Week 6 | A Church Growing Together - Part 2

What helps believers remain faithful when suffering, temptation, and discouragement come?

In Part 2 of A Church Growing Together, Pastor Ryan Rice, Sr. returns to 1 Thessalonians 3 to remind us that the Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. Suffering is a reality for followers of Jesus, but God has given us His presence, His promises, and His people to help us stand firm.

As we wait for Christ to return, we are called to suffer together, love together, and pray together.

1️⃣ We Suffer Together

Jesus never promised His followers a life free from suffering. He suffered, and He told His disciples that they would face persecution as well. Yet suffering does not mean God has abandoned us. Jesus understands our weakness, Christ has already conquered Satan, death, and hell, and one day He will make all things right.

We also recognize that we have a real spiritual enemy who seeks to use suffering, temptation, false teaching, fear, hurt, and sin to draw us away from Jesus. We do not have to fear Satan, but we should not underestimate his desire to discourage believers and make the church ineffective.

2️⃣ We Pray Together

Paul didn't simply worry about the Thessalonians. He prayed for them. His prayers were persistent, focused, and rooted in his confidence in God.

Paul prayed that they would:

• Grow spiritually and become stronger in their faith.

• Increase and overflow in love for one another and for everyone.

• Walk worthy of the Lord, living holy and purposeful lives as they waited for Jesus to return.

A growing church is a praying church. We recognize that none of us has arrived, so we continually depend on God and pray for one another to mature, love deeply, and live faithfully.

Our hope is not that suffering will never come. Our hope is Jesus Christ. He has conquered, He is with us, and He is coming again.

Let us suffer together, love together, and pray together as we wait for our Savior to come again.

💬 Reflect & Respond:

When suffering or temptation comes, are you leaning into Christ and Christian community or pulling away? Who are you intentionally praying for to grow stronger in their faith?