“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up…A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

I rarely go out to the mission field by myself.  There are lots of reasons for this but the main one is having a “wingman” helps me stay on track in all areas better personally and as I serve others on the field too.  There is nothing more potentially “dangerous” than being alone in your hotel room…especially after 10 days in a row!  I have some trips coming up that will be 6-7 weeks long.  You get tired and emotions are often draining.  We all know where that can lead to.  It’s not as much about physical harm as it is spiritual battle in the deeper places…or just a slow loss of strong disciplines…letting prayer time slide, etc.  My “wingman” is typically someone who knows me well or someone that I am investing time in to train up in Christ.

When I was a Student Pastor, a particularly difficult Summer Youth Camp was going on…mostly the kids were just not focusing and a few issues with leadership were going on too.  I always had a dear friend, Wayne Brown come with me and stay with me during the week.  Actually, he came to me and volunteered to be my roommate each year.  Wayne was a prayer warrior and boy was he on me all the time to stay in the Word on a personal level BEFORE I ever started leading or serving outside of the quiet of my room!

One night about mid week, I was entrenched in major personal struggle on some things in my own heart and also had some heartbreaking burdens for several of the students and even my future in ministry…I was defeated and weak.  I guess I finally got to sleep at some point but then sensed something around me…I slowly opened my eyes and it was Wayne praying over me!  I never led on to acknowledge what he was doing.  I closed my eyes and had the best sleep ever, waking up in the morning fresh and ready for battle.  From then on, that Camp rocked and I never felt more fortified with hope!  One day, ten years later when Wayne and I were chatting, I brought that up and he said this, “Brother, I was doing that every night over you, staying up and praying over you for as long as I needed to.”  WOW!

This past June I had another close friend on the field with me in Brazil for 9 days.  We had a great time of sharing, laughing, crying, eating, laughing more and even got lost on a dirt road for two hours because of a highway detour, trying to find our way to catch a flight.  I cannot imagine being on that trip by myself.  Having Jeremy Russell on the field with me during one of our most critical times as a new organization…I can only say this, I felt my “six” was covered at all times!  A “Six” is your back, where ambushes and undetected invasions often happen!

I believe it is the will of God for us to not go it alone.  I am willing to go to great expenses to make sure I have a “wingman” around me.  Both these men still remain “wingmen” in my life, even when I am not deployed into some small town in a foreign land.  They both continue to to check my “six” and walk beside me too.

An important point about these verses is the fact that a “wingman” is assumed to have a similar passion and unity…both with the same intentions and goal in mind, to glorify God in everything or in the process of learning to do that.  When I am weak, they seem to be strong with encouragement and wisdom.  When they are tired and weary, I am strong and able to encourage and lift their spirits.  Most important, we pray together and care about the goodness of God to be illuminated in each others lives as we press on through each day and night.

If you don’t have a “wingman”, train one up!  Wayne taught me how to be one.  Jeremy reminds me of how I ought to be to those whom count on me to cover their “Six”.

Rb