What can we learn from ‘both/and’ characters in the Bible?
7 March 2021 - 7pm Service
Both / And: Paul & Barnabas
This Sunday we finish our current preaching series Both / And with a message from Hannah Michell on ‘Paul & Barnabas’.
In this series, we’re exploring some of the rich characterisations of people we don’t often look at from the Bible.
In particular, we’ll be focusing on issues raised in these contrasting personalities. The people we’re focusing on will show different examples of what ambition, leadership and servanthood looked like and how their own strengths and weaknesses affected them and those in their lives.
Remember, earlier today at the 11am service we heard Tim Dobson speak on the same topic. Go check it out
DISCUSSION NOTES
INTRODUCTION | Acts 4:36-37, 9:27 | Acts 11v22-26, 13:1-2 | Acts 15:36-40
Key thought: How do we manage tensions between encouraging people (Barnabas) and being strategic in ministry (Paul)?
The body of Jesus is made up of many different kinds of people with different personalities, skills, gifts, likes and dislikes. As we choose to work together in unity, across these differences, the kingdom of God can grow in great leaps and bounds.
I can sometimes put people into two groups. Are you a people person or a project person?
A people person can be more pastoral and is more concerned about the people involved in church, their stories, their needs, their wellbeing and their interests.
A project person can be more activist and is concerned with seeing things happen, addressing injustices, organising responses, planting churches and achieving outcomes.Barnabas - Was he more of a people person?
His name was Joseph, but he had the nickname "Son of encouragement". He was obviously very good a encouraging people! Acts 4v36
He sold some property and gave the money to feed the poor. Acts 4v37
When others were suspicious of Paul, he went looking for him and stood up for him. (Acts 9v27)
As he ministered to people, he grew in his gifts (encouragement 4v36 - generosity 4v37 - teacher 9v26 – evangelist 11v24 - prophet 13v1 - miracles 14v3 - apostle 4v14)
Paul - was he more of a project person?
He was a man with great focus and zeal (for Yahweh before his conversion and for Jesus afterwards)
He knew with certainty that he was an apostle called by Jesus to go to the Gentiles.
He was a strategic church planter, visiting major cities and staying there until a church was effectively established.
He wrote numerous letters to build up churches and address error.
Nothing (ship wrecks, stoning, beating, imprisonment etc) was going to stop him fulfilling the kingdom project of seeing the Gospel of Jesus reaching the then-known world.
STUDY QUESTIONS
These are two ends of a spectrum and each of us will be somewhere along the line.
1. God has created each one of us differently. Would you say you were by preference, more a people person or a project person? Is one better than the other?
2. Many of you may have done some kind of personality test (Meyers-Briggs, Enneagram etc). How has this helped you and the way you relate to other people with different personalities?
3. When they worked together Paul and Barnabas saw great growth and churches being planted. (Acts ch9-15, esp Antioch Ch13)
When they had a disagreement (Acts 15v36-40) over John Mark, they split company (Barnabas was committed to the person, Paul felt that Mark threaten the mission project)
When have you let differences in personality or preferences disrupt a kingdom venture (or a church relationship)?
4. The Body of Jesus (including Woodlands) needs both people and project team players in order to see Bristol transformed with the love and power of God. What can we do to work together best, overcoming tensions and valuing each others’ contributions, as we build back after the pandemic?