Give Recognition To Your Church Leaders

November 27, 2015 Year C

Church leaders do three different things (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13):

1. Labor among the members

3. Correct those who sin

Their work (1 Thessalonians 5:13) is hard and deserves the love of the congregation. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He states that there are other ways one can give recognition to church leaders. He lists a variety of activities that give recognition to the leaders. How does it give them recognition? The way a church behaves reflects on its leadership. The more loving a church becomes, this will show the community that their leadership is working. If the church continues in conflict and dissension, then it shows that there are problems in the leadership.

There are activities that the church can engage in which will give recognition to the leaders. They include the following acts which describe how one relates to one another (1 Thessalonians 5:13-15):

1. Be at peace

2. Warn the irresponsible

3. Comfort the discouraged

4. Help the weak

5. Be patient with people

6. Don’t repay evil for evil

7. Pursue what is good

Then Paul describes a set of instructions, which clearly shows how the church should function. These set of works reveal spiritual growth that the church corporately should be engaged (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22):

1. Rejoice

2. Pray

3. Give thanks

4. Listen to the Spirit

5. Test prophecies

6. Hold to what is good

7. Stay away from evil

There are seven characteristics for individuals and seven characteristics for the church corporately. When individuals in the church and the church as a team exhibit these characteristics, it shows that leadership is doing its job. Some experts call this church health. When a church is spiritually healthy, this shows that the leadership is doing its job well.

Prayer: God, please help me be a leader that builds Your church to be healthy. Thank You for the privilege of leading your church.

Give Recognition to Your Church Leaders