One-Another Ministry—Just the UPS Delivery Guy? 

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that this week I’m leading a counseling lab small group at Faith Bible Seminary. In that post I asked: Equipping for Ministry—Just a Brain Dump? I also noted that I have one main premise when I lead this lab using Spiritual Friends.  

You learn biblical counseling by giving and receiving biblical counseling in community. 

Just the UPS Delivery Guy? 

Today I ask, one-another ministry—just the UPS delivery guy? 

Recently I heard an excellent message on the power of God’s Word. The fine speaker, committed to biblical ministry, concluded his message by saying, “We’re just the UPS delivery guy!” 

Hundreds of biblical counselors said, “Amen!” 

I said, “Amen” at first. I understood the speaker’s point: The power is in the message (God’s Word), not the messenger (God’s servant).  

But upon further biblical reflection, I have my doubts that this is truly a comprehensive biblical way of describing how God uses people and how God uses His Word. 

• Ephesians 4:15 teaches that the message of God’s Word is powerfully effective to lead God’s people to grow in Christ when the messenger speaks and lives God’s truth in love.  
• Philippians 1:9-11 teaches that the message of God’s Word is powerfully effective to lead God’s people to live Christ glorifying lives when the messenger unites love with depth of wisdom and insight. 
• 1 Thessalonians 2:8-10 teaches that the message of God’s Word is powerfully effective to lead us to live lives worthy of Christ when the messenger shares both Scripture and his very own soul. 
• Romans 15:14 teaches that the message of God’s Word is powerfully effective to lead us to disciple one another when the messenger is full of goodness and complete in knowledge. 

What’s the common denominator in each of these four passages? 

According to God’s Word, God’s plan is to use His message shared by the messenger whose character and love are like Christ. 

Now, if the UPS delivery guy is like Christ, then that illustration works! 

5 Pictures of the Messenger of the Message 

In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul addresses the question, “Does the Bible teach that only the message matters, or that the messenger’s character/motivation and the messenger’s relationship to the hearer also matter greatly?” 

He answers the question by explaining that the Word of God will be received as the word of man (1 Thessalonians 2:13) unless the Word of God is shared with the love of a father, mother, brother, child and shared with the respect/honor of a king/mentor!  

Ponder five images that Paul uses to picture his ministry of the Word. 

• Portrait Number One: The Love of a Defending Brother—“I’ve Got Your Back, Bro!” (1 Thessalonians 1:4; 2:1-17) 
• Portrait Number Two: The Love of a Cherishing Mother—“I Long for You with Nourishing and Cherishing Affection” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8) 
• Portrait Number Three: The Love of a Shepherding Father—“I Love You Individually and Uniquely with Guiding Love” (1 Thessalonians 2:10-12) 
• Portrait Number Four: The Love of a Longing Orphan—“I Love You as an Orphaned Child Bereaved of His Parents” (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18) 
• Portrait Number Five: The Respect of a Proud King/Mentor—“I Respect You and Am Proud of You” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) 

What’s Paul’s biblical point? The messenger of the message is important! We’re not just the UPS delivery guy! We are a brother, mother, father, child, and mentor! 

Equipping for One-Another Ministry 

When I teach using Spiritual Friends, I encourage each student (myself included) to ask throughout the week: 

“Could my counselee/parishioner/spiritual friend say this of me? ‘I experience you as a defending brother, cherishing mother, shepherding father, longing child, and proud mentor.’” 

You Can Do It Too 

If you’d like to train others for one-another ministry in a way that’s much more than like the UPS delivery guy, then download your free copy of the Spiritual Friends Educator Packet PDF Document or the Spiritual Friends Educator Packet Word Document.  

Join the Conversation 

What is missing if we train people for one-another ministry to be “just the UPS delivery guy?” 

RPM Ministries: Equipping You to Change Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth