Good morning! It’s Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Romans 16 is one of those chapters we’re tempted to skim. It doesn’t seem as profound as Romans 8 or as weighty as Romans 12. But it reads like the credits at the end of a film. Most people skip them—but those who stay know: every name on that screen made the story possible.
Today's Reading:
Proverbs 28,29; Psalms 60; Romans 16
Scripture
“Greet Priscilla and Aquila… Greet Mary… Greet Rufus… and his mother...” (Romans 16:3, 6, 13)
Observation
Paul closes one of the most theologically rich letters in the Bible—not with doctrine but with names. Real people. Quiet stories. Unsung faithfulness. This list isn’t filler—it’s the fruit.
People like Phoebe, a trusted servant. Priscilla and Aquila, risk-takers for the gospel. Mary, who worked hard. Rufus, who was set apart. Rufus’s mom, who just… mothered. Most of them aren’t remembered outside this passage—but Paul knew them. And more importantly, God did.
That’s how the Church grew. Through friendships. Through hospitality. Through late-night conversations and shared meals and consistent, ordinary faithfulness. Through names, not numbers.
Application
I often measure success in numbers—views, attendance, reach. And don’t get me wrong—it’s wise to evaluate what works. But God measures differently. Every name in this chapter reminds me: the Kingdom isn’t built by the famous but by the faithful.
It’s the camera op who stayed late. The greeter who prayed over someone at the door. The single mom who showed up and worshiped anyway. Heaven’s not counting stats—it’s remembering names.
I want to be the kind of leader who sees people, honors their stories, and thanks God for each one. Because it’s relationships that really grow the Church—not perfect programs or polished sermons.
God doesn’t build His Church with clicks, likes, or bricks. He builds it with people.
Names, not numbers.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for every Priscilla, Phoebe, and Tertius You’ve placed around me. Help me to see them the way You do. Teach me to value relationships over results, and remind me that Your Church is built person by person, name by name. May I never overlook the people You never forget.
—Chris Kiriakos