By Victoria Ostrosky
Barnabas is mentioned about a half dozen times in the Book of Acts. He was the guy who accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys, planting churches together. Barnabas also included a young John Mark in the group. At some point, John Mark deserted them and went back home. Some time later, Paul suggested he and Barnabas return to the new churches to see how they were doing. Barnabas wanted to bring John Mark along, but Paul said no, so they went their separate ways. Paul took Silas with him, and Barnabas took John Mark. Later, we learn that John Mark, usually known by just Mark, also ministered alongside the Apostle Peter, who refers to Mark as his son, because of his deep love and confidence in him.
Barnabas didn’t write any books of the Bible. Paul did, though – quite a few letters. And John Mark, well, he wrote the Gospel of Mark at the dictation, many scholars believe, of the Apostle Peter.
In the big picture, you might think Barnabas was small potatoes. Barnabas, however, understood the importance of mentoring. It only takes one person reaching out to another soul to set in motion a wind of change.
Dylan Beck, 23 years old, is from Alabama. He was raised by a single mom who, along with his grandmother, dragged him to church every Sunday. For Dylan, the church he attended was all law and no love. When he reached his teenage years, he had no desire to be in church. Like most who are not Jesus followers, he was influenced by the world. He began smoking marijuana and chasing girls.
Dylan, though, had always felt a call on his life. “I felt something inside of me trying to get out. Even hanging out with the wrong people, I felt that I was supposed to be more. Jesus was convicting me – calling me out of bondage.”
He moved to the Destin area when he was 18. About this same time, Dylan’s mom made a decision to break it off with her long-time boyfriend. Dylan, shortly before he moved, helped her find a place of her own, but the ex-boyfriend wouldn’t take no for an answer. He stalked her, and one night broke into her home, shot her, and then shot himself.
“I went into depression and isolated and looked for external sources. I smoked marijuana for a long time to mask my emotions, to cover them up.” Dylan’s once bright future was looking pretty bleak.
Enter, Travis. At the age of 19, Dylan and Travis crossed paths. They went to lunch and, over the meal, Travis leaned in and asked, “Do you have a personal relationship with Christ?” That one connection with Travis changed the entire trajectory of Dylan’s life. He gave his life to Jesus, started attending church and became involved in a men’s small group. “God changed my life over time. I had things to deal with personally and having that community of brothers in Christ for support has been priceless.”
Dylan loves to say how that one invite changed his life. “Someone taking the initiative starts with making your personal relationship with Christ a priority. It takes boldness to invite others to a small group.”
Barnabas was just one guy. One guy helped change the trajectory of the world. Walking with Paul and mentoring John Mark, and who knows how many others? The power of one.
As followers of Jesus, we carry eternity around with us. May we share it with everyone we can, as often as we can, for as long as we can.
You can listen to Dylan Beck’s entire story and enjoy many other incredible interviews on the weekly Road to Redemption radio show and podcast at www.rtrdestiny.com
Author: Sowal Editor
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