In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy write to the believers in Thessalonica. Acts 17 tells us that Paul and Silvanus had spent only a relatively short time there — perhaps just a few weeks — before opposition forced them to leave.

And yet, in that short time, a remarkable work of God had taken place. These new believers had embraced the Gospel so wholeheartedly that the message of the Lord was ringing out far beyond their own city. Their faith was becoming known throughout the surrounding regions.

How could a church, so young in its faith and with so little time under the teaching of Paul, have such a powerful impact?

We will look at three principles that made their ministry so effective. As we study this passage, we will see how they proclaimed the Gospel faithfully, lived out the Gospel authentically, and ministered in the power of God's HolySpirit.

In 1 John 3:1 John issues an instruction to stop and behold the manner of love that the Father has for us. Often, we find ourselves motoring through life focused on attaining our goals which can lead us to forgetting that God has called us His children. It is particularly fitting at such times to stop and take on board John’s instruction to see how great a love the Father has bestowed on us.

Today I want to take on board John’s exhortation and pause and to consider what does it mean to be called a child of God? And how did I, or how can I become a child of God?

We all believe different truths. Some us believe in absolute truth, others believe that there is no such thing and all truths are relative. What is true for one person is not true for another. The Bible teaches there is absolute truth, that is universally true, even if it is not universally accepted.

The question becomes, is the Bible actually true and can we trust the truths about Jesus and God that it proclaims.

In 1 John 1, John addresses this issue, stating that he was one of many eyewitnesses who personally witnessed the ministry of Jesus, and were convinced by His actions that he was the Son of God.

From birth we have probably been taught that we get what we deserve, or that we have to work hard to achieve success in this life.In Philippians 2 Paul provides an impressive list of his manyachievements in life, a resume that he could be proud off, with a trophy cabinet probably swelling with many great trophies.Yet he makes that stunning statement that since he met Jesus, he now considers all his many achievements, his efforts at self‑righteousness as nothing, in fact he compares them to excrement!Why can Paul say this? Simply because he has come tounderstand that true righteousness is the free gift of God, given solely by God’s mercy, in response to our faith alone in Jesus as the Christ alone.

We all have convictions. Some are deeply rooted in Scripture; others have been shaped by our upbringing, our traditions, our church background, or simply by the things we have always believed. And there is nothing wrong with having convictions. In fact, Paul tells us that each of us should be fully convinced in our own minds.The problem comes when our convictions become the standard by which we judge other Christians.

In Romans 14, Paul addresses believers who disagreed about things such as food and the observance of particular days.

In this episode of The Bible Under the Microscope we look at the issue of having a flat spiritual battery. What do we do when we feel spiritually exhausted? When our energy os running low, our motivation is fading and we are struggling to keep going in our ministry?

We hope to find the answer as we put Paul's letter to the Romans under the microscope focusing on that well known passage that start chapter 12.

When most people hear the word church, they think of a building—a place where Christians gather to worship God. But is that what the Bible means when it speaks about the church?

In this episode, we'll examine what the Scriptures actually say. We'll focus on just five words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 16:18: "I will build my church."Those five words raise some important questions. What did Jesus mean by "my church"? Who or what is this church He promised to build? And does the Bible's definition match the way we use the word today?

This episode is titled Religious Bigotry, and we're going to explore a remarkable passage from Acts: 10:34–43. In these verses, Dr. Luke records what many see as a turning point in the life of the early Church—the moment when the good news of Jesus Christ was openly extended to the Gentiles.

Until Peter's visit to the house of Cornelius, the Church had been almost entirely Jewish in its membership. But what happened that day challenged long-held assumptions and changed the course of Christian history.

As part of the Church today are we guilty of such religious bigotry?