The sermon emphasizes that the church should be a place of both encouragement and challenge, fueled by a genuine, Holy Spirit-led desire to build up others. Drawing primarily on the example of Barnabas, the "Son of Consolation," the message stresses that encouragement is not an option or a program, but a foundational cultural necessity for the body of Christ.

Summary

1. Encouragement as a Ministry of the Holy Spirit The speaker highlights Barnabas's example in Acts 11:24, where he is described as being "full of the Holy Ghost and of faith". Barnabas's focus was not on program logistics, but on spiritual things, which allowed him to see God's grace and be genuinely glad for the church.