The term synergy or synergistic conjures up images of business world headlines announcing corporate mergers and partnerships. The Merriam Webster online dictionary even defines it in business terms as “a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct business participants or elements (as resources or efforts)”.

The church, which so often borrows ideas and practices from the business world to demonstrate its ability to be relevant and modern, has been using “synergy” and even “partnership” to reshape Christian thinking for local and world missionary endeavors.

But if we trace synergy back to its origins, we will find that the word we thought we had been importing into the church from the corporate world actually started among the radical group of disciples connected to the early Christian community—with a much more profound meaning!

Paul used the word in his letters to the newly forming churches to illustrate how we are called as followers of Jesus to work together in a cosmic partnership with God for the reconciliation of all things. The word originates from the Greek synergia “joint work, assistance, help,” which comes from synergos “working together,” and is related to synergein “work together, help another in work,” from syn- “together” + ergon “work”.

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