The Barnabas Factor: the power of encouragement by Derek Wood
IVP, 1988 £2 available second-hand from Amazon 159 pages ISBN 0 851 104 800
Taking the character of Barnabas from the book of Acts, Derek Wood uses his example as a model for us as Christians to emulate.
The setting is an imagined church in Canwell Park, south west London, with its vicar, his wife and an assorted bunch of parishioners who all have something to contribute to the way encouragement works in the varying relationships. Discouragement is at work too, for that is the negative side of the equation.
The tos and fros, ups and downs of the members of the congregation, recounted over time, are interspersed with Biblical teaching on a topic which the author claims, with good justification, is to be found on nearly every page of the Scriptures. It is a constant theme, placed there unquestionably for a serious purpose.
Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus.
(for Levites see Exodus chapters 2 and 6, Numbers chapter 18 and Deuteronomy chapter 12)
To judge from his appearance on the scene in Acts 4, Barnabas must have become a believer in Jesus early on (Pentecost?), for he, Joseph, (nicknamed Barnabas ‘son of encouragement’) sold a field which belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
In the fictitious story of this book, the message of encouragement is hammered home with practical advice and encouragement.
Prayer :
Lord, help me to be an encourager, just like Barnabas. Amen