1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 Christian Standard Bible
Exhortations and Blessings
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you[a] in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle,[b] comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Just to breakdown Paul’s minimum expectations for a heart healthy church …
to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you[a] in the Lord
to regard them who labor among you very highly in love because of their work.
Be at peace among yourselves.
14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle,[b] comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.
What does the Bible say about a healthy church?
A Healthy Church Glorifies God
Scripture says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). To glorify God means to magnify, elevate, and draw attention to His radiance. This is the primary purpose of the church and of individual Christians.
What does the heartbeat of the church mean?
Prayer is the heartbeat of the church.
Even though it may appear to be successful and doing well, if the activities of a church aren’t anchored in prayer or the emphasis on prayer time wanes, those activities will lose impact, the church will risk appearing, becoming, lifeless.
The heartbeat of God’s Word.
Healthy churches exist for Christ and his honour, and therefore place God’s word at the center, seeking to live under it. They have faithful preaching that legitimately explains what the Bible says (1 Timothy 1:3-11). Small groups gather to study God’s word (2 Timothy 3:10-17), one of the marks of the early church (Acts 2:42).
What are the 8 essential qualities of a healthy church?
- Empowering Leadership. …
- Gift-based Ministry. …
- Passionate Spirituality. …
- Effective Structures. …
- Inspiring Worship. …
- Holistic Small Groups. …
- Need-oriented Evangelism. …
- Loving Relationships.
How to define a healthy church?
The research identified four key features of a healthy church culture:
(1) it is led by a courageous leader,
(2) it values the role of people,
(3) it shares a common vision, and
(4) it is committed to the biblical mission.
What is the heart of a church? (Philippians 2:1-13)
The heart of the church starts with the gospel, which simply put, is God’s desire to bring redemption to our lives. He did this by stepping far out of His glory and coming to Earth into our brokenness. We can find restoration and riches in Him.
These characteristics define what a healthy culture looks like, but how do our divided churches get there?
- Establish a gospel identity. A church’s culture must be rooted in its love for and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without this gospel foundation, a healthy culture cannot thrive.
- Let the Bible shape everything. God’s Word provides the blueprint for healthy churches. By aligning with God’s plan, churches can foster a culture that pleases Him.
- Foster a sense of community. A church is a family of Jesus-followers, and healthy cultures work hard to build genuine relationships and community among their people.
- Be marked by humility. Arrogance will poison a healthy culture. Church leaders and key influencers must be driven by humility, following the example of Jesus, who was humble and selfless.
- Leaders must model the desired culture. Leaders set the tone. If they don’t live out the cultural values they preach, it sends a message that they don’t truly believe in them.
- Train the congregation in cultural values. Church members often desire a healthy culture but may not know how to contribute to it. Wise leaders help their people understand their role in shaping and sustaining a healthy culture.
- Empower the congregation. Healthy culture isn’t built by leaders alone; it’s a collective effort. Leaders should empower their people to participate in shaping and sustaining the culture through leadership, feedback, service, prayer, and more.
- Prioritize the biblical model for the church. Above all else, healthy churches consistently return to the biblical model of the church. My research confirmed that Scripture provides the clearest path to a healthy culture.
Whether you and I realize it or not, our church’s culture is shaping every aspect of its life and ministry.
For a church to be healthy, it must have a healthy culture.
These eight practices provide a great starting point.
Remember, God is good, and
He can transform any church—including its culture.
What does a healthy church look like?
Healthy churches seek to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
What matters most are not innovative programs or spectacular spiritual gifts, but demonstrates its true Christ-like character that loves God and neighbor and displays the fruit of the Spirit through song, gratitude, prayer and deed.
In the name of God, the Father the Son and The Holy Spirit ….
Praying ….
Psalm 127
The Blessing of the Lord
A song of ascents. Of Solomon.
1 Unless the Lord builds a house,
its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city,
the watchman stays alert in vain.
2 In vain you get up early and stay up late,
working hard to have enough food—
yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.[a]
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
offspring, a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the sons born in one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them.
They will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62ig6FVtz0c
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 