Written by Jim Stern 

I have a good friend who is in the process of buying a small bank. I asked him, “Are banks really that different from one another, or is success mainly about finding a good deal?” 

He explained several distinctives that have shaped how he and his partner do banking and why those differences matter. 

Not all banks are the same. 

Different values and practices create different experiences for customers. 

The same is true of churches. 

As we continue our study of 1 Thessalonians, we are discovering that life in God’s Kingdom is fundamentally different from life in the world. The church is not simply a collection of religious people. The Greek word for church, ekklesia, means “called-out ones.” Those first believers were crucified to the world and joined a new family under the rule of King Jesus. 

If we want to experience all God has for us, we need more than personal faith. We need genuine Christian community. Fullness in Christ does not happen apart from deep, committed relationships with other believers. 

Our passage this week, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15, shows us what those relationships should look like. 

First, Paul instructs believers to honor their leaders: 

“But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” 

One of the marks of Kingdom life is how we treat those God has called to lead. Every Christian has a role in building the church according to gifts given by the Holy Spirit, and one of God’s callings is leadership. Faithful leaders love, teach, encourage, and equip God’s people for ministry. 

Kingdom people honor faithful leaders. They pray for them, encourage them, support them, and resist the temptation to tear them down. That does not mean leaders are beyond correction or evaluation. Paul specifically speaks of those who “diligently labor.” Leaders should be evaluated honestly. Paul even says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).  

But unlike the world, we do not engage in gossip, whisper campaigns, or division. We are on the same team, working together to build Christ’s church. 

Paul then turns to how believers should treat one another in 1 Thessalonians 5:13b-15: 

“Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.” 

Admonish. Encourage. Help. Be patient. Refuse vengeance. Pursue good. 

These commands assume something many churches struggle to cultivate today: deep relationships. 

Paul’s vision of church is not a group of people attending the same service. It is a spiritual family actively involved in one another’s lives. The relationships are strong enough for correction, encouragement, accountability, support, and sacrifice. 

We need each other. 

We are a family. 

We are a team. 

Part of the problem is that conversion is often reduced to praying a prayer. The biblical picture is far deeper. Salvation involves death to an old way of life and resurrection into a new one. When that reality is minimized, people often see church as a place to consume religious goods and services rather than a family they have joined and a mission they have embraced. 

The result is predictable. Relationships become shallow. Church becomes more about what I can get than what we can build together for the Kingdom of God. 

So, consider your own life. How many relationships do you have where encouragement, correction, patience, help, and the pursuit of one another’s good are normal? Paul’s challenge to the Thessalonians is God’s challenge to us as well. 

Pray. 

• Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the church or ministry where He wants you to serve. 

• Ask Him to show you the gifts He has given you. 

• Ask your pastor about God’s vision for the church. 

• Ask where you can help build. 

• Ask God to connect you with people who will help you grow and whom you can help grow in return. 

Then enjoy the fullness of what God has for you alongside others who are committed to His Kingdom. 

Not all banks are the same. 

Not all churches are the same. 

Let’s get to work as our Father leads, Jesus reigns, and we follow in the OVERFLOW.