Standing Strong in Adversity

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” – 2 Timothy 2:1,2 Timothy was a pastor in a city called Ephesus in Asia Minor, which is the modern-day country of Turkey. Back then, it was one of the most affluent cities in the Roman Empire, and it was an especially difficult place to be a Christian leader due to the many pagan influences, not to mention conflicts within the church itself.  Whenever I consider Timothy’s plight, I’m reminded of my early days as a pastor, though I’m certain I never had it quite as rough as he did. Nevertheless, when I was a young man of 27 years, dealing with a congregation’s spiritual problems, mental problems, addiction problems,

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” – 2 Timothy 2:1,2 One of my favorite friendships in the Bible is that between Paul and Timothy. Today, we would say that Paul was this young man’s mentor, and his “father in the faith” constantly sought to uphold and encourage him to stay the course, even though his challenges were plentiful. You see, Timothy was a pastor in a city called Ephesus in Asia Minor, which is the modern-day country of Turkey. Back then, it was one of the most affluent places in the Roman Empire, and it was an especially difficult location to be a Christian leader due to its many pagan influences, not to mention conflicts within