And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles…And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. Acts 15:32,33,36
In this story or description of the work and walk of Paul and Barnabas in ministering to the saints; three things come to mind (vs. 36). Two were obvious and these were:
a. Care for their converts in respect of their continuance, stability and growth in their relationship with Christ, their conduct towards their world (past, environment and culture). Such fellowship was a necessity;
b. Commitment on the part of the two of them to the demands of the Lord in John 15:16.
The third was not so obvious,
c. the cost, both in terms of their availability and financially. What it would cost to make the journey and how this would be provided did not feature! The latter which was hardly spoken about is the waterloo of many of us, the distraction that has rendered us static and driven us to many unscriptural things and teaching of errors.
For these early apostles, communicating was a key matter in:
- encouragement of, and
- knowing the state of these converts, while
- responding with the greatest support, prayers, to any need they were faced with
They spoke to their challenges with scriptural precepts, and prayers, teaching them that the first port of call for any issue of life was going to the Lord on their knees. This is the reverse of how we conduct ministry in modern times, where quest for money as the solution to issues facing the believer precedes absolute dependence upon God to take the lead.
May the Lord touch the hearts of all His genuinely called ministers, so we return to the old paths. Shalom.
Pastor Afolabi Oladele
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