The actions of an effective congregation involve spiritual development, godly examples, family relationships, qualified leaders, respectful connections with the world and doing good deeds with generosity.
Train Yourself for Godliness Enjoying Every Created Thing
The Spirit said in later times that some abandoned the faith and followed deceiving spirits from hypocritical liars. They forbid people to marry and ordered them to abstain from certain foods that God created to be enjoyed by those who knew the truth. God created everything as good and nothing rejected if received with thanksgiving and consecrated by the word of God and prayer. A minister with good teaching pointed these things out. Have nothing to do with godless myths but train yourself to be godly. Physical training had some value but godliness held promise for both the present and future life. Put your hope in the living God and Savior of all men. Command and teach these things (1 Tim. 4:1-11). Train yourself for godliness enjoying every created thing while teaching and fixing your hope on the living God.
Be a Godly Example While Exercising Your Gifts
Do not let people look down on your youthfulness but set an example in speech, life, love, faith and purity. Be devoted to public reading of Scripture, preaching and teaching. Give yourself wholly to spiritual gifts, which were recognized by elders so people see progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere to save yourself and hearers (1 Tim. 4:12-16). Be a godly example while devoting yourself to preaching, teaching and exercising you spiritual gifts.
Treat Body of Christ Like Family
Exhort an older man like a father, treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers and younger women as sisters with all purity. Give proper recognition to widows in real need. Let families care for parents and grandparents to please God and not burden the church. Needy widows put their hope in God evidenced by prayer instead of seeking pleasure. Those who do not provide for their relatives and immediate family are worse than an unbeliever. A qualified widow must be over 60, faithful to her husband, well known for good deeds like bringing up children, showing hospitality, serving believers and helping those in trouble. Encourage younger widows to marry and have children so they do not become idle, gossip and turn away to follow Satan (1 Tim. 5:1-16). Treat brothers and sisters in Christ respectfully like family while financially supporting qualified widows.
Select and Support Qualified Elders
Financially support elders who preach and teach since workers deserve their wages. Do not accuse an elder unless two or three witnesses came forward. Rebuke sinning elders publicly so others take warning. Keep these instructions without partiality or favoritism. Be slow in appointing elders in order to stay pure. The sins of some men become obvious and others trail behind. Similarly, good deeds become obvious (1 Tim. 5:17-25). Select and support qualified elders financially and spiritually.
Respect Work Authorities With Contentment
Employees should consider their supervisors, especially believers, worthy of respect to not slander God’s name. Those who taught false doctrines and did not agree with godly teaching of Jesus Christ were conceited, without understanding and had unhealthy interest in controversies. They were robbed of the truth thinking that godliness was a means to financial gain. Godliness with contentment over food and clothing bring great gain. People wanting to get rich fall into temptation, a trap, foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. The love of money was a root of all kinds of evil causing people to wander from the faith and piercing themselves with many griefs (1 Tim. 6:1-10). Respect work authorities with contentment over food and clothing to remain strong in the faith.
Pursue Righteousness Doing Good Deeds With Generosity
Men of God pursued righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. They fought the good fight of faith taking hold of eternal life while making the good confession in the presence of many witnesses until Christ appeared. Honor God, blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords and immortal who lives in unapproachable light. Command the rich in this present world not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God who richly supplied everything for enjoyment. Command them to be rich in good deeds, generous and willing to share. They laid up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the future and took hold of real life. Paul commanded Timothy to guard what was entrusted to his care, turn away from godless chatter and opposing ideas of false knowledge that caused people to wander from the faith (1 Tim. 6:11-21). Pursue righteousness doing good deeds with generosity to gain eternal reward and life.
Pray for your congregation in the following areas:
1. Spiritual development
2. Godly examples
3. Family relationships
4. Qualified leaders
5. Respectful connections with the world
6. Doing good deeds with generosity
