Barnabas, the Alongsider

Yesterday I had the opportunity to tell something of my experience of ministry in the Hindu world with a lovely group of gospel workers online.

They asked me to share some lessons I had learned as an alongsider. You may not be familiar with this terminology, so let me help you catch up. The terminology emerged a few years ago among workers seeking a better way of working among communities who have little exposure to the person of Jesus.

For some time there has been a desire among gospel workers who have come to minister in such communities to enable insiders to work out their salvation among their own people, i.e., figure out a pattern of discipleship that does not involve them being extracted out of their community.

That may sound like missiological gobbledegook, but I think this is a sound desire that needs working out in each context in which gospel workers are seeking to witness.

It may be new terminology, but, as I argued on the call yesterday, it is an old posture. I love Barnabas in the New Testament. I believe he is a wonderful exemplar of what an alongsider should be. Here are a few observations from Barnabas’ ministry in Antioch (Acts 11:19-30):

1. It's interesting that they sent Barnabas, and not Peter and John, as they did to Samaria (Acts 8:14). Was it because they didn’t want the new gospel community in Antioch to be intimidated? Perhaps: it would be understandable if the new believers there would feel a little overawed at a visit from the apostles and, therefore, it would have been a wise move to send someone with a lower profile. But might it also be because the principle of the gospel crossing cultural boundaries had already now been accepted? There was no need to send apostles, just as there was no need for anyone to lay hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the principle that the Holy Spirit would fill those who turn to Christ, no matter where they were from, was now established.
2. It was clearly a wise move: when he arrived (23), “he saw what the grace of God had done” (demonstrating spiritual wisdom); “was glad” (no mention of any concern for apparent irregularity); and “encouraged them to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (he was no going to lord it over them and prescribe a set of rules for them to follow to demonstrate they were true disciples). Barnabas by name, Barnabas by nature (Acts 4:36).
3. We are then told that the source of his fruitfulness was that he was “a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith” (24) and that this seems to be the reason that a “great number of people were brought to the Lord”.
4. Lastly, Barnabas realises that there is a great need here for teaching (26). But rather than simply setting about drawing up a teaching programme for the new community, Barnabas makes a difficult decision, that may have been questioned by some: he leaves them to walk (presumably) to Tarsus (136 miles away) to fetch Saul (25). By my calculation that would have taken two or three weeks. Clearly he does this because the ministry was too much for him and he knows just the right man to help him. He was not precious about this new ministry he that had fallen into his lap.

Oh, for more Barnabases, with lives marked by godly character, the fulness of the Holy Spirit and faith, the wisdom to observe before judging, and the joy of recognising a work of God through the fog of divergent phenomena.