Marriage with a Mission
Since my husband and I first heard the names Aquila and Priscilla, we were captivated. Always mentioned together, and with repeated gratitude from Paul for their impact on the church, this couple became a source of inspiration for our own marriage. Although their names appear only 6 times, their impact has reached much further than the handfuls of words that comprise their written story.
In an effort to humanize Aquila and Priscila further, I’ve caught myself speculating about what their relationship might have looked like, but scripture doesn’t provide a lot of details about the inner-workings of their daily life. Each passage does, however, point to the pillars of their lives and how God used them to impact the early church.
Pillar 1: They were willing to face the unknown.
Although they were considered foreigners in many of the places they lived, they didn’t let it stop them from connecting and investing in the people around them. The first mention of Aquila and Priscilla identifies them as exiles from Rome, having found their new home in Corinth where they first met Paul. (Acts 18:1-3). And then again, demonstrating a willingness to face new and unknown destinations, when Paul was ready to move on with his missionary journey Aquila and Priscilla accompanied him, eventually arriving in Ephesus. God had equipped them for both of these moves.
Pillar 2: They welcomed others into their home to further the gospel.
A house is just a building, but the home is a special place where you recognize the privilege of gathering people together. Each time people step inside, it’s a chance to encourage, teach and impact others’ lives. Aquila and Priscilla knew this truth. When they met a Jew named Apollos in Ephesus, they recognized a gift he had that was falling short of the whole truth. Scripture says that they “heard him, invited him to their home and explained the way of God to him more adequately.” (Acts 18:26) Then later, Paul mentions “the church that meets at their house.” (Romans 16:5 and 1 Corinthians 16:19). Aquila and Priscilla kindled the fire of the early church through fellowship in their home.
Pillar 3: They served and worked TOGETHER.
By mentioning their names jointly in all 6 passages, Paul reinforces the fact that Aquila and Priscilla’s actions, thoughts and mission were unified. Now, we may not all be equipped to work together with our spouses in our vocational work, but we can all work together in our missional lives. We can encourage, support and fill in the gaps for one another.
At the end of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, we learn that Aquila and Priscilla were living back in Rome after the emperor Claudius had died and the exile had ended. Paul wrote to the church, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their lives for me, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles” (Romans 16:3-4). Wow, their impact echoed. Both near and far, the ripples of their ministry were felt across “all the churches of the Gentiles.”
These key elements can serve as a framework of how live out a marriage that becomes its own ministry. United. Together. In the name of the Lord.
I pray that as we unite with our spouses on the big-picture purpose of life, God will give us new sight to recognize the ways that we were purposely paired together. And that when we recognize the power of unity in our marriages, our homes will become bright reflections of God’s glory. Drawing people into our homes to discover a deeper knowledge of God.