Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 1Cor 3:8

There are many differing thoughts on gospel labor. I have no doubt that gospel labor must be performed in the Spirit. Nonetheless, gospel labor can be done in many ways. In the letter to the Philippians the 4th chapter the 2nd verse we read that Paul beseeched Euodias, and beseeched Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. The aim of gospel labour is to produce brethren that are of the same mind in the Lord. A little further in that same passage we see women are said to have labored with Paul in the gospel. I bring this to our attention only to delineate that there must by necessity be a way to labor in the gospel without taking the stand and preaching among those that have been clearly marked as disorderly. Those whom the orderly have marked as disorderly are to be avoided. Those that labor together are one. The scriptural example to have fellow laborers with us when engaged in gospel labor with those that are not likeminded is to the laborers and the churches benefit and peace. This allows for the witness of the reception or refusal of the admonitions of the laborers. A gospel laborer would not leave unable to know the fruits of that labour. His witness could attest to whether of not the brethren received or refused the admonitions.

Those that engage in gospel labour must be of the same mind in order to produce any gain with the disorderly. If orderly brethren dissemble themselves, that is if they put on the appearance that all is orderly by preaching with the disorderly, they shall produce and suffer alienation from the orderly. I shall remind you of Alexander whom Paul said "the Lord reward him according to his works". The marks of disorderliness and non- fellowship are reward of the works of men walking after the flesh and not after the Spirit in this world. If a pastor persists in leading the flocks into the ways of death and orderly churches have so marked him and those that he serves, then the time to preach to him and his flocks has past. To preach among those that are marked as disorderly cannot be perceived as avoiding the appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). All the words in all the world will not change the facts that such activities appear evil and they shall be perceived as such. 

I believe that all of those that have been delivered from darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, the Lord's Church, are fellow laborers in the gospel to one degree or another. I often think that the women who laboured with Paul in the gospel did more benefit than some of our preachers today that deceivingly believe they have a "God given calling" to preach among those that have been marked as disorderly for non-fellowship. These preaching brethren whether knowingly or unwittingly only add to the confusion and shall bear the burden of their actions. No child of God revels in the end of the disorderly in this world.  I cannot believe the Elders are unable to discern that there is a better way to labour among those that are marked for non-fellowship than to fill the pulpits of the disorderly. They likewise must not discern that by filling those stands they thereby partake of that disorderliness. Elder Marty Hoogasian 10/7/2003