You May be a Barnabas if. . .
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By guest writers Dave Earley and Tom Swanner.
Dave Early says you may be a Barnabas if...
... you get more excited about the ministry success of someone else whom you have helped than you do about your own success.
... you are content to do most of your ministry behind the scenes and off the radar.
... ministries that you have started tend to fizzle.
... you would rather listen quietly to the struggles of a young leader than lead an evangelistic rally.
... you get your greatest joy from watching the individuals that you have discipled become movers and shakers in the kingdom.
... you are awakened often in the night with an urgency to lift up your senior leader in intercessory prayer.
... you are more about what other leaders are doing than about what you are doing.
... you are often tempted to see the needs and inadequacies in senior Christian leaders and think of ways you can help.
Tom Swanner explains what it is to be a "Barnabas" in ministry:
Most of my life I struggled with thoughts of inadequacy and self-doubt. I was sure that I was supposed to be in some kind of ministry; however, I did not feel that I was supposed to be the lead in any Christian organization. I knew what it took to be a leader, and many times I found myself in leadership roles, but I never felt entirely comfortable.
One day I was studying the life of Paul. I realized that there was a person who was not only humanly responsible for Paul being in the ministry, but there was also a person responsible for keeping him effective at ministry for an extended period of time. His name was Barnabas.
Barnabas: Son of Encouragement
Barnabas was really a nickname that Joseph (his real name) picked up after the early believers learned what kind of person he was. The name “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement.” The longer I spend in ministry, the more I am convinced that this type of leader is vital for the sustainment of our campaign against the darkness. While we may see the need for real men and women of God to lead the masses, the often-overlooked need of the son and daughter of encouragement is just as fundamental.
The problem with being a Barnabas is that there is often very little recognition in the modern Christian economy for someone who is a second leader. People tend to ask, “Who is in charge here?” People want to get that guy’s attention so that they can get what they want. They do not ask for the guy who is not in charge of something, because that guy cannot give them what they want.”
“Jesus said that whoever would be great in God’s kingdom would be the servant of all (Matthew 20:25-28). As a Barnabas, you have a great responsibility. Your job is to keep the “Paul” in your ministry encouraged and on track. They do not need your criticism from the sidelines. They need your encouragement.
* Dave Earley and Tom Swanner serve at Grace City Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dave is the author of more than 20 books. Both hold Doctorates of Ministry.
** This post originally on published on Dave Earley's website in a slightly different form.
It is reposted here with permission.