“…and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” – Galatians 2:9

As a first responder, I was once on the scene of a daring beach rescue early in the fall. The ocean was angry that day—tumultuous, surging with waves and powerful currents. A group of young people had been swept off the sandbars by a dangerous rip current, and though they were struggling, the caller who phoned it in said something stuck with me:
“They’re staying together… but they’re moving out fast.”

We mobilized immediately. Our training kicked in.
Responders from multiple agencies arrived. Without hesitation, we linked arms—wading into the surf in a long human chain, 30 to 40 of us. Anchored by a team on the beach, we advanced, arm in arm, fighting the pull of the current together.

And in record time, we reached them.
Together, we brought them home.

A lot can happen when we’re united.
Lives are saved.
Mission is accomplished.
The impossible becomes reality.

In Galatians 2:9, we find another kind of rescue operation—a spiritual one. Paul and Barnabas had been ministering powerfully to the Gentiles, and now they stood before the pillars of the early church—James, Peter (Cephas), and John. These men, respected and revered, extended the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas.

It was more than a handshake.
It was a declaration:

“We see what God is doing in you. We are with you. We are in this together.”

Unity strengthens mission.
Unity affirms calling.

There’s something powerful about being seen, supported, and sent by your brothers and sisters in Christ. It doesn’t just feel good—it keeps you safe. Because the ones who try to go it alone? The ones who resist leadership, avoid accountability, reject fellowship? They’re in a dangerous position.

Sure—could they swim out and save someone on their own? Maybe.
But they’re far more likely to exhaust themselves—or become victims themselves.

We are not meant to do this Christian life alone.
We are not meant to guess at our callings, chase dreams in isolation, or attempt heroic rescues without backup.

Fellowship is God’s design. Confirmation is God’s mercy.

I’ve seen too many young men, eager for ministry, sprint forward without unity or affirmation. They burn out. They fall. Not because they weren’t gifted—but because they weren’t anchored. And this doesn’t just apply to ministry.

Pursuing a new career?
Considering a big move?
Wrestling with a sense of calling?

Ask.
Bring it before your church leaders, your mentors, your brothers and sisters.
Let them offer you the right hand of fellowship.

It’s not about permission—it’s about protection.
It’s not about needing approval—it’s about receiving confirmation.

You can’t do it alone.
And you don’t have to.

The early church modeled unity not just as a strategy—but as a necessity. We need one another. Our lives, our missions, and the souls we are called to reach depend on it.

So find your chain. Link arms.
And move forward—united.