Paul uses five terms to describe Epaphroditus...
1. A Brother
2. A Fellow Worker
3. A Fellow Soldier
4. A Messenger
5. A Minister
Epaphroditus made some key decisions which each allowed him to give his very best:
1. He was a People Lover
Question: Do you long for people?
2. He was a Risk Taker
Question: Do you play it safe?
3. He was a Tireless Worker
Question: Do you work tirelessly?
4. He was a Servant-Leader
Question: Do you lead the way in some area of service?
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How do you build a golden bridge for someone to come back home?
(with help from John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott III)
1. Start With Yourself – who built a golden bridge for you?
2. Practice the 30 Second Rule. Say something encouraging in the first 30 seconds. Philippians 1-Paul’s joy focused.
3. Let People Know You Need Them. Paul did with the Philippians.
4. Create a Memory and Visit It Often – Paul did this in his prayer for them.
5. Compliment People In Front of People – Paul supports Epaphroditus publicly.
6. Give Others a Reputation to Uphold – Those Philippians were in elite company.
7. Say the Right Words at Right Time – Paul was a master at the timely word.
8. Encourage the Dream of Others – They wanted a stake in this Gospel Enterprise.
9. Pass the Credit Onto Others – Paul gave the Philippians a lot of credit.
10. Offer Your Very Best – Epaphroditus gave all he had and then some.
11. Share a Secret With Someone – Paul told them they were the only ones that helped him.
12. Mine the Gold of Good Intentions – Paul affirmed their intentions.
13. Keep Your Eyes Off the Mirror – Paul never felt sorry for himself.
14. Do for Others What They Can’t Do for Themselves – Paul was in a position to bestow honor and he did.
15. Listen With Your Heart – Paul knew how much this meant to them.
16. Be the First to Help – Philippians jumped on this opportunity.
17. Add Value to People – By the time Paul is done, Epaphroditus is a hero.
18. Remember a Person’s Story – Paul knew their story of Acts 16.
19. Give With No Strings Attached – Philippians made no demands.
20. Write Notes of Encouragement – That’s why we have Philippians.
21. Live so as to be missed.
How do you do that? By becoming a brother or sister to those in this family around you; By becoming a fellow laborer in our common mission and a fellow soldier with common courage to represent Christ and His gospel; By becoming a messenger boy whose great delight is in serving someone; talking about someone else; living for someone else; By risking all that you are – for all that Christ is – for all that Christ’s church can become..
