After fifteen months in CenLa, many people know my name. They know who I am and what I do. I am grateful for the relationships God has allowed me to build and for the kindness and encouragement I have received. Yet I am reminded that there is a difference between being recognized and being truly known. Deep friendships are not automatic. They are built over time and through intentionality. There are people who know my name, but only a few who know me well enough to pray specifically for me, celebrate victories, share burdens, and simply be a friend. I suspect many pastors and ministry leaders understand exactly what I mean.

Who in the association knows your name? More importantly, who knows you?

Who knows your spouse's name? Who knows what keeps you awake at night? Who could pray specifically for you today? Who notices when you are discouraged? Who celebrates when God is at work in your church?

Healthy churches are led by healthy leaders, and healthy leaders rarely thrive in isolation. Perhaps one of God's gifts in associational life is not merely shared ministries and events, but shared relationships. Friendships are seldom accidental. They are cultivated over time, one conversation, one meal, and one prayer at a time. Perhaps the answer is not simply waiting for someone to know us, but intentionally taking the first step toward knowing others. Join us at a monthly pastors' lunch, or better yet, pick up the phone and invite another pastor or ministry leader to lunch.

God never intended us to do ministry alone. One of the greatest gifts we can offer one another is simply this: to know and be known.