If I had a dollar for every time Vanessa said, “Tony, you’re overthinking this,” I could personally fund a couple of IMB missionaries for several years. It’s just in my nature to think about things — everything — way too much. For example, I often read too much into an email’s greeting. Before I get to the body of that email, how the writer addresses me usually says a great deal about the tone and content of the communication, or at least I so imagine.
“Dear Tony” probably comes from someone who knows me well and has something personal to say. “Dear Dr. Wolfe” may precede a respectful email containing some kind of professional ask. “Good morning, Dr. Wolfe” or “Good afternoon, Dr. Wolfe” still feels professional but a little more intimate. “Dear Anthony” begins those emails that somehow made it through my spam filter. The one-word salutation, “Tony,” makes me feel like I’ve done something wrong and need to be corrected. Then there’s the straight-to-business guy who makes no salutation at all, jumping straight into the matter at hand. Perhaps that’s impersonal and direct; but sometimes I wonder if those email senders share my overthinking enervation, so they just leave out the greeting altogether. I get it.
Sometimes, an entire story is embedded in the few words of a letter’s salutation. Such is the case with Paul’s letters to the young pastor Timothy. “To Timothy, my true son in the faith,” Paul addresses his first letter (1 Tim. 1:2). A second letter followed: “To Timothy, my dearly loved son” (2 Tim. 1:2). Paul picked up Timothy on his way through Lystra. Seeing the sincerity of Timothy’s young Christian faith and the legacy of Christian faith that raised him, “Paul wanted Timothy to go with him” (Acts 16:3).
Together, for several years, they traveled the ancient Near East evangelizing communities, planting and strengthening churches, and facilitating an inter-congregational missions funding strategy. When the time was right, Paul left young Timothy in Ephesus to pastor the church that had been planted there. The mentor missionary never lost touch with his young protégé. Even under the loom of death, Paul longed for Timothy’s presence (2 Tim. 2:9). Timothy was not a product of Paul. He was a “true son in the faith.” And when everything else felt stripped away from the great missionary apostle, what he valued most were those relationships that he had fostered throughout his ministry (2 Tim. 4:19–21).
Dear Pastor,
Who are your true sons in the faith? In the busy rhythms of everyday ministry, who have you noticed with eyes of faith and brought alongside you? In whom have you multiplied yourself and your ministry? Where is Timothy, and how have you engaged and encouraged him?
Pray that God will open your eyes to see the sincerity of young faith in potential future ministers of the gospel. Then look one in the eye and say, “I’m living my life for Christ in service to His church, and I want you to come with me.” Disciple him through regular Scripture reading, discussion, and application. Take him along on hospital visits. Give him opportunities to teach and preach. Let him sit in staff meetings and deacon’s meetings. Coach the congregation into affirming and encouraging him, even as he trips his way through the early years of ministry. The next generation of Timothys is in your circle of influence right now. And at the end of your season under the sun, you will have no greater joy than to look back on a host of true sons in the faith who are pastoring well and raising up another generation of Timothys behind them.
I’m not overthinking it. It’s just 2 Timothy 2:2 worked out in your life: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” But it’s going to take intentionality. It will take time, energy, and calculated effort. And when the valediction of your life is immanent, a few simple words will tell the whole story.
Multiplicatively,
Tony
— Tony Wolfe is executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.