God created us to have close relationships. When we don’t have these close relationships, we are actually living out of step with the way God created us.
The great people of God had companions, almost without exception. (The ones who didn’t often found themselves in trouble.) We could start with Adam and Eve. Moses had Aaron as his companion. The kings had their advisors. (Granted, some of them weren’t very good.)
In the New Testament, Jesus had the twelve disciples. When He sent out messengers to the cities where He was going, He sent them out in pairs. Paul always traveled with several companions, including Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and others. There is a definite pattern in Scripture of people doing ministry together.
“And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:12. There is a level of strength that comes from having friends who are looking out for you. Notice that it’s a cord of three strands, not ten or twelve. You don’t need an army of close friends. Just a couple of close friends can be your army.
“A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise.” — Proverbs 12:15. We normally see things from our own limited perspective. When we have friends surrounding us, though, we can take advantage of their expanded perspective.
Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are role models and examples for our congregations. People follow what we do, even more than what we say. We need to have close friends whom we trust and confide in so that our church members see how important it is. Then they will do it in their own lives as well.
– Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman
The above excerpt is from p. 113-115 of The Renegade Pastor’s Guide to Managing the Stress of Ministry.
Pastors Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman share their secrets to effective stress management with practical steps and insights that you can start implementing immediately! God wants you to be a fruitful, faithful minister of the gospel. He wants you, as a Renegade Pastor, to rise above average as you pursue God’s best for you, your family, and your ministry.
P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!
Your partner in ministry,
Nelson
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