If we learn to embrace a church as a family, we can navigate all relationships and situations within the group. We can express our care for one another by lovingly challenging each other to pursue Christ no matter how difficult our circumstances may be.
Jesus did not leave us on our own to follow Him, so we must learn to encourage one another to continue even if our resolve has diminished.
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
To keep your faith family functional, encourage those who lead you (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Pastors are called to labor diligently to meet the multifaceted needs of a church. If they do that well, tell them. The more they are encouraged, the better they will serve, which is for our benefit.
Paul never backed down from a good confrontation, but we read of his patience toward struggling church members in this section. One surprising yet refreshing concept from his instructions is the varied approaches we must use depending on the situation.
For those idle, warn them.
For those discouraged, comfort them.
While we often want to use templates for everyone, that never works.
Some in a church need comfort, and others are too comfortable.
Providing them with the same type of interaction would only meet some of the requirements. You only know what each person needs if you get to know each person. That’s why relationships are so vital.
Some people need loving encouragement, while others need bold confrontation. In addition to knowing what needs to be addressed, we must know how to address the individual people.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
