Paul uses five terms to describe Epaphroditus...

  1. A Brother

  2. A Fellow Worker

  3. A Fellow Soldier

  4. A Messenger

  5. A Minister

Epaphroditus made some key decisions which each allowed him to give his very best:

  1. He was a People Lover

Question: Do you long for people?

  1. He was a Risk Taker

Question: Do you play it safe?

  1. He was a Tireless Worker

Question: Do you work tirelessly?

  1. He was a Servant-Leader

Question: Do you lead the way in some area of service?

How do you build a golden bridge for someone to come back home?

(with help from John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott III)

  1. Start With Yourself – who built a golden bridge for you?

  2. Practice the 30 Second Rule. Say something encouraging in the first 30 seconds. Philippians 1-Paul’s joy focused.

  3. Let People Know You Need Them. Paul did with the Philippians.

  4. Create a Memory and Visit It Often – Paul did this in his prayer for them.

  5. Compliment People In Front of People – Paul supports Epaphroditus publicly.

  6. Give Others a Reputation to Uphold – Those Philippians were in elite company.

  7. Say the Right Words at Right Time – Paul was a master at the timely word.

  8. Encourage the Dream of Others – They wanted a stake in this Gospel Enterprise.

  9. Pass the Credit Onto Others – Paul gave the Philippians a lot of credit.

  10. Offer Your Very Best – Epaphroditus gave all he had and then some.

  11. Share a Secret With Someone – Paul told them they were the only ones that helped him.

  12. Mine the Gold of Good Intentions – Paul affirmed their intentions.

  13. Keep Your Eyes Off the Mirror – Paul never felt sorry for himself.

  14. Do for Others What They Can’t Do for Themselves – Paul was in a position to bestow honor and he did.

  15. Listen With Your Heart – Paul knew how much this meant to them.

  16. Be the First to Help – Philippians jumped on this opportunity.

  17. Add Value to People – By the time Paul is done, Epaphroditus is a hero.

  18. Remember a Person’s Story – Paul knew their story of Acts 16.

  19. Give With No Strings Attached – Philippians made no demands.

  20. Write Notes of Encouragement – That’s why we have Philippians.

  21. Live so as to be missed.

How do you do that? By becoming a brother or sister to those in this family around you; By becoming a fellow laborer in our common mission and a fellow soldier with common courage to represent Christ and His gospel; By becoming a messenger boy whose great delight is in serving someone; talking about someone else; living for someone else; By risking all that you are – for all that Christ is – for all that Christ’s church can become..

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