Guest Authors

By Tony Cooke

Leaders in the Body of Christ today are searching for workers who will be loyal, faithful, and
provide quality service. They need people like Timothy, a man who remains a sterling example
of how supportive ministers can assist leaders today.

What made Timothy so special? In Philippians chapter 2, Paul said he didn t have anyone who
was like-minded, except Timothy.

PHILIPPIANS 2:2022

20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.

21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.

22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in
the gospel.

Timothy shared Paul s heart toward the Philippian believers and toward ministry in general. He
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was the only one who completely shared Paul s values, priorities, purpose, convictions, and
attitudes. Unlike others who were seeking their own, Timothy was not self-promoting or
self-willed. He had no personal agenda. That s what made him so valuable to Paul.

Timothy exercised ministry and leadership toward others in the context of serving and following
Paul. He added value to Paul by becoming an extension of Paul s ministry to the Philippians.
What set Timothy apart was his loyalty and heart-connection to his father in the faith.

Paul also told the Philippians that Timothy

will sincerely care for your state (Phil. 2:20).
Timothy was no hireling; his heart was totally involved in what he did. Seeking the things of
Jesus Christ and serving Paul were woven into the very fabric of his being. He shared Paul s
heart to the point that Paul said,
as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel
(Phil. 2:22).

How does this relate to us? Every pastor today is limited by the fact that he is a human being.
Though he is anointed by God, the pastor can only be in one place at one time and has limited
time and talents. No pastor (or any other member of the Body of Christ) possesses all gifts and
abilities.

God deliberately made us deficient by design so that we would recognize our need for one
another. The gifts He didn t give to me, He may have given to you. The gifts He didn t give to
you or me, He gave to someone else. The only way the local church can be successful is for us
to first recognize that we are individually deficient by design, then to honor and respect the gifts
He s given others, and finally to use them togetherin partnership and teamworkfor the
building up of the Kingdom.

Just as Paul needed Timothy to go places in his stead and to interact with people he could not
personally reach, pastors today are in need of Timothys who will represent them and function in
different capacities and, at the same time, be accountable in their work.

My prayer for the Body of Christ today is that there will arise a generation of supportive
ministers who will not have merely a professional, formal relationship with their pastors, but will
become true spiritual Timothyssupportive ministers who will be like-minded, who will sincerely
care for the people, and who will walk in true partnership with the senior pastor.

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