The Lone Ranger was a famous western character originally from a radio program that also became a successful television series and a collection of many films. If you are unfamiliar with the story of the Lone Ranger, you may be led to believe that he acted alone during his adventures based on the name. However he rides with his trusty scout, the Native American, Tonto who nursed him back to life after being ambushed at the beginning of the story. The Lone Ranger needed his partner (and eventual friend) to fight against evil and for justice.
Duos are common in our stories and our culture. Every good superhero has a sidekick and every star quarterback has their go-to wide receiver to throw to. It’s a natural part of life to want to have a trusted friend by your side for the difficult times. In fact Jesus understood this part of human nature. He set an example for his disciples and for us today by sending out missionaries two by two. By doing this, He gave us a powerful pattern to emulate even in our time and in Biking for Babies!
Have you ever found it difficult to stick with a goal? I know it happens to me a lot! Sometimes it can be easier to give up instead of fighting through the tough times. When we have a friend at our side, it creates an accountability towards accomplishing the final goal. We don’t want to let the other person down or be the first one to quit, so we keep pushing ourselves to higher and higher heights. Having another person alongside us gives us the chance to pray for one another right there in the moment, even while pushing through mile 100 for the third straight day in the summer heat. The restoration process begins right there, whether it’s a physical restoration or a spiritual one (Galatians 6:1).
The early Church had the blessing of a lesser known apostle named Yosef ha-Levi. The apostles gave him the name Barnabas which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Barnabas, while known, is not a star character in the Bible and yet he is so important. His nickname was given to him because he was known to encourage others in things of the Lord. He encouraged Paul and John Mark at crucial points in their lives and led them to see their potential in the word of the Lord. Can you imagine how many souls would have been eternally lost if God didn’t put Barnabas in that position? Encouragement is necessary for all people during long, difficult journeys no matter how strong one is. I have been both a rider and a support crew member on Biking For Babies. While being on support crew, there were times I wished I was with the bikers. They are the stars of the show, the whole reason anybody comes to the events or donates right? Wrong, just completely wrong. From a biker’s point of view, we feed off the encouragement given by the support crew. It pushes us when we feel like giving up and our bodies are worn out. By having a friend provide encouragement, just like in Barnabas’ time it pushes the mission further than if we were alone. Every member of the route is important in accomplishing our goals.
Synergy. This is a buzz word in our corporate society today. We might hear it at a work meeting as a way to motivate us to work harder or smarter, but it can be easy to filter out because it’s easily overused. However it has an application in paired missionary work. Synergy comes from the Greek philosophy that the creation of the whole is greater than the simple sum of the parts (i.e. 1 + 1 = 3). Working together as missionaries can allow us to maximize our spiritual gifts, making them more effective together than they would be apart. When Paul went on his 2nd mission, he chose a man named Silas to join him. Each had a different spiritual gift. Paul’s gifts were of an apostle and a teacher (Ephesians 4:11) while Silas was more of a prophet (Acts 15:32). While on the mission trip, they added Timothy to the group who brought the gift of evangelism (Acts 16:1-3). They used their gifts together to reach more people with the gospel, establish churches and train other men in the truths of God’s Word. These things would have been much more difficult to accomplish by themselves. By inviting a friend to join on the Biking For Babies mission trip, it gives you the opportunity to grow your spiritual gifts together and use them to reach many more people than you could on your own.
Jesus gave us a perfect blueprint for spreading his Word to all people. By having a friend with us during the trip, our faith and mission can be intensified more than we can imagine. If you’re doing the ride this summer (or thinking about it!), find your paired missionary and invite them to join along with you. Don’t pass on the wonderful gifts God has waiting for you in a friend. Even if you can’t be a part of the ride, remember the friends God has given you. Use the times you have together to build each other up and maximize each other’s gifts.
Grab your pal and sign up to be a Biking for Babies missionary today!
