Philippians: Unlocking the Power of Persevering with Joy:

The Apostle Paul was inspired by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to go out and start new faith communities all throughout the Roman Empire. As he did, Paul endured so much adversity: imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, illness, and ongoing threats to their well-being.  No matter what he faced, by faith Paul was able to press on and persevere while rejoicing! His faith was resilient, and his unwavering joy gave shape to the nature and character of the earliest churches, and the people inside of them. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, written behind the bars of a Roman prison, is considered by most to be the epistle of joy, and it has so much to teach us about finding joy even amidst the adversity, uncertainty, and fear we face today.  For three weeks this September, we’re going to read Philippians and unlock together the power of pressing on and persevering in joy.