Church Planting Insights From 1 ThessaloniansSample

The Bible is full of stories and instructions about pronouncing blessings.

A blessing is a statement spoken to another person or group of people, made in faith, declaring a desire for God’s favor to be upon them. Like prayers, blessings are spoken in faith. But prayers are directed to God. Blessings are spoken to other people.

Like prayer, blessings spoken in faith are powerful. God is delighted to fulfill the blessings spoken in love by men and women of God. Our heavenly Father delights in bringing to pass our blessings that align with his good and gracious will.

As a church planter, you have multiple daily opportunities to speak words of blessing. You can bless believers and unbelievers with your words.

The Apostle Paul is an excellent example of a man of God who blessed others. His blessings, like all true blessings, were motivated by love. He loved the Thessalonian believers. He longed to see them. He wanted them to prosper spiritually, emotionally, and as a church. He wanted God’s favor to rest upon them. So he blessed them. 1 Thessalonians 3:12,13 (NIV) is an excellent example of a blessing motivated by love, expressed with faith, and conformed to the will of God.

Paul wrote, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” Paul had expressed his love for the Thessalonians again and again. There is no doubt that this blessing was motivated by love. Paul knew that God’s will for his people is that we live holy and blameless lives, reject sin, and honor God. So, in faith, he made his declaration of blessing.

We bless people because we love them and want God’s grace to abound in their lives. Of course, this is the same reason we pray for people. When we bless people by speaking directly to them to declare God’s favor upon them, they have a chance to respond. I can imagine that when the Thessalonians read Paul’s words of blessing, desiring that they live blameless and holy lives, their first response was, “Amen. May it be so, just as you have said.”

Paul expressed faith when he blessed them, and the Thessalonians very likely expressed faith when they received the blessing. The one who blesses and the one who receives the blessing agree in faith. When followers of Jesus agree in faith for the will of God to be done, great things happen.

Perhaps you rarely declare a blessing on your church members or your neighbors. But blessing others is a powerful tool God has given you to release his goodness and grace upon needy people. So, pronounce blessings with greater frequency. It may feel awkward at first, but keep trying. Your heavenly Father delights in fulfilling your blessings declared in faith and motivated by love.

o 1 Thessalonians 4