From the the moment Jesus went public with His earthly ministry, He surrounded Himself with people – disciples. He poured Himself into them during their time together. The Apostle Paul imitated Jesus’ lifestyle of discipleship by surrounding himself with people with whom he partnered in ministry and with whom he prepared for future ministry. Paul had disciples, too.
Should modern believers imitate this lifestyle? Absolutely! ALL believers should have disciples, not just the pastor or staff at your church.
Do a Google search for three essential relationships all believers need and the results will be similar across various sources. Every Christ-follower needs three types of people in their lives – a mentor, a friend, and a disciple. In other words, every one needs a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy in their lives.
- “Pauls” are mentors (spiritual fathers and mothers) you trust. All of us need older, wiser Christians who can guide us, pray for us and offer counsel. They help us negotiate the unknown, avoid spiritual pitfalls and offer a perspective on life that only an experienced relationship with the Father can offer. They challenge us to push forward, to keep our focus on Jesus, and to trust the Father. Ruth had Naomi. Joshua had Moses. Esther had Mordecai. Timothy had Paul.
- “Barnabases” are your spiritual friends – your teammates. They know you well and still love you. They hold you accountable. They speak truth into your life. They need your permission to be totally candid about all things pertaining to life and godliness. As a faithful friend, they seek your best interest.
- “Timothys” are Christians that are younger than you in the faith which you are helping to mature or grow in their relationship with Jesus. This relationship involves much more than passing on Biblical knowledge, but a deep personal relationship. It’s more than a teacher-student relationship, but a father-son or mother-daughter relationship. Interestingly, many of the skill trades use an apprentice system to pass on their crafts and accumulated wisdom. Christians should be the leaders in this style of passing the baton of the faith.
Answer these questions. Who is your Paul? Who is your Barnabas? Who is your Timothy?