I have been honored to pastor a youth ministry. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to shepherd and lead a congregation. Even though I don’t always know exactly how to do things, I know that God can sovereignly use me as His instrument. I pray that the key pastoral themes in 1 & 2 Thessalonians would become actualized in my own life. This investigation in Thessalonians will help me understand what it truly means to be a pastor to a church. Through the Holy Spirit I pray that I can grow in these skills.
Love
The greatest attribute and most obvious one is their heart for the Thessalonians. It would only make sense that they model after the love that Christ demonstrated. Paul, Silas and Timothy not only spoke in a loving manner, but expressed this love through action. Paul and the others express how delighted they were to share not only the gospel, but their lives with them (1 Thess. 2:8). They describe themselves as being nurturing and gentle as a mother and how a compassionate father deals with his own children (1 Thess. 2:7, 2:11). When Paul was away from the Thessalonians, he expressed the intense longing he had to see them. They were so dear to him that he made every effort to come see them (1 Thess. 2:17). Paul and the others loved the Thessalonians so much that they describe them as their glory and joy (1 Thess. 2:20). Paul asks the Lord to make their love increase and overflow, just as Paul, Silas and Timothy’s love were growing more for them (1 Thess. 3:12). “Love, love, love. More, more and more.” This is what the pastors communicated again and again.
Love should describe the Christian’s life. Pastors and teachers are to manifest God’s love and let this love overflow towards others. Love is the greatest apologetic. Compassion for the lost will attract them to this new life in Christ. In my own ministry it is my goal to love each student and to demonstrate the love of Christ. Christians in general may love, but often have a hard time displaying it in action and deed. I pray that I would love in the likeness of Christ and grow deeper in my love others. Father help me to love as you love us.
Encouraging/ Exhortation
Over and over again it becomes clear how much Paul and the others encouraged the Thessalonian church. They encouraged them to live a life worthy of God (1 Thess. 2:12), to be strengthened in their faith (1 Thess. 3:2). Paul encourages them to increase in their love for each other and for everyone else; to become blameless and holy in the presence of God (1 Thess. 3:12-13, 4:10). The Thessalonians are encouraged to live as sons of the light and sons of the day (1 Thess. 5:5). Paul and the others encourage and urge them to live in peace, to warn those who are idle, to encourage the timid, to help the weak and to be patient with everyone (1 Thess. 5:14). The Thessalonians are encouraged to be strengthened in word and deed, perseverance, and in faith hope, and love ( 2 Thess. 2:15, 2:17, 3:5). In short, Paul, Silas and Timothy encourage the Thessalonians to be sanctified and blameless (1 Thess. 5:23-24).
In the same way Paul encourages the Thessalonians, I too need to encourage the members of our church body. It is easy for believers today to get spiritual burnt out and discouraged. As a pastor I am called to encourage the church at all times. We all need someone to encourage us, so we should be an encouragement to others by exhorting them in faith, hope and love. Even when Christians are doing well, we always need to be strengthened more and more. Sanctification in the Spirit is a life-long process; So we should make every effort to speak words of encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Teacher
The authors of 1 & 2 Thessalonians weren’t just loving shepherds; They were also great teachers. They instruct and stress repeatedly how important it is to live a holy life to please God (1 Thess. 4:1). They also taught the Thessalonians to avoid sexual immorality, impurities and sin because it was contrary to a holy life and the Spirit (1 Thess. 4:3-7). The Thessalonians were taught to live a quiet life and to win the respect of outsiders by the way that they lived (1 Thess. 4:11-12). Paul and the others reminded them of the resurrection and the life that is through the death of Christ; That in the coming of the Lord, we will be with Him (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Paul reminds them to stand firm in these teachings (2 Thess. 2:5, 2:15), to obey their instructions and to keep away from those who are idle (2 Thess. 3:6, 3:14).
Teaching about God through the scriptures is not an easy task. I know I need to put more time into preparing my teaching. I want to make sure that I am teaching the author’s intent and God’s truth. I pray that my teaching would also be relevant and applicable to my students. In the same way that Paul taught about holiness, godliness, and righteousness, I want my congregation to be blameless before the coming of the Lord. Many Christians today stop at justification and are not discipled to grow in sanctification. Knowledge and wisdom from scripture is absolutely necessary for one to live in righteousness and moral integrity. The church today should not just be a loving community, but a place where the teaching of God’s Word pierces our hearts and transforms our lives.
Thankfulness
A major key theme that I wasn’t really expecting to see was thankfulness. Paul is constantly expressing is thanksgiving to the Thessalonians. Paul can’t seem to contain the joy that comes from the Thessalonian church and celebrates that they were being obedient and faithful to God. Paul thanks them for their work, labor and endurance. He thanks them for being a model to all believers and for persevering even through persecution and suffering (1 Thess. 1:2-10 2 Thess. 1:3). Paul thanks them for receiving and accepting the Word of God (1 Thess. 2:13). Paul also thanks them for sharing in the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:13-14). In expressing gratitude, the Thessalonians probably felt appreciated and even more willing to serve, obey and give.
