Churches are made up of people, people with their own unique gifts, ministries, strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. They have differing relationships with each other. They move around, leaving some friends behind and meeting new ones. The book of Colossians ends with greetings from and about some of the Christians acquainted with Paul, offering brief glimpses of their lives (Colossians 4:2-18).

We know the most about Paul, of course. He was a courageous and dedicated preacher of the gospel, who could occasionally be overly judgmental. There is the unknown Tychicus, the messenger entrusted with carrying this letter to the Colossians and a similar letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:21). There is Onesimus, an escaped slave returning to his master (Philemon). There is Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, who travelled with Paul from Macedonia to Ephesus to Jerusalem and to Rome (Acts 19:29, 20:4, 27:2) and who was now evidently imprisoned with Paul. There is Mark, who abandoned Paul on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:13) but who later came to be trusted by Paul (2 Timothy 4:11) and wrote a Gospel. There is Jesus Justus, about whom we know nothing else, except that “Justus” suggests that he had a reputation for being righteous. There is Epaphras, who first brought the gospel to Colossae and founded the church there, although how he could be working hard for that church while he was with Paul in Rome is unclear. Was he bringing help to Paul on behalf of the churches in Colossae and other nearby towns? Was he lobbying the Roman government on behalf of those churches? Was he laboring in prayer for those churches? We don’t know. There is Luke the doctor, who travelled with Paul and who wrote the books of Luke and Acts. There is Demas, who later deserted Paul because he loved the world (2 Timothy 4:10). There is Timothy, a young and promising pastor who was sometimes insecure and fearful, in need of Paul’s encouragement, and who co-wrote this letter. In Colossae, there are Nympha, probably a wealthy woman who hosted a church in her house (there being no church buildings then), and Archippus, who, like Timothy, seemed to need encouragement to keep serving in the church. Different people, with different gifts, ministries, strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Some were more prominent than others. Some were wealthy, and others were slaves. Some were Jews, and some were gentiles. Some failed, and some failed and were restored. Some were bold, and some were timid. Some travelled widely, and some stayed in one place. But all had this in common—they were followers of Jesus, and they served in His church.