'One Another' Series - Teach and Admonish One Another

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders. 

As we begin a new year, I have begun a new series, focusing upon the “One Another” scriptures found in the New Testament as viewed through the lens of leadership.  We began with “Love One Another”, a command issued 16 times in the New Testament.  In my former podcast we addressed the imperative to “Serve One Another” and we are commanded to do so “in love”.  

Colossians 3:16 instructs us to “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Three components of this scripture stand out to me. 

• Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly

o I appreciate that the Apostle Paul uses the phrase “Among you”.  The message of Christ is to be experienced in community while being shared with others.  Leaders set the example of this “among you” lifestyle by sharing their lives, and life experiences, with others.  

o Another translation says it this way, Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.”  This “richness” has the implication of a life of abundance or fullness. Good and godly leaders live lives where God’s goodness flows into them and then overflows in blessing to others. 

• Teach one another – As church planters and leaders, we are instructed to “teach one another”.  This includes many planned opportunities such as preaching in a church service.  But, teaching goes beyond this; there are many unplanned opportunities to teach as we model Christ-centered values and mentor men and women who are less experienced in their walk with Christ.  

Perhaps you have heard this idiom or something like it.  “More is caught than taught.”  The meaning here is that those who follow us “catch” our beliefs and values by observing how we live out our faith.  What we say and what we do must be in alignment; when there is inconsistency, others are more likely to follow what we do more than what we say.  

• We are also to Admonish one another – to admonish is to rebuke, correct or scold.  While this may not carry with it a pleasant implication, nonetheless Paul saw the need for church leaders to “admonish one another”.    The key is that, when necessary, we admonish “with all wisdom” and with the goal of restoration.  As mentioned during one podcast late last year, “The goal of our negative feedback is redemptive; it is intended to correct or restore.” 

Good and godly leaders teach (or instruct), and they admonish (or correct).  We must discern by the Holy Spirit which is appropriate in any given situation.  

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.