So far and yet so near: the apostle Paul’s service long-distance

By Dean Collins

Working remotely can be a wonderful thing! But it can also lead to losing a connection to the core business or mission if there is not intentionality on the part of the employer and the employee.

Many times in my career I had the responsibility for employees in multiple sites. Often these business sites were in different states in different parts of the country. The employees in these locations also had different functions. Some were call center employees.  Some were software developers. Some performed back office functions, and others were sales and account managers with customer-facing responsibilities.Yet every one of the employees had agreed to the mission of the business

I was the HR executive responsible for helping determine pay ranges, benefits, training, hiring, retention, and so on. I worked for the CEO or president who obviously had responsibility to the board to make sure the business was growing and profitable. Neither the CEO nor I could live in every city or even visit every office location as much as we would like, due to simple logistics and the ongoing growth of the business. There wasn’t enough time or money to help employees and managers as much as if they were all in one location.

In the current business culture, things are more complex. There are still remote offices for many companies. Executives still travel so they can personally share the vision, update teams on strategic initiatives, and monitor morale. Many platforms help us stay connected, but it is hard to replace being on site and engaging with others. And at the same time, there are far fewer employees in the off-site locations regularly, because many employees now work from home.

Paul’s remote ministry

For some reason all of this remote work made me look differently at the letter to the Colossians. Paul was the best-known church planter of the first century, and his authority and influence as an apostle were well established. However, at some point in Paul’s career as missionary, teacher, and apostle, he had to work remotely as well. It was not due to a pandemic or broken supply chain. Paul was  held in Rome, imprisoned for his faith and teachings, away from the believers he sought to encourage and teach.

Many scholars believe Paul had not been to the churches in Laodicea or Colassae, which were about nine miles apart. Yet in his epistle we see his great passion for the believers in these congregations. In fact, it appears that one of his purposes in writing the letter known as Colossians was to invigorate the believers and remind them of what was most important.

Paul’s ongoing struggle

In the first seven verses of chapter 2, Paul stated that he struggled mightily on the behalf of the believers, even though he had never seen many or possibly any of them in person. This begs the question: If Paul is in prison in Rome some 1,300 miles away, what is he struggling and working to do for the believers in the church in Colossae? There are no cell phones or even landlines. There is no Zoom room for a meeting with the deacons or the widows of the church. 

But as you read Paul’s letter and consider his other letters to other churches, one thing we know is that he is doing the work and ministry of prayer on their behalf. And of course he is doing the work of thoughtful writing to send a message of encouragement. Then there was the work of getting the letter delivered by forming and using a network of friends to take the message by foot and boat to its intended audience..

Paul’s strong leadership

Paul’s leadership in the early church was strong, even when he wasn’t able to be there with the saints he loved and prayed for dearly. Paul’s absence was obvious to the church, and Paul owned it in the letter: “For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit.” Paul continued his thought, telling his beloved congregation that he is rejoicing to see their good order and the firmness of their faith in Christ. He had earlier expressed his prayer that their hearts would be encouraged, that they would be knit together in love, and that they would reach the full assurance of understanding the mystery of God which is Christ.

One of Paul’s concerns is the issue for all leaders who are remote from their team, that they stay focused on the mission and be united in their work. In order for the Colossians to do that there would have to be intentionality. Paul’s instruction was this: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Our primary mission

Those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus can use this reminder and instruction from the apostle Paul.  Even with our geographic separation and our various jobs and daily responsibilities, we can remember that as followers of Jesus our primary mission and vocation is to share the good news, disciple others, and participate in the kingdom of God.  In order to accomplish this, we too must receive Jesus, walk with and like him, stay grounded in his Word, and live in a mindset of gratitude.  

The benefits of all of us living like that are amazing. When we heed Paul’s instructions from this little passage we will be unified in purpose and mission.  We will see real change on issues that matter in the communities around us. And we might just enjoy our daily tasks more, knowing that we are living in the will and purpose of God.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:1-7‬ ‭ESV

Photo by Dylan Ferreira at www.pexels.com

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