Barnabas Initiatives
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With your support of CBOQ, we are seeking to enable and expand the mission and ministry already happening through our churches by establishing 'Barnabas Initiatives' to 'seed' and encourage mission-enabling, and the Holy Spirited work of pastor/leaders, as did Barnabas in the early church. We hope that such Antioch-like ministries will help transform local churches and also local communities. We trust that they will work towards becoming intentionally multi-cultural and that they will see themselves and act in ministry as those who are both 'sent’ and ‘sending’ in mission. It is an exciting time to be God’s Church. Through the seeds of these Barnabas Initiatives, we hope to build a future together as passionate, growing churches. |
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These ministries could be described as a ‘kaleidoscope’ because they are constantly changing, renewing and growing, with the varieties of people who are being blessed through the Gospel. They reflect God's variegated grace working through His People.
We envision our Barnabas Initiative churches as contexts for the training of lay leaders and students, for the ministry and mission preparation that comes through hands-on experience.
A Man Named ‘Barnabas’
There was a man in the New Testament Church that God powerfully used in the building up of individuals, of the whole Church (local congregation as well as the spreading communities of faith). We could do with a few more like him today. Perhaps we already have some men and women like this among us? Who are they – what can we learn from them?
Barnabas 
- was a generous man
- was an encourager
- had the gift of discernment
- was a good person
- was full of the Holy Spirit
- was a person full of faith
- was a teacher
- was on the cutting edge of mission
Barnabas was a generous man, this Joseph from Cyprus. (Barnabas was merely (!) his ‘nickname’ – this ‘son of encouragement.’ Unlike Ananias and Saphira, he held nothing back – or was at least honest in what he gave.
Barnabas was an encourager
Barnabas was a defender of the faith and of faith-full people. He saw the best in others – in what they could become, in spite of past failure. Banrabas defended Saul / Paul when the Jerusalem church was scared to death of Him. Was Saul, now returned from Damascus, about to continue persecuting the Church? Barnabus spoke up for John Mark who had grow tired or frightened ,or found the going too hard, and had returned early from the missionary trip he was sharing with Barnabas and Paul.
Barnabas had the gift of discernment.
He was able to discern the working of the Spirit of Jesus, not only in good people but also in good ministries. The church at Jerusalem sent him to Antioch to find out what was going on and to report back because in Antioch not only Jews but also Gentiles were coming to faith in Jesus. He was “a good man, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”
Barnabas was a good person
A good person is, of course, only one who has become a changed person by the indwelling Presence of the Spirit of Jesus 'who became what we are that we might become what He is.' We are being restored, through His Person and work, into the Image of God, and back to our rightful place and true humanity.
Barnabas was full of the Holy Spirit
It seems to us sometimes, that we hear our Saviour say to us: “I’ve seen you’re ministry; I’d love to show you mine.” What would happen if we walked more in step with the Spirit instead of rushing ahead or lagging behind, instead of coming up with a million plans and ideas and hoping God might bless one or two of them? What would happen if we were to discern what He’s doing and what and how it is He wants us to join in – this or that ministry, even waiting to be asked, or asking if He would use us and how and where . . .?
By the Spirit in us, is presented the very Presence of Jesus Christ – ever with and among His Church: speaking, loving, forgiving, doing the very things He began to do on earth until the time He was taken from our physical presence and discernment. Jesus, by His Spiri, continues His Presence among us and will do so until the end of the Age.
He was a person full of faith.
He had the ability to see not only what was, but also what could be. He could discern the Presence of God when others could only see problems, or problem people. Barnabas saw their potential.
Barnabas was a teacher.
He taught and he practiced, coached, mentored and led by example in the truths of God and in the life of faith for the sake of the developing community of God’s people. With Paul, he taught in the local church fellowship and in the wider community, for he was eager to build up the saints.
Barnabas was on the cutting-edge of mission in a new way and in a new day
Barnabas was part of the new people of God, part of the diaspora of the faithful who had fled Jerusalem following the martyrdom of Stephen. In similar circumstances, God's Old Testament People had found themselves in captivity in Babylon upon their exile from Jerusalem. In his day, Barnabas helped God’s New Testament People learn to sing the songs of Zion in completely new contexts and circumstances. He helped build up the Antioch church, comprised of a missional people (a community of faith largely formed by those forced into exile), a multi-cultural people as evident in the names, roles and make-up of the leaders of the body, albeit united in faith and missional purpose.
