“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.” (I Thessalonians 5:16-19)

Last week, we had a spectacular Thanksgiving Worship Service! With exactly one hundred in attendance, we were blessed to sing along to
Will Koroluk’s song, Hallelujah! We then got to hear each of our four new ICCM (International College of Christian Ministry) students share what they are most thankful for during the Communion. Then our hearts were challenged during the Contribution, led dynamically by
Isaiah, to give out of our gratitude for Christ. I was personally graced with the opportunity to preach. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I decided on the title, Fall or Autumn. Fall, of course, referencing how careful we need to be not to fall spiritually; and Autumn, the word that was originally substituted for the word “harvest.” Therefore, we must choose to have an Autumn harvest, and not a spiritual Fall! Finally, our service closed out with a bang as we witnessed another soul “harvested” to the Kingdom through the powerful baptism of Javier!

As Kelly and I drove off after service, with our two kids in tow, it hit me that Javier’s baptism means that the Toronto Church is now officially
at 70 sold out disciples of Jesus! I was instantly filled with a deep sense of gratitude for how God has worked over the past few years. As you
may already know, Kelly and I moved to Toronto in June, 2017. At that time, the Church was just 13 disciples; and dare we say, we were far from being “sold out.” After labouring for just over five years, two of which included a global pandemic, God has multiplied us to over five times our original group! God is awesome!

While I was thinking about our incredible Church here in Toronto, the first-century Church in Thessalonica came to mind. Initially, it too had a very humble beginning. In fact, Luke takes note that the “Bereans were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for the received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11) By implication, we can assume the Thessalonians were not eager, they did not examine the Scriptures, and they most certainly did not do it every day. They were the antithesis of the noble-charactered Bereans.

Yet as Paul wrote about them in his letter to their Church in 51 AD, just over a year after the Thessalonian Church was planted, they had become “a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (I Thessalonians 1:7) Not only were they a model to just their “World Sector,” but Paul went on to say, “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere.” (I Thessalonians 1:8) The Thessalonian Church had become an inspiration to the brothers and sisters all over the world! This once tiny, ignoble group of disciples, had become something truly special. And I believe, so have we!

Already this year, we have seen 31 souls baptized into Christ! We were able to divide the Church into two Regions, and were greatly blessed to have the Hamula’s move to Toronto to assume the leadership of the York Region! We have disciples on four college campuses, and have seen the Church spread to seven Bible Talks – with several more coming shortly! ICCM has also grown! We have gone from just 8 students at the beginning of the year to now having 14 enrolled students; or as we like to call them in ICCM, “unpaid interns.” Beyond all of that, it has been inspirational to see younger Christians raising up, older Christians getting re-fired up, and all of us together, never giving up!

For all that God has done, and is doing, I am truly grateful! I am in awe that I have been blessed with so much in my life as an Evangelist. And beyond that, I am incredibly blessed to be a part of such a special group of disciples. Having gone through several years, where I believe God’s Kingdom was taken away from us in the early 2000’s, (Matthew 21:43) I appreciate how special the Kingdom of God really is! And therefore, I understand why it is important to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Why? Because there is not a circumstance that exists where God hasn’t given us more than we deserve!

Interestingly, the Church in Thessalonica did not plateau out. Instead, it went on to new heights. In Paul’s second letter to them, written in 52 AD, another year later, he says, “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” (II Thessalonians 1:3) My only prayer for us, as I believe our faith in God and love for one another is already awesome, is to take it even higher! Therefore, let us “rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances!”  For not only is this “God’s will for [us] in Christ Jesus,” but in doing so, we can ensure that we never put out the Spirit’s fire! To God be all the glory!