God has ordained three key social institutions for the purpose of relationships; these are marriage, family, and the local assembly of believers, called the church. The church, also called the body of Christ, is God's source of relationships in a scope broader than that of marriage and family. It's where we develop relationships that sustain us and strengthen us, that provide more than any single family can. The church is God's way for us to be part of something much larger than ourselves, to give us a sense of identity and security in a world not always friendly to followers of Christ.

The New Testament word for relationships and synergy is "koinonia". We usually translate it as "fellowship," but it literally means oneness or partnership. And while the word is not used, the idea is found in such great verses as Hebrews 3:13, "exhort one another daily" and Hebrews 10:24-25, "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works exhorting one another". The apostle Paul founded the Philippian church ten years before he wrote this letter to its members. But his deep relationship to them is evident. In this letter Paul pours out his heart to his beloved Philippian brothers, using personal pronouns like "I," "me," and "my" over 100 times. He is not writing about himself, but about his love for the Philippian believers.