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Chapters 2 and 3 of 1 Thessalonians form a unique section of Scripture. Paul is inviting the believers in Thessalonika to reminisce with him about his initial visit to them (recorded in Acts 17:1-10a) and their subsequent contacts. This "rememberfest" affords us our best window into how Paul went about putting a young congregation on its feet.

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

1. Why isn't gentleness a valued trait among guys today?
2. How can we relate gently to our children? … to other men?
3. What kept Paul from making demands of the Thessalonians?
4. How good are people at sensing if our love is for real?
5. What personal characteristics (v. 10) are prerequisite to a ministry of building others up?
6. What kinds of fatherly treatment (v. 11) do you think Paul had in mind?
7. How could you put the kinds of interaction recorded in verse 12 to work in your discipling?

Ask God to make you a father who gently challenges not only his own children, but other believers as well.

7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but we were as gentle among you as a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we gave you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too. 9 Don't you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that our expenses would not be a burden to anyone there as we preached God's Good News among you.

10 You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were pure and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you into his Kingdom to share his glory.

Copyright © 2006 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Lord, please help me become a motivator of others by the way I affirm, patiently challenge, and encourage them.

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