Once upon a time the apostle Paul planted a church in the city of Thessalonica. Before the new church became established, however, Paul was forced to leave the city because of great hostility from people who were not receptive to the Gospel. In time Paul heard what was going on in the life of the new church, and He was thrilled.

They had a reputation. They were known for their “work of faith,” their “labor of love,” and “the steadfastness of hope” they had in “our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thes. 1:3). They had received the Gospel “in much tribulation” but they received it “with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (I Thes. 1:6). God had taken hold of that church and in spite of it’s rough beginning “the word of the Lord … sounded forth from them” (I Thes. 1:8). Theirs is a remarkable story of God and of an open and faithful people who allowed God to be God in their midst.

Every church has it’s own story and not every issue is repeatable in other situations. Yet, for every local church to be faithful to what God is calling forth in it, one thing must be present; that church must be willing to let God be God in the midst her people. This is non-negotiable. If this isn’t happening then that church isn’t really a church.

A key question for every local congregation might just be, “What does it mean in our Faith community for God to be God here?” From there a congregation might go in many different directions.; but, until God is allowed to be God in the midst, every thing else will be an exercise in futility.