“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” (1:3-5).

    The substance of Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving is their participation in his efforts to spread the gospel. This participation is a Greek word you might have heard before: koinonia which means “co-operation” or “joint participation.” 

    Paul likely has in mind their financial support; look at 4:15-18: “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

    This phrase “giving and receiving” is an accounting term and very likely refers to receiving financial help from other churches and funneling those funds to Paul to support his mission efforts. Paul refers to their gifts as “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

    When Rachel and I received “care packages” on the mission field, it was a joyful time. Rachel received a box with hand lotions and perfumes from the South Green Street congregation in Glasgow, KY that every woman would enjoy. Whenever I received a package slip that we had a package at the customs office, I would go to the customs office with my passport, pick up the package, and bring it home before I opened it. The girls called it a “happy package.” It thrilled them to receive “happy packages.”

    Once, I picked up a box from a family in Walnut Grove, KY that felt so light, I wondered if there was anything in it. All the way home, about a 30-minute walk, I wondered what was in that box that was so light! Someone spent $13-14 to get that box to us; but it felt like nothing was inside. When I got home and we opened the box… someone had spent $13 to send us a $3.50 bag of Ruffles brand potato chips! That was a special gift! It was not quite a “fragrant aroma,” but we enjoyed our potato chips! Rachel bought some pork and we slow cooked it in BBQ sauce; we had a package of Ranch dry mix that Rachel made into a dip and we bought a 2-liter of Coke and we had a little picnic with that very expensive bag of potato chips!

    That is, in its own way, participation in the gospel. Paul says that what he did with the funds sent by the Christians in Philippi was a “profit” for them, increasing to their account.

    Their participation also included suffering for the sake of the gospel, along with Paul. Take a look at 4:14: “Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.”

    It included them praying for Paul; see 1:19: “I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”

    Whomever you support on the mission field, participate with them in any way you can. The encouragement they receive is immeasurable.

Paul Holland