As In Heaven | Week 2 | Authentic Imitation
1st Thessalonians 1:5-10
Heath Hardesty

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" — or so it has been said. As we continue our exploration of 1 Thessalonians, we see that imitation is not just a form of flattery but that it is crucial to apprenticeship. Strange as it may sound, imitation is the way to authenticity! These many centuries later, the church of Thessalonica still remains an example to be imitated. Their example is counter-cultural and cruciform. It is an example well acquainted with blood, sweat, tears...and a resounding joy! 

As In Heaven | Week 3 | The Heart Of Faithful Witness
1st Thessalonians 2:1-12
Heath Hardesty

Have you ever been attacked for doing what is right, what is good? The Apostle Paul was--as was Jesus! In chapter 2 of this heartfelt letter, Paul addresses hurtful accusations, and in doing so he helps us to see what lies at the heart of the apprenticeship practice of faithful witness. How is it that he could be so bold in the face of so much conflict? How could he be gentle as a mother. Encouraging as a father? How could he not be distracted with the opinions of people? How could he not be anxious about finances and resources? How could he be righteous in his conduct? The answer is because he was "approved by God". Join us as we explore what this means and why it is such a life-changing and empowering truth for us all!

As In Heaven | Week 4 | Call And Response
1st Thessalonians 2:13-16
Heath Hardesty

God has said "yes" to us in the Gospel of Jesus. How will we respond to him? From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, differing narratives about the origin, the essence, and the aim of life compete for our attention and allegiance. How does one sort out the truth among all the clamoring voices? Who do we trust? The Thessalonians faced this very same problem many centuries ago. In our passage this week, Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians receiving the message about Jesus as the Word of God, not the word of men. Join us as we explore the living and active nature of God's Word and the often unexpected result of receiving the word of Truth. 

As In Heaven | Week 5 | Face To Face
1st Thessalonians 2:17-3:5
Heath Hardesty

How might Paul have felt throughout the social distancing and isolation that we experienced last year? This week's passage gives us a clue. Having been suddenly "torn" away from the church in Thessalonica, Paul longs to be with them "face to face." Paul longs to be in their physical presence. In this week's passage we see the loving, tender, and deeply familial nature of the church (we truly are family), and the need for God's people to be together and experience the ministry of presence. Also, we will circle back to Paul's metaphor in 1 Thess. 2:7 of gently caring for the church as a nursing mother cares for her child. We hope to see you this Mother's Day! 

As In Heaven | Week 6 | Emotionally Involved
1st Thessalonians 3:6-13
Dane Olney

As In Heaven | Week 7 | The Pleasure Of Obedience
1st Thessalonians 4:1-8
Heath Hardesty

As In Heaven | Week 8 | Loving One Another
1st Thessalonians 4:9-12
Joe Jewell

As In Heaven | Week 9 | Hope’s Tears
1st Thessalonians 4:13-18
Heath Hardesty

No one escapes the sorrows of this life. Wounds and losses come to us all. Christian joy doesn't mean we are called to deny sorrow or pretend we don't feel the aches and pains of grief. Rather, Christians are to grieve properly, and this means we are to grieve differently than the world because we have the resurrection hope of Jesus. This week we get a view into the glorious future of an eternal family reunion when King Jesus comes back. As Paul ministers to a church who knows loss, we are given a glimpse into the shining reality of which all happily ever-after stories are only mere shadows. 

As In Heaven | Week 10 | Forward Leaning People
1st Thessalonians 5:1-11
Heath Hardesty

Paul calls us to be forward leaning people. As Paul continues to address the Thessalonians concerns about the future, he reminds them that they will not know when Jesus will return, but the important thing to know is who it is that is coming and how it is that he will return.

Living in expectation of his return is not an escape from our lives and responsibilities, but a catalyst to be present, alert, and vigilant in Christ throughout our days. In short, Paul's concern is not that the church knows the time and hour of Jesus' return, but that they know Jesus--abiding with him and obeying him daily. Join us as we learn how to live a forward leaning life.

As In Heaven | Week 11 | A Map To Maturity
1st Thessalonians 5:12-22
Dane Olney

As In Heaven | Week 12 | He Will Do It
1st Thessalonians 5:22-28
Heath Hardesty

As this heartfelt letter to the church in Thessalonica comes to a close, Paul weaves its many threads together and aims it all at Jesus Christ. Drawing not only on what he has written in this letter, but on the rich history of redemption throughout the Scriptures, Paul teaches us again about the origin, the essence, and the ultimate aim of being apprentices to Jesus: we are to be holy people through and through--and God will do it!