I can understand this joy that Paul and the other leaders experienced from the Thessalonians. I am filled with gratitude when I see that my students are applying the teachings of God’s Word and when the Spirit is at work within our fellowship. I am thankful that God has blessed us with the gift of unity in the church, so that we can worship Him together. I am also thankful that many of the leaders in our church are so eager to serve and give unconditionally. It’s extremely important that we remember to thank those who serve because it demonstrates that their work is significant and useful for His kingdom.
Self-Sacrifice
Paul, Silas and Timothy all give their lives as a sacrifice to the ministry. Even though there was strong opposition and persecution they were willing to deliver the gospel to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:2, 3:4, 3:7). Paul and the others didn’t want to be a burden to the Thessalonians so they endured toil and hardship; working for their own necessities (1 Thess. 2:9, 2 Thess. 3:8). Being self-sacrificial not only benefits the church, but also gives an example of how Christians should serve and love each other.
In mimicking Christ, Paul and the other pastor leaders, I am resolved to lay down my life for the sake of the gospel. Loving and giving are self-sacrificial. If I see someone in need, it is a pastor’s role to try and meet their need, even if it requires some sacrifice. In my ministry I pray that I would endure any obstacles for the sake of the gospel, proclaim Christ as Lord and that my life would be an offering for His will. As shepherds, we are to give our lives to the sheep so that they can grow in faith, love and good deeds.
Prayerful
Paul begins both epistles to the Thessalonians by thanking them and keeping them in prayer. Paul says that he remembers to mention them in his prayers (1 Thess. 1:2). Paul prays night and day to supply anything that is lacking in their faith (1 Thess. 3:10). Paul is constantly praying that the Thessalonians would be counted as worthy of God’s calling and that Christ would be glorified in them (2 Thess. 1:11-12). Being prayful for the Thessalonians shows his heart and compassion for their spiritual maturity.
My pastor at church highly emphasizes prayer for the congregation. Asking each individual for prayer and praying for them throughout the week not only encourages them, but helps me to be invested in their lives. Being prayful for others also helps indicate what their needs are, and how they need support. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the power of prayer. Just reflecting on how Paul constantly prayed for the Thessalonians, is a huge reminder of how much I need to be praying for the people God has placed in my life.
Godly Examples
Paul, Silas and Timothy mention how they lived among the Thessalonians. They mention how holy, righteous and blameless they were to be godly examples and witnesses of God (1 Thess. 1:5, 2:10). In their holiness they also practiced humility and reverence (1 Thess. 2:6). They demonstrated holiness to make themselves models for how the Thessalonians should follow (2 Thess. 3:9). Paul and the others made sure they “practiced what they preached” to help the Thessalonians to see how exactly they should conduct themselves.
In the same way, I need to make sure I am not only preaching how to live, but displaying that godly, holy, and righteous example for others to mimic. Christians are often called hypocritical because they do not always display that righteous behavior that they talk about. It is highly pivotal that I live with the utmost integrity so that I become a model for the students in my ministry. Students will look at my life and see if I truly practice love or just talk about it. Christians are called to not only proclaim the gospel, but to live and walk by the gospel.
Correction
Paul and the others made sure that the Thessalonians were living according to God’s teachings by correcting them. In order for them to be sanctified, Paul notes that they should avoid sexual immorality, honorably control their own bodies, not fall into passionate lust like the heathens and not wrong or take advantage of a brother (2 Thess. 4:5-8). Paul also warns about the counterfeit miracles by the man of lawlessness and to not be deceived by anyone (2 Thess. 2:3, 2:9). They emphasizes being obedient to their instructions so much that they ask the Thessalonians to not even associate with those who are disobedient, but to take special note and warn him as a brother (2 Thess. 3:14). Paul commands them to hold to these teachings and instructions because they are God’s commands.
For Christians today, I see correction being used wrongly. Perhaps this is why many people are not hesitant to say, “Christians are so judgmental.” However, 1 & 2 Thessalonians clearly calls Christians to discern ungodly behavior and to correct each other. In churches today, instead of seeing a loving correction, I often see a self-righteous or hypocritical correction. Rather we should correct ungodly behavior to encourage one’s sanctification. As Christians, sometimes most loving thing we can do is to help someone acknowledge disobedient behavior and gently correct them towards a holy living.
Paul, Silas and Timothy practiced pastoral attributes of love, encouragement, thankfulness, self-sacrifice, a prayerful heart, and correction. As shepherds, pastors, and teachers they lived what they taught. They did their best to imitate Christ so that others would imitate them. These men simply wanted to be there for the building and edifying of the church body. Their teaching was wise, but their lifestyle was inspiring. In 1 & 2 Thessalonians, I can hear Paul’s longing heart for their sanctification. The pastors and leaders desperately wanted to see the Thessalonian’s faith grow and attract others. 1 Thess. 2:12-13 stands out to me the most because it summarizes how affectionate they were for the Thessalonian’s spiritual maturity. I pray that my heart would be the same for those in my ministry and that I would incorporate a deeper actualization of these pastoral qualities. I pray that our love would increase and that we would be strengthened in our walk; Being holy and blameless for the glory and praise of our God and Father.
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