Each and every one of us should and probably will have a ministry to a new Christian. By “new Christian,” I mean someone that is younger than twenty-five years old or has been a believer for ten years or less. If you are active in your faith and active in the church, at some point you will have a ministry to a new believer.
With that reality, you face important questions: Do you know how to minister to a baby Christian? Do you know what to teach them? Do you know what to say to them, how to disciple them, or how to direct them? These questions matter deeply because the future of someone’s faith may hinge on how you respond.
It is easy to forget that the apostle Paul spent much of his Christian life ministering to new converts. Almost all of his ministry was to those who were young in the faith. In particular, when he came to the city of Thessalonica, he was with the believers for only three Sabbaths before leaving. About a year later, he wrote 1 Thessalonians to them. Paul did not go to an established church with structures already in place. He went to people who had never heard about Jesus Christ, preached to them, and then discipled them. This letter shows us how he cared for new believers, and from it we can learn how to do the same.
Paul was deeply concerned for the Thessalonians. After being torn away from them suddenly, he longed to know how they were doing. In verse one he confesses, “when we could endure it no longer,”[1] showing that he desperately wanted to know about their faith. He didn’t want to be ignorant of their condition. Though separated physically, his heart remained tied to them.
Paul’s concern reveals an important truth for us today: When we minister to new believers, we must be present with them. There is no substitute for physical presence. Much like parents invest large amounts of time with young children, so also mature Christians must invest time with spiritual children. This means doing life together—sharing meals, walking, serving, and creating opportunities for teachable moments. Our presence provides the soil in which their faith can grow.
Paul also shows his wisdom in sending Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s trusted co-worker and beloved disciple. He had already assisted Paul in planting the Thessalonian church and was uniquely equipped to return. Paul describes him as “our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ” (v. 2). Timothy’s role was to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians. The Greek word for “strengthen” (stērizō) pictures a buttress added to a building, something that gives stability.[2] Timothy’s teaching would help stabilize the young believers in their doctrine. The word “encourage” (parakaleō) conveys the idea of coming alongside to comfort and cheer. Together, strengthening and encouraging prepared these young Christians to endure trials.
And trials did come. Paul reminds them that afflictions are part of the Christian life. The word he uses, thlipsis, often describes severe pressure, like grapes being crushed for wine.[3] Paul himself had endured beatings, imprisonments, and accusations in Philippi and Thessalonica (Acts 16–17). He taught the Thessalonians that such sufferings were appointed by God. As he wrote, “we have been destined for this” (v. 3). This was not accidental, but part of God’s design. Paul continually prepared them by reminding them that suffering is part of following Christ.
This leads to a second truth: When we minister to new believers, we must prepare them. Preparation means teaching sound doctrine and giving realistic expectations about trials. As Warren Wiersbe wisely observed, “The trials and testings that come to our lives as Christians are not accidents—they are appointments.”[4] New believers need to know that difficulty does not mean they are outside of God’s will. Instead, those trials can advance God’s purposes (Rom 5:3; 2 Cor 1:4). As Charles Ryrie put it, “Sufferings are by divine appointment and the remembrance of this along with steadfastness is what is needed in the time of stress.”[5]
Finally, Paul feared that the tempter might lure them away (v. 5). Satan is relentless in trying to draw new believers away from the faith. Paul knew that young Christians are especially vulnerable. This reminds us of a third truth: When we minister to new believers, we must protect them. Satan blinds unbelievers and seeks to devour believers (2 Cor 4:3–4; 1 Pet 5:8). Protecting new Christians means warning them of temptation, helping them guard against their past sins, and encouraging them to remain vigilant. Like a military commander, Paul took spiritual protection seriously, and we must do the same.
After sending Timothy, Paul eagerly awaited news. Timothy’s report brought immense relief. He shared that the Thessalonians had remained firm in their faith and continued in love for Paul. The word Paul uses for “good news” is normally reserved for proclaiming the gospel. That is how good Timothy’s report was—it was gospel-like in its encouragement.
Paul explains that this news comforted him in his own affliction. He had faced hardships in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. Ministry had been discouraging and difficult. Yet hearing of the Thessalonians’ steadfast faith reinvigorated him. The very ones he had worried over now became a source of strength to him. Their obedience refreshed his spirit.
This highlights a final truth: Young Christians minister to mature Christians through their obedient faith. When new believers remain faithful, they encourage those who invested in them. Just as soldiers standing firm on the frontline encourage their commander, so faithful young Christians give life to mature believers. Paul concludes, “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord” (v. 8). Their endurance was his joy.
In the same way, we honor those who invested in us by living faithful lives. When spiritual mentors see us walk with God, their own faith is strengthened. The Christian life is not lived in isolation; it is a cycle of encouragement. Mature believers pour into the young, and the young build up the mature by their faithfulness. This is how the church grows strong together.
Ministry to new believers is both challenging and rewarding. It requires time, intentional instruction, and much grace. New Christians will stumble and struggle. They will wrestle with temptation and hardship. But when we are present with them, prepare them with sound teaching, and protect them from the enemy, they will grow strong in their faith. And when they do, their faith will encourage us in return.
The stories of changed lives—those who have been delivered from addictions, broken relationships, and hopelessness—are reminders that investing in new believers is worth it. Just as Paul found joy in the Thessalonians, we too will find joy in seeing God’s work in new Christians. Ministry to new members of God’s family is demanding, but it is also one of the greatest privileges we have as followers of Christ.
[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
[2] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959). 100-101,158; Lockman Foundation, NASB Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999), 1749.
[3] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959). 58.
[4] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Ready (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1979), 69.
[5] Charles C. Ryrie, First and Second Thessalonians (Chicago: Moody Press, 1959), 46.