Barnabas File

In a recent Faculty Senate meeting at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, President Molly Marshall referred to Matthew 9:17 in her devotional: “ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. " (NIV) If we are sensitive enough to perceive it, we will see new wine flowing today.  Our culture provides unique opportunities and challenges.  Men and women perceive the leadership of God’s Spirit to undertake new ministries.  Doors are opening up for ministry across ethnic and national barriers.  The Spirit of God is at work. How sad then to see attempts to force this “new wine” of ministry into old wineskins that attempt to constrain it and will ultimately produce only damage and waste.  What we need are new wineskins for new wine. Many of us grew up with 20 th century organization...

Since we were children, we have been part of groups on many occasions.  Many have been informal—gathering with friends for meals or recreation, for example—while others have been more structured—classes, work groups, etc.   We have all been part of groups, but how many us of have been part of a team?  How can we tell the difference?  Groups are made up of individuals.  Although they may be working on a common task, they still tend to think of themselves as individuals.  Each person brings his or her gifts and skills to the enterprise, but each person is careful in how these are shared, providing only what is absolutely necessary to “do their part.”  One reason is that rewards in a group are usually given to certain individuals—the designated leader or the high performers.  Interpersonal relationships are guarded and cautious. A team on the other hand not only has a common purpose, but the persons involved often have a role in shapi...

When I visited Conception Abbey recently, I asked for an icon of St. Barnabas.  I was disappointed to learn that neither the book store nor the Printery House at the Abbey had such an item.  Barnabas, one of my favorite characters in the New Testament evidently does not get the respect he deserves! Why do I like Barnabas?  Because he exhibits all of the best characteristics of a Christian coach.  We can learn a lot from Barnabas and how he invested himself in others.  The man we know as Barnabas was originally named Joseph.  He was a Levite from Cyprus who became part of the church in Jerusalem.  Because of his unusual generosity, the apostles called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement” or “son of exhortation” (Acts 4:36-37).  When Saul first appeared in Jerusalem after his conversion from persecutor to preacher, the members of the church were afraid of him. Barnabas became Saul’s advocate, bringing him to the apostles and v...

When I visited Conception Abbey recently, I purchased an icon of St. Patrick.  I chose this not as a means to facilitate worship but because of my admiration for the pioneering evangelist.   I often include George Hunter’s book The Celtic Way of Evangelis m on the required reading list of the Missional Church class I teach from time to time.  Hunter explains very clearly how a pagan people were won to the Christian faith, establishing an arm of the church that flourished in a period when other parts of the church were experiencing conflict and decline.  Although the role of St. Patrick in the conversion of the Irish is shrouded in myth and legend, this “patron saint of Ireland” is credited with the rapid conversion of the Irish to Christianity and the establishment of an enduring Christian community there.  Certain principles at the core of this outreach reflect the experiences recounted of the mythical Patrick’s life, but they are significant for u...

Jeff Cockerham is a smart guy.   Not just because he invited me to train coaches in his church, but because of the way that he enlisted church members for that training.     In my work with Pinnacle Leadership Associates, I train clergy and laity to use coaching principles in their congregations with the Disciple Development Coaching© process.   We recently began providing a congregational model for this training and Jeff invited me to lead it at Central Baptist Church, Fountain City (Knoxville), Tennessee, in August. I was impressed by the approach that Jeff took in assembling the group for training.  He sought out people in the congregation who were already invested in empowering their brothers and sisters in Christ.  These were leaders in various areas of church life who are already calling out the best in others.  In reality, they were already coaching other church members. So, if they were already doing this, why did they need tra...

How often have you found yourself in this situation?  You are visiting someone whose spouse, parent, or friend is suffering from dementia due to health issues or medication and your acquaintance says, “I don’t know this person any longer.  They don’t know me.  Where did all the memories, all the good times, go?” Compounding the situation is that those suffering from dementia may become angry or even threatening toward their caregivers.  Children who have loved and been loved for years are now strangers.  Spouses who have been involved in long-term loving relationships are outsiders or even antagonists.  Friends no longer have common bonds built on shared interests. How does a caregiver deal with the sense of alienation and rejection that comes from such situations? First, the caregiver should reach out to partners who can give perspective.  These may be hospice workers, family, friends, or pastors.  These people help the caregiver to ...

For many adults, 60 is the new 40.  As older adults remain healthy and active into their seventies, many seem reluctant to fade into the background.  In fact a number of older adults see their later years as the opportunity to undertake tasks that they had put on the back burner or to accomplish goals deferred due to the raising of a family and pursuit of a career. Chris Farrell of Marketplace Money reported recently, “ Millions of people between the ages of 44 and 70 say they want encore careers that combine personal meaning, continued income, and social impact. ”  Rather than devote themselves totally to recreation, travel, and time with grandchildren (all good things), they want to do more and make a difference in the world. Although I have not found a similar study conducted in the United States, research commissioned by Barclays in the United Kingdom discovered, “Entrepreneurs aged over 50 now account for an estimated 15% of all start-ups in England and W...