The Ministry of Encouragement

Being an encourager is a pretty simple thing, but it has tremendous benefits for the person being encouraged. 

Encouragers

• Acts 4:36-37
• Barnabus, the Son of Consolation
• Acts 11:22-24

Exhorted, Exhort, Exhorting

• To urge someone strongly to do something
• Thayer – To call to one’s side, to address, speak to, beg, entreat, to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to encourage, to strengthen, to instruct, teach
• Vine – To urge someone to pursue a course of conduct. To propel forward, to urge forward, impel morally.
• Acts 14:22
• Hebrews 10:25
• Acts 11:23; 15:32
• 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 4:1; 5:14
• Hebrews 3:13

Edified, Edification, Edify, Edifying

• Acts 9:31
• Building up character, the Christian, and the church
• Thayer – The act of building, building up. The act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness.
• Vine – The act of building, promoting spiritual growth, building a future body of believers, promoting the spiritual growth and developing of character in believers, teaching by example.
• 1 Corinthians 14:3, 5, 12, 26
• Ephesians 4:12, 16 29

Conclusion

• Romans 14:19; 15:2
• 1 Thessalonians 5:11
• Read and study your Bible
  • Pray before reading
  • Read
  • Examine what the passage says to you
  • Say it back to the Lord
  • Share with others
• Pray
• Church attendance
• Mentor – encourage, edify, exhort