How do you identify a church which is properly fulfilling the Great Commission? Is it one which is growing in numerical numbers by exciting entertaining services? A personally dynamic and engaging speaker with uplifting messages? Or is it less in dynamic services and more in biblical faithfulness, expressed through growing in faith and love?
While we long for, and pray for, God to grow our churches and make new converts and disciples, the truth is that biblical faithfulness was the sign of a prospering church that Paul sought for those he planted and cared after. The Corinthians ran after personality gimmicks and spectacle like their surrounding culture, but the Thessalonian church was identified by its faith and love.
Paul’s distress at leaving the Thessalonian church alone and vulnerable after his hasty departure kept him up at night. Eventually, despite many prayers for them and attempts to return, he could bear it no more and sent Timothy to check in on them. Paul worried that they had been tempted to drift away from the faith, leaving his labours there in vain (v.5).
The relief practically pours off the page because Timothy returned with his report. “ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you” (v.6).
Far from a spiritual wasteland or a devotion to entertainment and gimmickry like Paul was dealing with in Corinth, Timothy’s report on the Thessalonians was all good news. The congregation there was biblically faithful. They were full of faith and love, and missed Paul as much as he missed them.
What a relief! Instead of a party at Kelly Browne’s place, the Thessalonians had devoted themselves to continuing the teaching and practices that Paul had put in place before he had been forced to leave his spiritual children behind.
This relief and encouragement was so powerful that it was a comfort to him even when he was experiencing distress in his own ministry. “For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith” (v.7).
Knowing that the Thessalonians missed him, and had not had their views about him twisted by falsehoods and slander that floated around the churches in the wake of jealous false teachers seeking to destroy his good work gave Paul great heart. It did so even as he experienced a troubled time in writing this letter to them, perhaps in Corinth itself with all its difficulties.
Knowing that the Thessalonians persevered was enough for him to proclaim “for now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (v.8). Their standing fast was like a foretaste of the joys of the resurrection, such was Paul’s relief.
It was so great, that deep in prayer, Paul could barely find the words of thanks to express towards God “for all the joy that we feel for your sake” (v.9). He was moved greatly, indeed.
That movement caused Paul to renew his prayers again “most earnestly night and day” (v.10) for the Thessalonians’ sake, with two requests. Firstly, “that we may see you face to face” (v.10) as he expressed previously in his letter. Secondly, that he would then be able to “supply what is lacking in your faith” (v.10).
There were still areas in the life of that church that needed further strengthening. Further theological education. Further strengthening of vulnerabilities. Further encouragement to witness and persevere whatever the reception.
Since he could not at that time be present with them in person, he was present with them through prayer, encouraged by their faith and love.
It was faith and love, not sheer numerical growth, that Paul appreciated. While certainly growth in numbers was good (Paul was busy planting churches and evangelising, after all), what he really wanted to see was faithfulness to the biblical teaching he had delivered, expressed in faith and deeds of love.
As a congregation in an entertainment culture that looks a little too much like Corinth at times, let’s continue to seek after faith and love like the Thessalonians. Let’s be a congregation that encourages others and our children to do likewise. God will bless a congregation that seeks to be faithful to him in that way.
How do we do that? By welcoming and encouraging people who visit. By encouraging each other, and the children in the congregation, to rest in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and treat others with the same love that God has shown us.
We can also show it by allowing ourselves to be used by God in the home, the workplace, in play, as an instrument of his love. By blessing others with the knowledge of salvation, and the free gift of God in Jesus’ death on the Cross.
If we do this, no matter what our size, we too will be a congregation known for showing and growing in faith and love.
