Right Hand Man

Every church leader must have a right-hand man. It can be one or a couple of individuals. It could be the whole congregation that one serves.

Good partners are hard to come by. In contemporary language, “a right-hand man is hard to find.” If you ask someone what a partner is, you will probably hear a plethora of responses. You also will most likely reply, “someone who works alongside you.” This sounds good on the surface, but what does it really mean in terms of ministry?

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

(Philippians 1:3–11 NIV11)

First, it is commonality. That is, to have certain things in common. Paul had the gospel of Jesus Christ in common with the Philippian Christians. Both are partakers together of God’s grace. They had the saving power of Jesus Christ in their lives.

As Christians, we all have this in common. Together we share God’s grace to us.

Secondly, partnership means commitment. Paul and his partners were committed to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. When he was called to spread the gospel to Macedonia and Thessalonica, they came to his aid. In fact, in Philippians 4:15-16 they were the only ones that helped him financially.

Today, we must be committed to spreading the gospel in our communities, the nation, and the world. Individualism has taken the place of our corporate commitment. We are all called to be partners in the ministry through our commitment to Jesus Christ, with each other, and in spreading the word of God.

Third, partnership means cooperative relationships. Partnership is a relationship which bears one another’s needs. It is relational both to God and to each other. It is cooperative, in that ministry functions together. We become associates, colleagues, and companions in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can become partners in our local churches, denominations, and worldwide by doing the following: praying for each other, thanking each other, encouraging one another, and seeking reconciliation. After all, this is what the Philippian Christians were doing to each other. 

Work and life in God’s Kingdom is bound together by common commitment that promotes cooperative relationships. As partners we can say to each other, I remember and thank you for the partnership we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let us be partners or right-hand people for each other.

 

Written by Rev. Stanley W. Jim

Pastor of Window Rock CRC, Window Rock, AZ