Thabiti Anyabwile
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
The apostle penned those words to the Ephesian elders during his farewell visit with them. In context, the words offer a sober warning and encouragement. There will be wolves in the Ephesian church who will devour all the sheep they can. To combat them, the elders will need to watch over each other as well as watch over the precious blood-bought flock.
Wolves roam the sheepfolds of our day as well. They not only feed on sheep; they feed on pastors, too. Which raises an important question: Who watches over the soul of your pastor?
It’s typical for many senior pastors to regard another pastor in a different church or city as “their pastor.” At its best, this practice represents a good approach to honoring more experienced pastors who have meant a lot to us. It’s fine to have “spiritual fathers” or “fathers in the ministry.” We pay homage to their investment in our lives and we continue to enjoy their encouragement, counsel, and guidance. That’s a good thing. A fresh outside perspective from someone who knows us but isn’t bound by our context can help us see things we might otherwise miss. Praise God.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: The Front Porch
Thabiti Anyabwile
