Being a Christian involves connection and community. By God's design, the church is comprised of a unity of diverse parts: one body in Christ, all different, but connected.

The work of missions is the central task Christ has commissioned us to do, and it is carried out primarily through the planting and strengthening of churches.

We are created to live in relationship with God, and one another in the church. Of course doing so brings a bit of risk, but it also reaps great reward in the Christian's life.

Paul's concern for the Thessalonians shows us that true care prioritizes others over ourselves, hurts when others are hurting, and desires their faith to be prove true in the end.

Life doesn't always go the way we expect. When Paul experienced trials and obstacles, his future hope enabled him to endure and encourage others to do the same.

Everyone must be prepared for what the Bible says to expect: for those who are believers, the rejection by and opposition from the world, and for unbelievers, the coming wrath of God.

When we hear God's authoritative Word, how do we receive it and respond to it? To the Thessalonians, God's Word was seen as sacred, treated as treasure, and was fuel for their faith.

While the Christian life involves willful sacrifice and a radical reshaping of our character and conduct, in the end the walk is all worth it.

As we are all called to do the work of ministry, Paul gives us three markers that define whether our work is good and pleasing to God: do we walk the talk, do we fear God, and do we actually care?

The gospel radically changes us within, so what is the evidence of such a changed life? Paul commends the Thessalonian church as a model of gospel transformation.