Colossians 4:7-11

7 "Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our cirucmstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him).
11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. There are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me."

This letter to the Colossian church is believed to have been written approx. A.D. 57-62 while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. I can only imagine how Paul must have felt to know that the Colossian people were struggling with false teachers and that he was literally chained in prison and couldn't get to them. Instead, he had to send people in his place to teach and encourage. He also mentions that this would give them a chance to hear about his ministry from prison. It's interesting that Onesimus was one of those to travel to Colosse to inform. He had lived there as a slave to Philemon. Philemon had been converted to Christianity through Paul. Onesimus also became a believer of Jesus Christ. Philemon set Onesimus free from slavery and at this time he is one of Paul's delegates (he had been in Rome with Paul) back to his homeland.

Paul has nothing but good to say about these men who will visit Colosse. He uses words like [dear, faithful, servant in the Lord, encourage, fellow workers, and comfort to me] to describe his friends in ministry. I must say that these descriptive words inspire and convict me as I consider my place in women's ministry, youth ministry, and overall ministry at Crossroads. We've been given an opportunity to reach out to our community through our church. I want to join in the Crossroads vision:

• to help people seeking spiritual truth become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ

and in the mission:

• to impact our community, our culture, to reproduce churches and to build nations.

Time is short and we're much stronger when we stand together. I'm thankful for all of you!