As you begin the adventure of listening, I want you to select a companion with whom you can share this new awareness and also your need for help in beginning a new venture. Take your time to make the right choice.

As you think of person with whom to share the most intimate aspect of your relationship with me, you will want to…

• Choose someone with spiritual maturity.
• Choose a person you trust.
• Choose one who will be disciplined and call you to a serious discipline.
• Choose a person who will be honest with you even if it hurts.

Converse with me about the persons who come to your mind. I will guide you to the right companion for the adventure.

When I have directed you to the person with whom you are to share this journey, you should tell this new friend that you have embarked on a journey of listening to me, that you feel the need of someone walking this path of obedience with you, and that you would like to talk with this person regularly so that the two of you may listen together for my word. You will be strengthened by telling how you are ATTENDING to my presence, CONVERSING with me, THINKING with me about my concerns, and SERVING with me in the world. Your companion’s faith will also be deepened through this adventure with God. Sharing, accountability, and prayer will keep both of you open to me.

Very early you will feel the need to converse with me daily about your companion. This three-way unity binds us together and will give both of you greater strength to persist in this spiritual exercise.

Please do not take lightly my directive to choose a companion. I always send my followers on the mission in pairs. From the beginning my friends traveled in pairs – Peter and John, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas. When two of my followers meet, I am in their midst; when they agree together in prayer, I will act in and through them. This is one way that I translate my will into concrete, visible expressions in the world.

– Ben Johnson, I Stand at the Door, CTS Press, 1986, 15-16.

¹⁸  I assure you that whatever you fasten on earth will be fastened in heaven. And whatever you loosen on earth will be loosened in heaven.  ¹⁹  Again I assure you that if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, then my Father who is in heaven will do it for you.  ²⁰  For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” 

Matthew 18:18-20

Spend time today following Johnson’ encouragement – think about who might join you on this journey into deeper relationship with Christ – who might walk with you on this ACTS Adventure.

Holy Lord,
I give you thanks that you never ask us to live this life alone,
but from the beginning of time have made sure we had a partner,
or a community within which to live, to be nurtured, to grow.
I give you thanks for the people in my life
who already help me in these ways,
and ask your guidance as I think about a partner for this particular
stretch of the journey.
Amen