In a study I read in relations to a personality profile test, that there are 4 aspect of a person’s life. Most in which only the first one gets revealed in the test. Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, I believe that small group relationships can actually touch all 4 of these aspects. Most people tend to grow more wholesome in a small group of close friends.
(Proverbs 18:24 ISV) A man with many friends can still be ruined, but a true friend sticks closer than a brother.
There are friends, then there are friends that are close. Also in these four aspects of a person’s life I can see 3 core basic needs that man needs that is desired to be meant. I believe God put them inside of us causing us to search for Him. They are LOVE, SIGNIFCANCE and SECURITY.
By defining 4 aspects of our live, I hope to show how we need each other – and how seriously considering joining a Champion’s Table can be a benefit to some pastors who need close friends.
First there is the arena persona. It’s the public you. It’s the part of you that you know and others know. When we first meet all you see is the “arena” me – But there is more because we have that…“I need people who really know me. Who knows what going on inside”. All of us have a part inside of us no one else can see. We need someone that knows us.
We all have a need to feel a sense worth. We have a need for significance.
Next is the mask – It’s the aspect of “What you know about you and others don’t know”.
(1 Corinthians 2:11) “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?”
We all have stuff no one else knows about except God. You are not safe if you are the only human being that knows about that thing. Adam walked with God and God said “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen. 2:28). The enemy wants you isolated in your issues so he has a better chance in causing you to be defeat through it.
Here is another reason why we need someone else who knows what’s behind the mask. God forgives our sins, specifically in this case, those that may have caused physical sickness. Nevertheless, the prayer of a righteous man, a spiritually passionate for God kind of man, has great power. His prayers have the power to heal the condition that sin leaves us in.
James 5:16 MKJV Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.
Like verse 17 of James 5 signifies, that man can have his own issues, but still zealous, passionate and true to the things of God. That only means that you need each other. It is good having friends whose prayers are available in the sight of God. This is friends who know the truth about what to prayer, because God only works in truth.
You don’t have to particularly go to an All Pro Pastor’s Champion Table, but you better have someone who knows what’s behind the mask. The Champion’s Table is a place that you can find those kinds of friends. I’m not saying the first week at a Champion’s Table the mask is going to come off. But hopefully after several weeks you feel safe enough to reveal what behind it.
We wear masks to protect ourselves, or to hide some undesirable truth. But God intent is that we protect each other. We need people who will protect us, because we have a need for security.
(2 Corinthians 4:2 MKJV) But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor adulterating the Word of God, but by the revelation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
In layman’s terms “We refuse to wear masks and play games.… rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open…”Your life will be better and you will be free from the control any habitual thing/sin.
“You know that thing that you don’t want to do but you do it anyway. Yeah, that thing”. (Rom 7:15-18)“You say that Jesus’ job – Nope – He will forgive you. If you confess your sins to God He will forgive you, but He will not be the one who makes sure you don’t do it again. He will only forgive you for it because He has already given you the grace not to do it.
(I John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(James 5:15) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he who have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
(James 5:16) “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
People’s prayer cannot forgive your sins but can get you to healed and delivered from the condition of your situation. I personally believe it’s because of accountability. Lack of accountability (revealing what’s behind the mask) is the number one reason pastors fall and men fail as husbands and fathers.
A Champion’s table of men also is a hedge or guard to help protect us from our vulnerabilities and that thing that you struggled with and no longer do. Apostle, Arch Bishop, Bishop, Pastor we all are vulnerable so we have a need for security, which brings us to the next aspect of our lives.
Blind spots – Blind spots is when “you don’t know or see it but other know and see it of you”. It’s like having spinach in the teeth, or your fly is open and you are putting on your arena persona.
Once I yelled out to my wife from across the house that I was running out to the grocery store. So I put on this really nice golf shirt I had been wanting to wear. I strutted through the store greeting and smiling back at people while styling my new shirt. I went on through the checkout line, only to get home and my wife telling me that my shirt was on inside out.
Who protects your blind side? Who do you have around you that loves you enough to be honest with you? We need people who will be honest with us.
We have that need for love and protection.
Your Greatest Vulnerability?
