I’ve really been enjoying discovering the New Testament word συνεργια / synergia. This word means co-work (syn- means together or cooperative, -ergia means work or labour). The English equivalent of this word is synergy.
In the New Testament this word is employed in various different ways including horizontally (co-work between people), vertically (co-labour between God and people) as well as with other nuances too.
Here is a list of the New Testament uses of synergia in its various forms.
Mk 16:20, Rom 8:28, Rom 16:3, 9, 21; I Cor 3:9, I Cor 16:16, II Cor 1:24, II Cor 6:1, II Cor 8:23, Phil 2:25, Phil 4:3, Col 4:11, I Thes 3:2, Phm 1:1, 24; James 2:22, III Jn 1:8
The more I have thought about it, the more I have realised that this word characterises so much of what we care about in mission, that it expresses so many of our values, whether cross-cultural mutuality (2 Cor 1:24), or charismatic expectation (Mark 16:20), or the sending and supporting role of local churches (3 John 1:8).
This short series of videos is a set of reflections on this important Bible word.
