Speak Life

In January my church always does a series called "Breakthrough."  This year, each week we have been given a challenge for the week.  I have to be honest and admit I can't remember this week's... but last week the challenge was to Speak Life. 

While thinking about that challenge, I also began to reflect further on the meeting I attended last week where our speaker talked about how we overlook the beginnings of many of the chapters in the New Testament.  When it comes to the letters, we gloss over the opening lines because it's "just" the introduction.  But as we began to look closer, we started to see what Paul in particular was doing in his letters, the spiritual legacy he was building.

Tonight I was reading in 1 Thessalonians 1, and I got caught up completely in the opening.  I began to read:
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.   2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.   

Paul makes a point to speak life into the church and its leadership, to honor the hard work they are doing.  So many times, we forget how much work goes into ministry.  Tonight my church celebrated life change through a service called Basics.  It was a celebration that included both baby dedications and a lot of baptisms, over 50 people were baptized. 

But what most people didn't see or may not have noticed was the work that went into tonight.  Planning, organizing, and a lot of effort when into the service.  It took people to monitor changing rooms, passing out shirts and towels, many people directing traffic, a crew of guys to set up extra chairs when it turned into standing room only.... and that's nothing of the work it took our youth to have their service and the incredible, faithful people who were behind the scenes with younger children.

Paul shows that he honors time and effort.  Church planting is hard.  The churches were undergoing major persecution, and he understood that words of life refresh the spirit.  Don't forget to speak life into your leaders and to those who serve with you.  Honor their time, commitment, and efforts.