# Should missionaries be sent out in pairs?



## yeutter (Aug 11, 2009)

The New Testament pattern and the pattern of the early Church seems to be that the Lord's messangers went out in teams of two. I can not find any one proof text to support this but if you look at the following verses a pattern emerges, Matthew 11:2, Matthew 18:16-20,Matthew 21:1, Mark 6:7, Mark 11:1, Mark 14:13, Luke 7:19, Luke 10:1-3, Luke 19:29, Luke 24:4, John 8:16-18, John 20:11-12, Acts 15:38-40


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## Pergamum (Aug 11, 2009)

Interesting.

How would we count a family unit then? Some of the PBers here would just make a pair, but a whole football team of 11 or 12 persons!


A team of two seems to mean that we send out singles, also, or at least men without there wives. What do we do with our wives and chilluns then?

Also, if this is normative, this was a short term trip it appears (the Matthew account). Should we make short-term trips the norm then, or strive for more resident long-term missions where the missionary and his family strive to learn the language and culture of the host people.

Also, it seems we are not to take anything with us? And have no home?




This sending in pairs in Matthew was to the Jews and not to the Gentiles, right (I have not the Bible in front of me, so I hope I remember correctly). 

Also, Paul lists over 40 fellow-workers in his epistles, that is more than just a pair, but seems to be an apostolic team.



I do not think this is normative for all. Although, I will grant you the point that NOT working alone as a Lone Ranger DOES seem to be a NT pattern. Group ministry rather than solitary one-man ministry seems Biblical, but I am not sure this group needs to be a mere dyad.


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## yeutter (Aug 11, 2009)

The Acts 15 passage indicates to me that the normative pattern is that two elders went out in pairs. In the one instance I can think of of a man being sent out alone, Barnabus in Acts 11, when he discerned a door was open to preach the Gospel; he went and brought Paul to join him.


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## Pergamum (Aug 11, 2009)

huh, interesting.

Whether it is normative or not, it seems a good pattern of teamwork.


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