The Church: A Family of Encouragers
DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES
1 Timothy 5:1 begins a section of the letter concerned with how the pastor should relate to different groups within the church. Paul provides instructions for how Timothy should minister to: those of different ages and genders (5:1-2), widows (5:3-16), other elders (5:17-25), and slaves (6:1-2). All of this is important not just for Timothy but for each one of us. Because, “as go the pastors, so go the people.” There's something for the entire church to learn from the way the pastor relates to every group within the church. First and foremost, 5:1-2 makes it beautifully clear that Pastor Timothy needs to relate to the different groups within the church as he would to family. We, along with him, live in this same family and are called by God to live together as brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers. Encouraging one another. Mentoring one another. Engaging in discipleship together. Striving together so that each of us would increasingly take on the shape of the Savior.