Joyous and Thankful

Is it possible to appreciate each and every person, or are there some people we just have to tolerate?

A Prayer of Thanks (1 Thess 1:1-3)

1. In what order should we present the following in order to get the best responses from people – “thanks, praise, concerns, and requests?”
2. When you list items, where should the most important one be – first, last, or centre?

God Has Chosen You (1 Thess 1:4)

1. What is the basis of God choosing one person and not another?  Have all people been chosen or not?
2. Does God’s choosing a person ignore that person’s choice one way or the other?

Assurance in Christ (1 Thess 1:5)

1. What difference does it make when someone who expresses appreciation for something you have done, specifies what you have done?
2. Can the fruit of the Spirit be faked? For how long can one keep it up?

Doing What Paul Would Do (1 Thess 1:6,7)

1. What do we mean by the saying “Imitation is the highest form of flattery?”  When does imitation become overdone?
2. Why do Christians imitate other people instead of Christ?

Further Evidence of Faith (1 Thess 1:8-10)

1. Is there a lack of witness and evangelism in Southern Asia?  What does this say of our own faith?
2. What are Adventists in Southern Asia known for?  Is it good or bad or both?
3. Why is it that we cannot find pastors willing to go to the Andaman islands to live there?  Is that the fault of the Organization or the pastor?

Thessalonica in Paul’s Day

The Romans Arrive in Thessalonica

1. Is it better to be ruled by a superpower or by a neighboring country?
2. Should India grant more religious freedom than at present? Why or why not?
3. Do offering jobs and scholarships to a poverty stricken person impinge on his or her freedom?

A Pagan Response to Rome

1. Why would human beings consider another human superhuman or divine?
2. What is the greatest longing of the human soul?
3. What are the best hopes that non-Christian religions have to offer?

The Gospel as a Point of Contact

1. Why does the working class respond better to the gospel than the ruling class?
2. Why do people respond better to the gospel in times of instability?

Paul the “Street Preacher”

1. Why do we not stand on a box on the pavement and preach? Is it any greater risk today than in Paul’s day?
2. Some “preachers” are suspected of having ulterior motives for their work other than being constrained by the gospel.  What would some of these be?

Home Churches

1. What are some disadvantages of having church services in a home?
2. What are some advantages of meeting in homes instead of church buildings?

Preserving Relationships

Is it good or bad for new members to get attached to the evangelist?

Opposition in Thessalonica

1. Why is so much hatred and violence connected with religion?  What does one lose if a family member or neighbour is converted to another religion?
2. Do you think that the Jews really believed that Christ was a threat to the Roman emperorship or was that just a ploy to get the Romans on their side?

The Episode in Berea

1. How can I know if my behaviour is obnoxious to others in the church or to those outside the church prompting persecution?
2. Should we like the Bereans examine other Christian doctrines to see if they perhaps are right?

Interlude in Athens

1. How could Paul preach Christ anywhere and everywhere with no concern for his safety?  Was being single and not having a family a factor?  Should we encourage our pastors to stay single?
2. How much of Hinduism do Adventists in India understand?  Why have we not developed a systematic strategy designed to reach Hindus?

 Arrival in Corinth

1. Historical finds tend to confirm the veracity of the Bible.  How would you respond to a find that didn’t agree with the Biblical data?
2. How far can one go in “meeting the people where they are” in order to attract them to the gospel?

Paul Reveals His Heart

1. How advisable is it for a pastor (like Paul) to get so emotionally attached to a congregation that he thinks of them long after he has left them and is pasturing another church in another city?
2. How would a church today probably respond to having a young pastor (like Timothy was) sent to preach strengthen and encourage them instead of having a seasoned minister come?

The Gospel Comes to Thessalonica

The Preachers Pay a Price

1. Why do people resist the gospel and persecute the preacher who is trying to impart good news free?
2. After how much persecution can a preacher be excused from further evangelism?  Would Paul have been exonerated from spreading the gospel after being jailed and whipped, etc.?

Paul’s Preaching Strategy

1. Why did Paul reach out first to Jews when he entered a city even though they made it hard for him?  Are Adventists justified in reaching out to Christians first when they enter a city or should they target non-Christians with the gospel?
2. Is it advisable to preach to non-Christians from their scriptures like we approach Jews from the Old Testament?

