““We can choose our friends but we We can choose our friends but we cannot choose our family.”cannot choose our family.”

• We need to learn to live We need to learn to live together.together.• We need to learn to love one We need to learn to love one another.another.

• We need to learn to serve and We need to learn to serve and care for all without being picky.care for all without being picky.

Ministering to men and women, Ministering to men and women, young and old, single, married or young and old, single, married or widowed follows the dictum widowed follows the dictum “different strokes for different “different strokes for different folks”. Ministry to various groups folks”. Ministry to various groups requires teaching godliness by requires teaching godliness by modeling.modeling.

Ministering to the Ministering to the Older MenOlder Men

a.a. How to treat them:How to treat them: Treat them like Treat them like you would your own father – with you would your own father – with respect respect (I Tim. 5:1a).(I Tim. 5:1a).

1.1. Ministering to the Older MenMinistering to the Older Men

11 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.but exhort him as if he were your father.

Rise in the presence of the aged, show Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your respect for the elderly and revere your

God.God.(Leviticus 19:32)(Leviticus 19:32)

b.b. What to teach them:What to teach them: Teach them “to Teach them “to exercise self-control, to be worthy exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.” with love and patience.” (Titus 2:2, (Titus 2:2, NLT).NLT).

1.1. Ministering to the Older MenMinistering to the Older Men

Ministering to the Ministering to the Older WomenOlder Women

a.a. How to treat them:How to treat them: Treat them like Treat them like you would your own mother – with you would your own mother – with love love (I Tim. 5:2a).(I Tim. 5:2a).

2.2. Ministering to the Older WomenMinistering to the Older Women

22 Treat...older women as mothersTreat...older women as mothers

b.b. What to teach them:What to teach them: Teach them “to Teach them “to live in a way that honors God. They live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. others what is good. (Titus 2:3, NLT).(Titus 2:3, NLT).

2.2. Ministering to the Older WomenMinistering to the Older Women

Ministering to the Ministering to the Younger MenYounger Men

a.a. How to treat them:How to treat them: Treat them like Treat them like you would your own brothers – you would your own brothers – with authenticity with authenticity (I Tim. 5:1b).(I Tim. 5:1b).

3.3. Ministering to the Younger MenMinistering to the Younger Men

11 Treat younger men as brothers,Treat younger men as brothers,

b.b. What to teach them:What to teach them: Teach them to Teach them to live wisely through your own live wisely through your own example. “Let everything you do example. “Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.” nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8, NLT).(Titus 2:7-8, NLT).

3.3. Ministering to the Younger MenMinistering to the Younger Men

Ministering to the Ministering to the Younger WomenYounger Women

a.a. How to treat them:How to treat them: Treat them like Treat them like you would your own sisters – with you would your own sisters – with purity purity (I Tim. 5:2b).(I Tim. 5:2b).

4.4. Ministering to the Younger WomenMinistering to the Younger Women

22 Treat...younger women as sisters, Treat...younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.with absolute purity.

a.a. How to treat them:How to treat them: Treat them like Treat them like you would your own sisters – with you would your own sisters – with purity purity (I Tim. 5:2b).(I Tim. 5:2b).

4.4. Ministering to the Younger WomenMinistering to the Younger Women

They are the kind who worm their way They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over into homes and gain control over

weak-willed women, who are loaded weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all down with sins and are swayed by all

kinds of evil desires,kinds of evil desires,(II Timothy 3:6)(II Timothy 3:6)

b.b. What to teach them:What to teach them: Teach them Teach them (especially through the older (especially through the older women) that they are “to love their women) that they are “to love their husbands and their children, to live husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the they will not bring shame on the word of God.” word of God.” (Titus 2:4-5, NLT)(Titus 2:4-5, NLT)

4.4. Ministering to the Younger WomenMinistering to the Younger Women

Paul’s emphasis was for us to treat Paul’s emphasis was for us to treat the members of the church as our the members of the church as our closest family members. After all, closest family members. After all, Jesus himself said in Mark 3:35,Jesus himself said in Mark 3:35,

““Whoever does God’s will Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and is my brother and sister and

mother.”mother.”

ConclusionConclusion

““I LOVE the church!”I LOVE the church!”(Luis Pantoja)(Luis Pantoja)

ConclusionConclusion