Change Your World Pt. 2

Pastor Ryan Binkly

5 minute read

 

As a pastor of a church, I’ve learned to recognize the importance being a part of a team has in bringing about change in your life, family, community, and world. Many people of you reading may not know, but I’m a bi-vocational pastor. God has blessed our business, and I am honored to take on the roles of both pastor of Create Church and CEO of Generational Equity. By taking on both positions, I’ve learned incredibly valuable lessons about leading teams.

Scripture is clear that having a team of close friends can bring about greater support, guidance, and growth in your spiritual journey. It’s like how the old saying goes, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” But if you’ve ever had a friend for more than a few weeks, you know unity is something you have to fight for. It doesn’t come easily.

One of my favorite scriptures is found in Ephesians 4, and reads:

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT

This is known as the Five-Fold Ministry, and it’s incredibly important for Christians to understand. Pastors, prophets, apostles, teachers, and evangelists aren’t meant to lead the church; they’re meant to equip the church. These gifts are vital until Jesus can unify us permanently. To be a healthy church, Create Church must be a part of a team of apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors.

But let me break it down further.

It takes a team of friends to change a community. 

Let’s start with you. 

Having a team of friends can bring a lot of benefits to your personal life. Without my circle of friends, which includes Jay, Banks, Reggie, and others, I would be a mess. They can help me see Jesus by providing a positive influence and helping mark the plans of the enemy, even when I can’t see. Having friends who support your spiritual journey makes it easier to grow in your walk with Jesus.

Next is your family.

Your friends benefit your family more than you know. Your friends provide support for your family and are often a marker of health. Your strong network of friends ensures that your family is surrounded by Godly influences. One of the saddest things I’ve seen in ministry is watching my fellows leave the race early. Often the reason for their early exit has been their family that crumbled privately first before their career publicly followed. Your family is a team that needs you, and in order for you to be operating at your best, you need to have the support of your friends.

Now it’s your community. 

It is my prayer that Plano and Richardson are RICHLY impacted by Create Church’s presence. By working together, as friends, we can bring heaven to earth and show a lost and dying world that Jesus really is the hope of mankind. Whether it’s through volunteering, community service, or just being a light to a dark world, being a part of a team increases our effectiveness. One can put a thousand to flight, two; ten thousand.

And lastly, your world. 

At a larger scale, a team of friends can also make a difference in the world. When I read the news, I see teams in many different spheres of influence each working for common goals. Some teams are more effective than others, some are more righteous, some are more unrighteous.

So who is in your inner circle?  Do you have a team or group of friends that you share life with, with whom you share experiences and challenges?

Jesus did.  He had a large team. He had over seventy-two disciples, whom He sent out two by two. He also had His selected twelve, and He had His beloved three. The closer you lean into some of your close friends in the journey God has called you to, you will experience the life God wants you to experience in a different way.

Daniel had three friends, who allowed him to stay strong.  They supported each other.

David had his mighty men who were with him in a cave.  They were with him in his greatest days and in his greatest trials.

Moses had Aaron, Hur, and Joshua.

Who do you have? I hope you find your team here at Create Church. And for those of you here who have already found your team, that those relationships would continue to grow and deepen as you seek Jesus together.

It takes a team of friends to change a community.