Two Views of the Messiah

1. What would have been the result if Jesus came the first time as a royal king to deliver Israel from the Romans? Were the Jews justified in expecting the messiah to come as a delivering king?
2. How is servanthood expected to be seen in a church administrator?  In what tangible ways can one understand that it has been achieved?
3. Now we Adventists are waiting for Christ to come as a King, is there a chance that we are mistaken again about the nature of his coming?

Suffering Before Glory

1. Is it possible that we might lose some potentially good leaders if we make them suffer too long (forty years in the case of Moses) before promoting them?
2. How does suffering improve a person for leadership?

A Church is Born

1. Since most founders of religions do not intend to establish anew religion, but only reform the old, how does a new religion begin?
2. If all the members of a body convert together can they remain in that building?
3. What does it mean to be ashamed of the gospel?  Are we ever guilty of this, and why? 

A Perpetual Ministry

Never-ending Witnessing and Evangelism

1. At what point in life may one be excused from witnessing and evangelism? 
2. What does Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well teach us about the value of background knowledge in witnessing? Should we be doing more research into the backgrounds of our "targets" to discover their needs or anything else? 

A Nurturing Environment

1. What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of waiting till a prospective new member is so "fully grounded" before baptism that no further nurturing is required? 
2. How soon after baptism may a new member be involved in witnessing and evangelism? What are the conditions, if any? 
3. We have baptismal classes for the young people who have grown up in our church: should we have a nurturing class for them after baptism? 

  Training Trainers

1. Why are some seniors reluctant to train their juniors? How can you get a seasoned worker to share his knowledge with you? 
2. How old should a person be before recruitment into witnessing and evangelism? 

Reclaiming Former Members

1. What are some of the reasons why people stop coming to church? 
2. If you were one of those who have stopped coming to church what would it take for you to start attending again? 
3. If there are some members of your church who could be reclaimed, would you be interested in visiting and inviting them back? 

The Back Door

1. Why are we more interested in the 'front' door than the 'back' door of our church? 
2. Would you rather be posted at the front door or the back door? Why?

Evaluating Evangelism and Witness

Why Evaluate

1. How can evaluations of our local congregation, our church organizations, our church officers and leaders help their performance?
2. How does the Adventist church / your local congregation measure in execution of the gospel commission to (1) go into  all the world (2) preach the gospel to every nation, (3) baptising them and (4) making them disciples?

Evaluate Kindly

1. What is the difference between evaluation and criticism?  How much do you desire evaluation of your performances in your workplace, your performance as a parent, as a spouse, as a friend, etc.  Can criticism perform the same service?
2. How can you evaluate a person without it seeming like criticism?  In what ways would you like a person to correct you or to make suggestions for improvement

What the Lord Asks

1. When Jesus addressed the Pharisees and Saducees was it evaluation or criticism?  Are their times when criticism is in order?
2. Can you explain the  meaning of Deut 10:12, 13, "And now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord an His statutes which I command you today for your good."

Evaluating for Spiritual Growth

1. How do we understand the need to evaluate with the caution not to "judge" others?
2. Since humans can see only the outside and not the heart, what does this mean in the context of evaluation?

Evaluating for Church Growth

1. What effect does the "huge" number of people being baptized in our Division affect the spirituality of the church?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of waiting till baptismal candidates are thoroughly prepared over a long period of time?
2. What should we do with evaluation or criticism that comes to us?

Let the Church Know

A Biblical Principle

1. Should our church be concerned with reports and statistics or should we just evangelize and never mind the numbers?
2. John and Peter reprted to back to the disciples the problems they had faced.  Why do you think our leaders report only good things in committees and not the challenges they faced?

What God Had Done

1. What are the benefits from hearing a good report of evangelism?
2. What are the benefits of sharing the challenges being faced in evangelism?

The Importance of Reporting

1. Some time ago we used to have reports before the church service on persons helped, meals given away, sick visited, etc.  Should we restore those reports in church?
2. Have you heard mission reports that inspired you?  Have you heard reports that turned you off?  What made the difference?

Reporting and Motivation

1. Why did Moses'ten spies give a negative report?  Why did Caleb and Joshua give a positive report?
2. What is the difference between faith an presumption?  What would it have been if all twelve spies gave an encouraging report and the Israelites went ahead? Give reasons for your answer.

Giving Him Glory

1. Can you give an honest sincere report and still have some people think you are boasting? What might give people that impression?
2. Is some of the reports of results of evangelism untruthfull?  Can there be good motives for a dishonest report?
3. What do you think of an evangelist who reports hundreds of baptisms and ends with "Praise God, I brought  more than 200 souls to Christ last year."