I have a dear friend who, when he went on holiday, always visited people. He had friends everywhere and everywhere he went he visited everyone he knew. Personally I would have been totally exhausted doing this. We used to use our holidays to relax, be refreshed and reinvigorated so that once back home and at work we were rejuvenated to continue serving the Lord. However, there is a difference between visiting friends and visiting churches that have been planted.
1) Pastoral and encouraging visitation.
Ac 18:21 Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.
There are two ways missionaries do visitation.
1) The first is called deputation. They return to their sending country and churches, hosting meetings where they provide feedback. They share pictures or videos, provide lengthy explanations of their work and field questions. Although they do not openly ask for financial support, this is implied when canvassing for prayer support. There is nothing wrong with this, although as shared with me recently, a better option is when a local church sends out a missionary fully supported. Sadly, most Churches do not have the income to do more than a small donation per month over a specific period of time.
2) The second is what Paul did. It was not a report back. Rather it was to see how the Churches were faring. Did they need help in anyway? Though the more important matter to Paul was discipleship … strengthening all the disciples. The Greek says … “strengthening more” and means to “establish besides.” The picture is that Paul would come alongside the spiritual leaders (pastor, elders and deacons) and members of the congregation to stand beside them as he “establish” them more fully in the Gospel. This idea would be similar to Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28:18 and 20 … verse 18 … make disciples and verse 20 … teach them everything I have taught you. In particular, pastors and spiritual leaders need ongoing training. I call this input. They are always giving out. They drain themselves spiritually and emotionally, desperately needing to have someone feeding them. Without fresh ideas and new insights, there is no sharpening of iron.
Pr 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
In Paul’s case the Churches were far apart and his visitation and continued teaching would have been a huge help. The same is true in our world. Not every Church in the neighborhood believes the same thing. Ministry can be lonely for a pastor … and loneliness is a killer for a pastor. I would suggest that Church councils or sessions ought to budget for their pastor to go on at least two good conferences each year. Some might see this as a huge expense, especially if the pastor is sent overseas … but when you offset the cost against the spiritual input and that value to the congregation, it is well worth the cost.
3) Growing the pastoral team in Paul’s absence. It is amazing how God works by raising up men to help the ministry.
(1) He sent a man named Apollos to the Church. He was a Jew who came from Alexandria. We do not know where he obtained his Christian education from. The Gospel had reached Alexandria, but whether he was discipled there or elsewhere is unknown.
Ac 18:24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus.
Before we read on … it is imperative to grasp that God is sovereign in all things. Often we feel as though things will fall apart because a pastor leaves … and sometimes it does … but here, As Paul moved away for a season, God sent a man names Apollos to assist with the ministry. As you read through the letters Paul was inspired to write, you quickly see he had a pastoral heart. We also see he was a man of prayer … look at how he prayed for this church at Ephesus much later in time:
Eph 3:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Would he pray like this without praying for the pastoral team? Then he adds his faith in the sovereignty of God:
Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
I share this because I would believe Paul had a direct link to Apollos’ arrival, even if he did not know him. Paul was a man of prayer trusting God to provide for the gap he had left! You see, it is not about hurriedly appointing a replacement pastor. Rather it ought to be about trusting God through prayer to bring in the right man … His man … to do His work.
(2) Apollos’ knowledge of Scripture.
Ac 18:24 He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.
The term “learned” is associated with being skilled in the arts, literature, and history … present and ancient. The word “thorough” means mighty as in excelling in something. In his case he excelled in the knowledge of the Scriptures. The picture we have of him so far is a man who has an all-round knowledge of life. He was likely not young and had experienced life to some extent. Couple this to his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures. As far as we know, he was not a rabbi though he knew the content of the Scriptures exceptionally well. This is the type of man we need in the ministry. One who has experience life somewhat and who knows the Bible well. Before going to study for the ministry this is a great asset. I always feel that however good young men are (and many are exceptional), they lack having lived life. They need to minister too many who are much older than they are. People who have been through the mill. Men and women who have experienced all the hardships of adulthood, marriage, parenting, losing loved ones, facing difficulties at work, with the neighbors, struggling with governments who mess up, etc. Where a young man must learn, the best learning ground is working in the world for a season. Tomorrow we shall further explore the man Apollos was, but for today there are two parting thoughts.
(a) The first is Paul’s pastoral heart. We need men who are able and qualified to visit a Church who might be struggling … to encourage them. Perhaps all the Church needs is guidance, ideas and suggestions that have worked elsewhere and prayer.
(b) The second is Apollos’ experience. We need men for the ministry who have lived in the world and who have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. This will help them when they study for the ministry to be better pastors.
Father, thank you for the examples You provide in Your Word that help us to better do our faith and our ministry. Amen.