By Lorinda VanderWerp, Guest Speaker

This week we take a break from Nehemiah and look into Thessalonians. Both of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonian church address either an individual or individuals who are perfectly capable of working but have adopted a rebellious attitude and are refusing to work. This refusal to work places significant weight on the community of faith, and needs to be addressed with pastoral sensitivity (culminating with Paul’s instruction regarding discipline). I will demonstrate how the refusal to work continues to be a relevant issue today, and conclude with how at creation, God invited us to partner with Him in the gift of work, and even though sin has distorted this gift, in Christ Jesus, God has already begun to redeem the gift of work.

There is not a Next Steps document this week.