Our Church Family

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

“Our church family.” Do you ever use those words? Many Christian churches strive to cultivate a feeling of “family” within their congregation. It’s common to hear, “This is our church family.”

That idea of a “church family” comes straight from the Bible. As the apostle Paul taught Timothy how to pastor his congregation, he encouraged him to view each fellow Christian as a member of his family. 

How? Well, Timothy was to view each older man in his church as his father. He wasn’t to rebuke them harshly. Instead, he was to exhort and encourage older men just as a son encourages his father. In a similar way, he was to view younger men not as rivals, but as his own brothers.

Can you see this true, biblical idea of a church family taking shape? It also impacted Pastor Timothy’s relationship with women in his congregation. He was to treat older women as mothers. They weren’t burdens or irrelevant. They were to be treasured and respected and cared for. In a similar way, he was to view younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. Lust directed toward a sister in Christ was just as out of place as it would be with his own sister. His church family was really his family!

Do you think these encouragements were meant only for pastors like Timothy? Of course not! The fact that God calls himself our “Father” and that Jesus calls himself our “Brother” has a tremendous impact on our relationships with other Christians.

What could you do to encourage the members of your church family? Instead of rolling your eyes at that grumpy older man, view him like your father who needs to know he’s respected. Instead of ignoring that quiet older lady, talk with her like with your mother who needs to be treasured and cared for. View each man or woman of your own age like a brother or sister who is seeking real friendship and support from their family. And pray that God lead all those people to treat you as who you are in Christ: A beloved father, mother, brother, or sister too.

“Our church family.” Let’s not just say the words. Let’s treat our church as family.

Dear heavenly Father, you’ve welcomed every Christian into your family through baptism. Help our church to be a true family in Christ and show us ways to exhort and encourage our church family. Amen.

Pastor Nathan