Humans are motivated by both pain and pleasure. Motivation from pain is more short-term motivation. Once the pain is cured or sufficiently avoided, the motivation stops. But pleasure is stronger because we tend to want it to stay. So, we are motivated to keep it. It's obvious, then, that joy is something we should cultivate so that it can help us endure and give us hope for the future. This class discusses the ways joy can be built up in our lives.
The work we do for the Lord is not vain, but the caveat to that is the work must be done "for the Lord" and done His way. That's success no matter if our efforts might seem disappointing to us. In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul reveals what makes ministry and disciple-making successful and fruitful by reminding us of three important principles.
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Joy and happiness have similarities, but the differences are important. Joy is not just about circumstances. In fact, joy can be experienced in terrible circumstances. As strange as it is to think about that, the Bible gives us a clear picture of finding joy not in spite of our problems but within them. Redefining joy can help us create hope and find the joy of the Lord.
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This lesson from 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 explores what genuine spiritual transformation looks like. Paul celebrates the Thessalonians’ identity in Christ, their visible life change, and their role as an intentional example to others. We discuss how faith, love, and hope produce action and how our lives can inspire others to follow Christ.
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When mentoring others, we need to find ways to help them see others in better ways. This is the crux of kindness: seeing people the way God does. This class is a discussion of important attributes within kindness and how we can help people learn to apply it to their lives as we help them grow.
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Spiritual growth allows us to influence others. That's the heart of being "light" to the world. But how do we grow in our ability to influence others for God? This class is Part 1 where we lay the foundation by talking about preparing ourselves and understanding those we are hoping to help.
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