Sent Together

When Jesus sent out his disciples, he did not send them one by one. He sent them two by two.

That detail is easy to overlook. We often focus on where they were going, what they were called to do, or the authority Jesus gave them. Yet the manner in which they were sent matters: They were sent together.

In a culture that celebrates individual achievement and self-sufficiency, many of us functionally assume that ministry is ultimately a solo endeavor. We may be surrounded by people, but we often feel responsible for carrying the burden ourselves. Sometimes this is painful. Pastors can feel isolated. Ministry leaders feel alone in making difficult decisions. Volunteers can wonder whether anyone sees their struggles.

The biblical story offers a different picture.

From the beginning, God created people for relationships and connection. Moses had Aaron. Ruth had Naomi. David had Jonathan. Jesus moved through the world with his disciples. Paul traveled alongside Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and others. The early church devoted themselves not only to teaching and prayer, but to a shared life together. 

Time and again, God's work advances through communities rather than isolated individuals.

We are meant to serve in community. But being sent together does not mean we always agree. Anyone who has served in ministry knows that relationships will be messy. We bring different gifts, personalities, experiences, and perspectives. Yet it is often through these very differences that God shapes us and strengthens our witness.

As the Christian Reformed Church approaches Synod 2026, let us explore together what it means to be sent together.

Over the past several years, our denomination has experienced significant change. We have wrestled with difficult questions and experienced painful disagreements. For many, these years have brought grief. For others, relief. For most, a mixture of emotions.

Yet through it all, the calling of the CRC has remained remarkably consistent.

Week after week, congregations gather around Word and sacrament. Deacons serve those who are elderly, ill, or newly born. Elders shepherd their congregations. Church planters have established new ministries and churches in communities that now can hear the Word. Missionaries share the gospel around the world. Volunteers serve communities in need across the globe. Students are discipled. Refugees are welcomed. Neighbors in crisis receive support. The work of God's kingdom continues.

That is what strikes me when I think about the phrase "Sent Together." It is not a claim that we agree on everything, nor is it not a denial of the real challenges we have faced. Rather, it is a reminder that Christ's mission has always been larger than our disagreements.

The CRC has never been merely a collection of separate congregations. We are a covenant community. Through our congregations, classes, agencies, educational institutions, and Synod itself, we discern together, serve together, and participate together in God's work.

As delegates prepare to gather at Synod 2026, perhaps "Sent Together" invites us to remember what brought us together in the first place. Before we are delegates, officebearers, ministry leaders, or members of particular congregations, we are followers of Jesus Christ. We confess one Lord, share one faith, and participate in one mission.

The world around us is hungry for communities marked by grace, humility, and love. What might it look like if the CRC approached this moment not merely as a time for decision-making, but as an opportunity to bear witness to Christ together? 

Being sent together means recognizing that God's mission is bigger than any one congregation, classis, or perspective. It means remembering that the church belongs to Christ. It means trusting that the Holy Spirit continues to work through imperfect people as we seek to discern God's leading together.

In a culture where division often seems inevitable, the church has an opportunity to model something different. We can hold our convictions deeply while extending grace generously. We can speak truthfully while listening carefully. We can acknowledge our differences while remaining committed to the shared mission God has given us.

Our mutual sending is an invitation. It calls us to resist isolation and embrace the relationships God has given us. It challenges churches to see ministry not as the work of a few gifted individuals, but as a shared calling. It reminds us that God's mission is something we participate in alongside one another.

As we look ahead to Synod 2026 and beyond, perhaps the question is not simply, "Where is God sending me?" Perhaps we should also ask, "Who is God sending with me?"

The good news is that we do not answer that question alone.

We are not held together primarily by shared history, institutional structures, or even complete agreement. We are held together by Jesus Christ, who gathers, protects, and preserves his church through his Spirit and Word.

We are sent by Christ. We are empowered by the Spirit. And we are sent together.