Iron Sharpens Iron: Life-to-Life® Mentoring in the New TestamentSample

Day 3: Barnabas and Mark

The Bible gives us great models of godly people investing in others. Barnabas and his cousin Mark provide another New Testament example of Life-to-Life in action. 

You may remember Mark, called John Mark in his earliest days. As a child the church met in his home. When he was older he joined Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. But because he turned back, Paul considered him a deserter. When Barnabas suggested Mark join them on a second missionary journey, sparks flew.

Paul and Silas went one way, Barnabas and Mark went the other way. But this gave the two veterans an excellent opportunity to develop their protégés. Like Jesus with the Twelve, imagine the impact of “doing life” so close together on a journey like this! 

Barnabas’ Life-to-Life investment in Mark led to the younger man eventually becoming known as “Mark the Evangelist,” the first bishop of Alexandria, and the first person to establish a Christian church in Africa. In fact, church tradition holds that Mark also came alongside the apostle Peter to help him record his memories and teachings in what we know today as the Gospel of Mark.

Paul’s final assessment of Mark was an affirming one: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). 

Think about it: There are “Marks” all around us —in our families and communities, where we work, and where we worship. In the spirit of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), God uses men and women like us to “make a mark” and have a spiritual influence on their lives for eternity’s sake!