DRL Ministries
www.drlministries.com
DRL exists for students to become active characters in God's prevailing Story creating a community committed to live by faith, be known by love, and be a voice of hope to all through the message of Jesus Christ. DRL is currently on the campus of Illinois State University (Normal, IL) and Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL).
In today's world of emerging ideas, innovations, and intellectual insights, placing a finger on the essence of spiritual growth can be a daunting task. It seems that everyone has developed the perfect formula to finding faith. But amidst all the various opinions, could it be that the ingredients to find relationship with the Creator of all things lie not in what is spoken today, but in what has already been spoken in the past? It is our belief that the key to living a flourishing life in Lord are through the simple components of faith, love, and hope as evidenced by the Thessalonian church.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10, Paul describes the Thessalonian church in this way: "We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy give by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, who he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."
