Don’t do it alone
These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas. Acts 20:5
If you have ever been in ministry, you know that you can’t do it alone. If you serve at your church, you are ministering to those who attend. Chances are, you are on a team of servers. Whether it’s greeters or ushers? Maybe it’s prayer partners or part of the worship team. If you serve in any capacity, you probably take a turn with the others on the team so that you are not committed to that position for every service. If you are in a church that you are covering an area every week alone, there is no doubt room for more help.
The apostle Paul had a team and he named several of them in today’s reading. In the past, when hearing messages about Paul or reading the letters that he wrote to the churches he planted, I always had the perception that he went from city to city all by himself to ministered to people wherever he was. But you don’t have to read very far in the book of Acts to hear some of the names of those who worked with Paul on his mission and purpose. In this passage he named five men that went ahead of them to prepare for his arrival. When Paul talked about them, he said they went and waited for “us”. Meaning there was still part of the team that stayed with him as others went on ahead to the next town or city to get things ready for when the rest of the team got there.
God never intended for us to do life alone and He especially doesn’t want us to do ministry alone. Teams are made to support and help each other and most of all, each person on the team brings their own gift and ability to the group that the others do not have. This is the way for a team to be the most effective. By utilizing each person’s talents your team will be efficient and make an impact on all those they minister to.
Today I want to encourage you to join up with a team of believers to serve and do ministry with. If you are already on a team, use your gifts and ability to help the team be successful in all they are called to accomplish. Pray for your teams and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on how to be the most effective as a group. If you are trying to reach out to others on your own, start praying for people to come along with you in your calling to help, keep you accountable and motivated. You cannot go far all alone because it doesn’t take long to tire from the load. Bring others along today and soon your ministry will multiply to reach the world.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 20:1-6
1 After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia.
2 Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece
3 and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
4 And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia—also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia.
5 These men, going ahead, waited for us at Troas.
6 But we sailed away from Philippi after the Days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days joined them at Troas, where we stayed seven days.
The Daily Dose 