Reimagine Encouragement Through the Life of BarnabasSample

Faithful Partnership in Ministry

How do you respond when someone you’ve mentored or served alongside starts to outshine you? When their gifts attract more attention than yours? When they become the one everyone wants to hear from? That’s one of the great tests of character. Can you genuinely celebrate others’ success, or do you feel threatened by it? Barnabas shows us what secure, kingdom-minded leadership looks like: finding deep joy in developing others—even when they surpass us.

When news reached the Jerusalem church that Gentiles in Antioch were coming to faith in Jesus, they sent Barnabas to investigate. What he found was unmistakable evidence of God’s grace. His response? True to form, “he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.” (Acts 11:23, NIV)

But Barnabas didn’t stop there. He recognized the church’s rapid growth and diverse makeup required more leadership than he could provide alone. So, he made a bold and selfless move. He traveled to Tarsus to search for Saul, who had been sidelined since his conversion. When he found him, Barnabas brought him back to Antioch. For an entire year, they taught together and helped ground this young, vibrant church. This decision speaks volumes. Saul’s gifts didn’t threaten Barnabas—he sought them out. He didn’t feel the need to stay at the center of attention; he gladly shared the spotlight. He saw leadership as something to be multiplied, not hoarded.

Later, when the Holy Spirit called both Barnabas and Saul to be sent out as missionaries, the church prayed, fasted, and commissioned them. On that journey—Paul’s first—God used them to plant churches across Cyprus and southern Turkey. At first, Barnabas led the team. But over time, Paul’s leadership took center stage. (Luke refers to them initially as “Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2, NIV), then “Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 13:43, NIV), and finally “Paul and his companions”(Acts 16:6, NIV)) Remarkably, Barnabas didn’t resist this shift. He embraced it. His goal wasn’t personal recognition—it was kingdom advancement.

Their partnership offers a powerful model for ministry today. True encouragement isn’t a solo act. It thrives in collaboration. It multiplies through shared leadership. It flourishes when we invest in others, not just to help them grow, but to launch them into greater impact than we could ever have alone.

Barnabas’s humility and maturity are a needed challenge in our culture of competition and platform-building. He didn’t cling to status or need to be the main voice in the room. His joy came from seeing others thrive in their God-given calling—even when that meant stepping into the background.

What if we embraced that mindset? What if we measured success not by how indispensable we become, but by how many people we’ve empowered and released?

Reflection Questions:

1. How comfortable are you with sharing leadership or the spotlight in ministry or work situations?
2. Who could you partner with to multiply your impact in encouraging and serving others?

Prayer:
God, help me be a faithful partner who builds others up and shares leadership for the sake of Your kingdom. Guard me from selfishness and pride. Let me find joy in others’ success. Amen.