The Gospel and an Upside-Down World

The story of how the church was planted in Thessalonica is important to understanding the letters to the Thessalonians. When the gospel was believed in this important city, it was perceived to be a threat to every facet of culture and life. The missionary team was forced to leave the city, but these letters were written to encourage the fledgling church to live as faithful Christians in spite of the conflict that this will cause with the cultural idols of their city.