More Epaphrodituses

The church needs more Epaphrodituses* in it today. Some of you may be wondering, "Who is Epaphroditus?" Read the book of Philippians and you can learn about him. In short, he was a person, apparently from Philippi, who was sent by the Philippians to minister to Paul while Paul was imprisoned in Rome. While with Paul, Epaphroditus became sick almost to the point of death, but God healed him. Paul was sending the letter to the Philippians back probably with Epaphroditus. Your next question is probably "Why do we need more Epaphrodituses in the church?"

A short term mission trip provides an opportunity for churches to be like Epaphroditus was to Paul. It is clear from Paul's writing that Paul was encouraged by Epaphroditus and the time they spent together while in Rome. Epaphroditus brought items for Paul from the church, but he also brought Christian friendship to Paul. I suspect that he also joined with Paul for the time that he was in Rome in Paul's mission to share the gospel. I imagine that the time spent with Paul and the conversation between the friends was a witness to the guards assigned to Paul. I also imagine that Epaphroditus had opportunities to go places and see people to share the gospel that Paul may not have had the opportunity to do since he was in prison. As I have thought about this, I have thought that maybe this is how the church should view short term mission opportunities.

Galatians 6:9-10 make it clear that we are to continue to do good, and especially to those in the household of faith. Part of our sharing of the gospel on a short term mission trip should be to do good in general, but to also do good to those in the household of faith. We should be an encouragement to the ministry that we are standing beside when we are conducting short term missions. I also believe that we should commit to missionaries that we know and be an encouragement to them.

As pretty much anyone who knows me already knows, I go to New Orleans ... a lot ... and to the same place. I have been going for eight years. I have seen that as my friendship with the missionaries who are there has grown, I am able to be an encouragement to them when I do go visit. That does not mean that I am not out doing work in the community or sharing the gospel. It does mean though that I am showing them that I care enough to walk with them in the ministry where they are at. I bring words of encouragement with me when I come. I listen to the struggles when I am there. I am even able to meet needs sometimes. I think that it is encouraging for the missionaries to know that they can count on someone to be there.

Not too long ago I was listening to another member at our church talk about a mission trip to India last year and her intent to travel to North Africa to see another missionary in a year or two. The mission trip to India was to participate in the ministry of a man that our pastor has known for years. Although I have not heard the man from India say it, I am sure that he would tell people that it was an encouragement to him to have the group from our church there standing beside him in the ministry. It is an encouragement to know that the group is going to go back and report to the church what they have seen and heard and what the needs are. Our church was able to meet some of those needs financially. I think that this is very similar to Epaphroditus. Although the member's trip to North Africa probably will not be labeled as a mission trip, I think that she will be bringing encouragement to the missionary who will be there at a time when it is needed. I also suspect that the reports back will better enable our church to pray or meet other needs that may come up.

Part of my point is that maybe we need to actually verbalize encouragement to the ministers in a location as a purpose of a mission trip. This does not mean that we do not want to see lives changed - instead it means that we often want to see them changed more because that would be encouraging to the ministers there. This does not mean that we do not share the gospel - it means that we share the gospel more because we know that the seed has been planted and we are praying, as is the minister, that the harvest is here. This does not mean that we choose destination mission trips just to tour a new city or add a stamp on our passport - it means that we connect with places to invest in.

* I could have just as easily said Tychicuses or Lukes or Timothys or some of the others that Paul lists by name. However, I chose Epaphroditus, in part, because the trip for him not only involved risk, but because bad things happened to him while in Rome. We are not guaranteed our safety or health while performing the good works that God has laid before us. We also should not value our safety or health above the potential to encourage and share the gospel.