Have you ever seen The Blind Side? It’s the story of Michael Oher, and how he came up from high school, through college then to play in the NFL. The position he plays is left offensive tackle. One the highest paid positions and highly valued positions in the NFL. Left tackles in the NFL are called silent millionaires because they are sometimes the highest paid position after the QB. Why is the left tackle so critically important? It’s because he protects the quarterback’s blind side.
Most quarterbacks are right handed, so when they drop back to pass, they can’t see pass rushers coming from their left sides. That is why it’s called the blind side.
In 1985, Monday Night Football, it was quarterback Joe Theismann of the Washington Redskin verses the NY Giants and Linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
Lawrence Taylor beat the Skins left offensive tackle, broke free and snapped Theismann’s leg like a breadstick, ending the quarterback’s career.
As a quarterback, you need a world-class left tackle covering your blind side, your greatest vulnerability. As husband, as a father, or pastor, you need a world class friend to protect your blind side. If you get blindsided too much, you not only lose the game, you might lose your career. Just like a professional quarterback, as a husband, father, and pastor, you are crucial and incredibly valuable to the team. You are valuable to your family, your church, the Body of Christ and to God, and just as important, to yourself.
Like a quarterback, you have a blind side that must be protected at all costs. So, who or what protects your blind side? Your left tackle could be a trusted friend, who keeps you informed, covers you and stands with you when things gets tough. OF course you can also serve as someone else’s left tackle when that person is distressed. Whatever or whoever you choose to be your left tackle, you need one.
When your blind side is protected, you have a foundation to stand upon. You have the love, significances and security necessary to take risks to be the champion that God made you to be.
We have to earn the right to say certain things to people. That’s really only to those who I believe really love me. If I think that you really care, I’m going to listen to you.
(Proverbs 27:6 NKJV) “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
We all need someone who has our back…to stop us from going over the edge.
Potential – it’s the aspect of “I don’t know and you don’t know”.
Who knows? God knows! The potential He knows that we have is always far greater that what we could ever imagine or think.
So what could that have to do with Champion’s tables? God has devised a plan for us to find our potential through us getting together with other believers.
(Proverbs 27:17 ISV) Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens a friend’s character.
You will never realize you full potential alone…not ever. You will always hit a ceiling that’s never close to your potential. It’s a whole lot more when you connect with a team.
Proverbs 15:22 RV Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established.
We all need a place where we can realize our full potential because it’s not going to happen for you us alone. The real motivation is for you because it’s going to help you to go farther. The more you connect to the body the stronger you grow
(James 5:16) “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
Who can benefit greatly from a Champion’s table? Those who have…
- Those who has a blind side and are vulnerable
- Those who have ever been disappointed – Lost trust –have been hurt
- Anyone who has or had “you know… that thing. (Rom.7:15-18)
- One who doesn’t have a Barnabas to come along side of them mutually sharing love, significances, and security when you are dealing with that thing.
- Desire to maintain a strong marriage
As pastors we all know that we cannot do everything or just can’t commit to another thing. Nevertheless there will always be a lot of thing things that is urgent, but there are a few are critical. The critical being the most important.
Luke 10:41 ESV But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
Whatever you do first affects the rest.
(Hebrews 10:25) “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
There are pastors who have struggled, stumbled and fell. Many have left the ministry because of discouragement. Plenty has lost their families, and some have even taken their own lives. Most of whom I believe loved and honored God and did the best that they could. But I am convinced that the baseline of their demise were the lacked the LOVE – SIGNIFCANCE – SECURITY and knowledge of their God given POTINIAL that would come through a relationship of a close friend or brother in their life. We need a friend that sticks closer than a brother, one born for harsh conditions.
(Proverbs 17:17 ESV) A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
These words that I have written come from personal observation, experiences, and truths that are in my heart. They are without intentions to generalize anything or anyone.
-Pastor Don Rhone Sr.-
Bridge of The Bay Community Church.
Pastor Don Rhone Sr.
Founder of Bridge of the Bay Community Church, Riverview Fl.
Pastor Don and his wife Aleta are New Orleans natives and have ministry for 30
years. They have ministered in the Tampa Bay/Riverview area for over 20 years.
The Rhones are due to activate “Bridging Solutions and Purpose to Life” online
outreach ministry pointing people back to church. Pastor/teacher isn’t just a
position, but it’s their passion and call.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!