How Should We Regard Our Church Leaders? (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

There was an old chorus we used to sing in church that went, 

"I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God, I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, For I'm part of the family, The Family of God."

Even though the lyrics may sound a bit dated, it affirms the truth of Ephesians 2:19, that in Christ we "are fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household." That "Family of God" chorus also adds some color to our study of 1 Thessalonians, where Paul repeatedly uses familial language to describe their local church. 

We're going to dive into the final part of Paul's letter to the Thessalonians this Sunday, where we'll get a clearer picture of what Gospel families look like. In other words, if an alien from another galaxy visited a healthy church family, what would they see?

The two verses we'll look at together are 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, which answer the question, "How should we regard our church leaders? 

I hope we grow closer as a church family this Sunday!

-Pastor Chris

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We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13