Encouragement

One of the interesting things about my ministry in Tyler was having eight or nine former Baptist pastors in that congregation. I tried to take them all out to lunch periodically, just to listen to their stories of ministry as well as to ask their opinions on how they perceived things going in that congregation. For the most part they were given to being positive members, wanting the church to succeed. But occasionally one or two of them would lapse into “Well, when I was preaching I would . . .” where they would give more than a full-blown description of their ministry methodology. I tried to file those comments away in my mind for the time when I would be a congregant in a church with another pastor as things I didn’t want to say! However, in this group of ministers there was a man who became a pastor to the pastor. His name was Ron Prince, and he had pastured several churches in northwestern Louisiana. He was bright, eloquent, humorous and flamboyant in the best sense of that word. In short, his name fit his character, because he was a “prince” of a guy. What endeared him to me was the fact that he was a “low maintenance” church member, one who did not demand or require a lot of attention; but one who was faithful in quiet, positive ways. Each Sunday he would come out the door where I was shaking hands with people who were leaving, lean over and pull me close, and say something specific and positive about the sermon I had just preached. He not only paid attention, but he paid a pastoral compliment. On several occasions I went to him for advice, and he was always thoughtful, reflective and wise. He made the pastor a better pastor. Why, if I could have, I would have nicknamed him, “Barnabas,” which means “son of encouragement”, because he was such an encourager to me and so many other people.

By the way, I have always been drawn to the biblical Barnabas, that leader in the early church whose magnanimous grace blessed so many people. His original name was Joseph, but he will always be remembered as Barnabas because of the way he looked for the best in people. He was, in fact, responsible for the rehabilitation of at least two of the early church leaders – John Mark and Paul – and who knows how many others. Paul gets most of the accolades in those beginning years of the church, but I think it was the quiet encouragement of Barnabas who went behind Paul, graciously interpreting Paul’s sometimes direct and pungent words, pulling people together, and constantly exuding a Christ-like spirit.

This Barnabas model, it seems to me, has always been a foundational way the church is built. People are pulled together by grace and for grace. Barnabas understood that in such positive ways. I think we would do well to do the same. Today, consider someone you know who could use a sincere word of encouragement for what they mean to God’s kingdom. Paul’s life and letters are testimony to the quiet encouragement he once received from a man called Barnabas.