Within each of the Synoptic Gospels, we find a passage referred to as “The Mission of the Twelve.” In each of these portrayals, Jesus orders his disciples to go out and perform miracles with the stipulation that they take nothing with them. However, in the Gospel According to Mark, a single verse expresses a very important aspect of missions. Mark 6:7a reads, “He (Jesus) called the twelve and began to send them out two by two… (NRSV). Omitted by both Matthew and Luke, it is the “two by two” part that always catches my eye in Mark. Whereas we otherwise have no knowledge of whether the disciples traveled individually, in pairs, or in a pack, in Mark we are shown the importance of partnership.
I believe it is important to remember what Mark teaches us about missions. Each of our high schoolers is a member of a larger family of youth, and this Youth Family is a component of the First Baptist Greenville church family. What better way to demonstrate the importance of these youth to the larger church than for the larger church to partner and pray for each of them as they embark on an incredible journey to Puerto Rico this June? Over the next few months, we ask that each of you prayerfully consider volunteering to be a prayer partner for one of our team members. This commitment includes agreeing to pray for your partner every day, as well as writing one note per day that your partner can read while on mission. We also ask that you provide a small travel-size care package for your partner. Two by two, we can be the hands and feet of Christ in Puerto Rico.
— Will