Thrive in Response

The church in Thessalonica was given clear and robust teaching, prayers, encouragement, admonishment, and instructions from Paul, an early church leader who knew and cared for them, in his first letter to them. The hearing of good teaching is only beneficial if it leads to doing. After this first letter Paul is given reports of how the congregation heard, received, and responded to what they had read. A summary reading of 2 Thessalonians gives us some clues as to how the church excelled in faith and good works and where there was still “room for improvement.”