The third thing that happens in a church is the response of the people to the gospel as it is preached and embodied by the leaders. In the case of the Thessalonians, they "became [egenethete] imitators of us and of the Lord" (1:6). In particular, they imitated the evangelists and the Lord by experiencing joy in the face of persecution. Moreover, the Thessalonian believers "became [egenethete] an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia" (1:7).
Notice that everything that happens in this description is, in one way or another, a work of God. God chose the Thessalonian Christians and loves them (1:4). The gospel is the story of God's action in Christ (1:5). The gospel came in power through the Holy Spirit (1:5). The Spirit also inspired the Thessalonians to be joyful in the midst of affliction (1:6). The church is, more than anything else, a community of God, by God, in God, and for God. It is the place where God happens, so that through the church God might happen in the world.
The example of Paul and his co-writers challenges pastors to consider how we speak about our ministries and churches. Does God play the leading role in the stories we tell? Do we acknowledge the centrality of the gospel in all things? Do we see our roles as embodying the gospel in our character, or are we more excited about the words we preach and the decisions we make as leaders? Are we encouraging our people to imitate us as we imitate the Lord, or are we seeking their love, affirmation, and honor for ourselves?
Moreover, if the church is primarily God's work, then our role as church leaders is to discern what God is doing and wants to do.
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