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Greetings Everyone,
I want to encourage every professing Christian visiting The One Year Bible Forum to participate actively and to help encourage one another to read, understand and apply God’s Word to their lives. Please consider posting a comment, observation or question to become involved in this community. In doing so, you will find that you are fulfilling your role as a believer online.
The New Testament calls Christians into a level of involvement with one another that goes beyond just attendance at church. It requires the kind of involvement that results in solid spiritual growth.
Ephesians 4:15-16 (New International Version)
15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
What does it look like to love one another as Jesus loved his disciples? Jesus' disciples knew how important this was, so they went out of their way to explain in their letters to Christian communities. In fact, they consciously unpack this command through a series of "one another" imperatives. There are at least 50 verses that use the phrases "one another" or "each other" to explain how we should relate to one another. The most frequent was to encourage one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)
11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
What is encouragement?
The Greek word is parakaleo, which literally means "to call alongside." It presumes that its object is under pressure (fearful, weak, overwhelmed), and it means to strengthen by giving appropriate aid. Ancient Greek authors sometimes used it to describe military reinforcement during battles.
Biblical encouragement presumes that Christians live under intense pressure--not just the normal pressures of everyday life in a broken world, but also the pressures of serving Christ in a spiritually hostile environment--and therefore need to be spiritually strengthened on a regular basis.
Biblical encouragement communicates God's truth and hope in ways which personally strengthen us to go on following God's will for our lives.
Jesus wants his followers to form communities that are rich in reciprocal encouragement and therefore are beacons of hope to lost people.
This is one of the most powerful features of Christian community! You can master the art of encouragement and incorporate it into your everyday life. The results in your own spiritual growth and your impact on others (spouse, children, work associates, neighbors, Christian friends) are incalculable.
Tips for becoming an effective encourager
As great as receiving encouragement is, there is something even greater--becoming an effective encourager. Here are some tips for developing this powerful ministry.
If you want to be effective in this area, you need to know and use God's Word.
It is God's Word, not our personality, cleverness, intelligence, etc. that has the power to lift people up and give them hope.
Romans 15:4 (New International Version)
4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Isaiah describes the Messiah's effect on his followers, and the reason while he had that effect.
Isaiah 50:4 (New International Version)
4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
He could sustain the weary with a word because he has been instructed by God through his Word. It's great to learn a passage that lifts you up. It's even more fulfilling to use that same passage to life someone else up.
This is the most basic (yet one of the most powerful) ways to use scripture in ministry. Sometimes this means showing or sharing a passage. Sometimes it means phrasing it in your own words. Sometimes it means sharing how this truth has encouraged you in a similar situation.
Make this a goal when you meet with other Christians, even when online.
Hebrews 10:25 (New International Version)
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
If you're into following Christ, you're into getting together with other Christians. Some meetings I go to seem dead, stifling--like a mortuary. Others are electric and refreshing--alive with the presence of God. What is the reason for this disparity? Most people would say it is the quality of the teaching, but I disagree. The key factor is how many people have come with the commitment to encourage others. This produces an intangible atmosphere that builds people up and attracts non-Christians to Christ.
This is a key maturity step--to go over from attending merely to receive to coming with the commitment to give. It also is key in continuing to enjoy meetings after you are grounded in the Word.
This requires prayerfully considering beforehand how you can encourage your friends.
Hebrews 10:24 (New International Version)
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
As you think about all of the visitors here at the One Year Bible Forum, pray for all of us, Truly, God will often draw your attention to the kind of encouragement many of us need and give you a word to share. When this happens, follow through! You'll be amazed to see how often this was exactly what someone here needed!
In your offline life, make it a goal to encourage someone every single day! Open your eyes to see the many arenas in which you can do this: family; work; neighbors; friends; etc.
Application
The Kingdom's spiritual warfare is heating up in our culture, especailly Online. We need more Christians to become involved in this battlefield by supporting one another thru encouragement and love. Become someone who is known as an encouraging person (like Barnabas). Your life will become increasingly enriched as you see the impact God has on others through you! Please share today and let us know that you are there for each of us that visit the One Year Online Forum!
In His Service,
Lance Muller
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