through your partner while you are in the background to help bring a healthy perspective to one's heart! There's also something good about having a partner remind you of whose power it is when things do happen through you!
     Western church history is littered with the wreckage of "great" evangelists and pastors who crashed and burned with painful consequences not only for themselves but for many others. But I am quite convinced that most of these crashes could have been prevented if those involved had gone out "two by two" as Jesus sent out the disciples. And it is my prayer that in these days of increasing supernatural power that God's people will return to ministering "two by two" so that the Kingdom will be modeled well, released in the power of a godly partnership through those who walk in humility with others.
    What do you think?


    Tom, one of Abba's many children