You Can't Have One Without The Other
Of late, a few have been laboring to show that the sponsoring church is necessary before there can be cooperation. Their arguments are based on a definition of the word "cooperation" as given by Webster. They state that you cannot have independent action and joint action (cooperation) at the same time. I wonder if those who make the argument have ever really seriously studied through the argument?
Can you have joint action without first having independent action? Let us notice a few illustrations. In the V8 motor of a car, two pistons are set opposite each other, and in the operation of the motor, you have cooperation (joint action) between these cylinders. But let one of them quit firing and what is the result? You no longer have cooperation. The reason: INDIVIDUAL ACTION OF ONE CYLINDER STOPPED! You can't have one without the other!
Two men are cutting wood with a cross-cut saw. You have cooperation (joint action). One man turns loose of his end of the saw. What happens? You no longer have cooperation. Why? THE INDIVIDUAL ACTION OF ONE OF THE MEN STOPPED! You can't have one without the other.
A husband and wife are cooperating in keeping down needless expenses in the family. This is cooperation (joint cooperation). The wife changes her mind and goes on a spending spree for things not needed. The cooperation stopped. Why? THE INDIVIDUAL ACTION OF ONE OF THE PARTY STOPPED! You can't have one without the other!
Now, for a New Testament example: When members of the church give upon the first day of the week, this is cooperation (joint action) within the congregation. But Paul, in his instructions to the church at Corinth, said to Christians, "Upon the first day of the week, let each one of you lay by in store ...." (1 Cor. 16:2.) In cooperation within the congregation then, there must first be individual action. Let the action individual stop, and the cooperation stops. You can't have one without the other!
Note: The author is well aware that you can have "individual action" without "joint action." But you can't have joint action without individual action.