Preparing Our Hearts for Annual Session: 30 Days of Prayer and Devotion - Day 12

Day 12 The Ministry of Encouragement

Rev. Dr. Sean Evans

Pastor, Second Baptist Church of Paterson, NJ

ABCNJ Council Member

Scripture:  1 Thessalonians 5:11 — "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other…"

Reflection:
In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, the Apostle Paul charges us to “encourage one another and build each other up.”

Architects often marvel at the ancient Roman arch. Its strength does not come from a single stone but from how individual stones lean into one another, distributing weight to a shared foundation. If one stone shifts or pulls away, the entire structure threatens to collapse.

In our shared ABCNJ ministry, we are those stones. The real-world weight of pastoral burnout, declining attendance, and community anxiety can make us want to pull inward. Yet true Christ-centered encouragement demands the exact opposite. It requires us to lean into one another, bearing the load together.

Here is our challenge: Encouragement is not passive kindness. It is active, messy, and intentional construction work. It means calling a neighboring ABCNJ pastor just to listen. It means celebrating another church's victory even when your own congregation is struggling.

If we focus only on building our own separate walls, we miss the grander sanctuary God is shaping. Let us commit to the hard work of leaning in. Who will you intentionally build up and support this week to strengthen our shared foundation in Christ?

Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for those You have placed beside us in ministry. Teach us to speak words that strengthen, to listen with compassion, and to celebrate others' work. Guard us against discouragement, comparison, and isolation. Make us faithful encouragers who reflect hope and help one another persevere with joy. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Practice: Intentionally encourage someone serving in ministry this week. Send a note, make a phone call, or pray with them in person. Let them know one specific way you see God working through their life and ministry and ask nothing in return.