Every Christian believer is actually, and expected to demonstrate it in reality, a worker, a laborer with God. Notice this phrase in II Corinthians 6:1, “For we are God’s fellow workers…” (ESV); also I Corinthians 16:16, “… working together with him.” The Greek word is based on sunergos, “sun” is together and “ergos” means to act (from the same root as we get “energy”).
Paul mentioned a host of people who were fellow workers with him. There was “Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus” (Romans 16:3), “Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ” (Romans 16:9), and “Timothy, my fellow worker” (Romans 16:21). Add to those “Titus… my partner and fellow worker” (II Corinthians 8:23), “Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier” (Philippians 2:25), and “Philemon our beloved fellow worker” (Philemon verse 1). Plus a host of others, including Luke the physician who travelled with Paul many times, and all the unnamed ones, “the rest of my fellow workers” (Philippians 4:3). (Now there’s a free bible study for you!)
It is obvious that Paul, who changed the face of Christianity through his missionary travels and letters, didn’t do it all himself. Even some of his letters were physically penned by others as he dictated them. And it should be obvious also that whatever the Wades have been able to accomplish in over 55 years of ministry has been with the help, support and prayers of many fellow workers also.
Take for example our ministry in the US. After we had spent three years living in Ohio, being fellow workers with another organization, we returned to Australia and continued our teaching ministry in our homeland. We had published many magazine articles and small booklets, so I compiled 12 of the articles into a paperback book in 1974 and told our US friends about it via snail mail (the pre-Internet age). Soon we saw the need to locate stock in the US for the convenience of our friends there, and a small quantity of our first few books were kept by Ky Eshelmann in Covington, Ohio.
A couple of years later Bob Roberts of Lorain, Ohio, who had read our articles when we were with the previous organization, asked if he could help by stocking all our books and tapes, which he did for maybe a dozen or more years. He helped our ministry greatly by giving us a solid base from which to minister as well as being a great host and friend. In 1995 when our website went live, Bob was slowing down and not ready to go on the internet (he passed away a few years later).
I felt led to ask Geraldine Johnson in Petaluma, California, if she would be willing to stock and mail out the books. We first met Geri at the Mendocino Woodlands camp in 1979 (I think) and we met her on every visit to the US since then, staying many times with her in the family home. Geri became a dedicated saint at the family camps and gladly took on this aspect of the ministry in 1995. Now 19 years later and much product mailed out to believers across the US and other parts of the world, Geri has asked for a replacement. The US corporation has decided on a different method of fulfillment and Geri is going to enjoy her retirement.
What a great example of a “fellow worker in Christ,” a true friend, supporter, pray-er, with a large dose of the ministry of “helps” (I Corinthians 12:28). We thank you for all you have done, Geri, and pray that you will have many years of happiness and blessing in your rural retreat in the great state of Oregon.
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