 Right. Good morning everyone. Welcome to today's sessions. Let's begin this time with a word of prayer. Maybe any one of us can please lead us in prayer. Rebecca, is it okay if we can lead us? Praise the Lord. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before you, thanking you for the gift of life that you've given to us. Father, again, thank you for usading your word. What you did here when you were already 30, you started getting disciples. So Lord, as we're here, we're also learning on how to be disciples and how to disciple others. As we are in this session today, Lord, we pray that you bless our teacher, our lecturer, our pastor. Lord, give him the gift of wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that he can teach us and inculcate into us what we hope this and the generation to come. I also pray for my brothers and sisters who are already in this class. Lord, also give us a way of understanding, just like King Solomon asked you of wisdom, Lord. Please, Lord, give us wisdom so that we can serve, serve your flock in the name of Jesus we've prayed. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much, Rebecca. All right. So it looks like we're almost coming to the end of our course. So we've been talking about the ministry of the pastor and we looked at what, how Jesus led the example as being the greatest shepherd, the best, the greatest pastor, looking after the fold that he was, that was under his care. And so today we'll go into chapter, that's chapter 11. And on your notes, if you're tracking along on your notes, I know that there are no points there on your notes. So what we're going to do is this is still a work in progress, but what we're going to do is we're going to look at, just like it says here, summarize a few responsibilities of the pastor from both the epistles of Timothy, first and second Timothy, and Titus. So we're going to look at the responsibilities of a pastor. Right now, if any of you have not been called to be a pastor or you feel that your calling is something else, it's all right. You don't have to switch off, but the point is we all will get, these responsibilities may come upon us and we never know when and how those responsibilities come. So like we were talking about the gifts of the spirit, the functions of the ministry, the five-fold ministry, there are times they're also entangled, meaning they're all co-relator, co-work with each other. So if you feel you're called to be a teacher or an evangelist, these responsibilities, some of these responsibilities will still be available and optional for you to use in whatever ministry that God has called you for. So we'll pick up from here responsibilities of the pastor. And I have my notes here, but I'm just going to have it open and then want to request maybe a few of us to keep your Bibles ready because there's a lot of verses that we're going to read. So let's start off, right? 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 14, let's read that. Let me try and see if I can... Any one of us can read 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 14. 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 14, do not neglect your gift which was given to you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Thank you. And let's also read 2 Timothy 1.16. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 16. The Lord grant mercy to the household of Amesiphorus for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain. Right. So thank you so much Roslyn. Now Paul is saying in these two verses that the Holy Spirit guides the church in selecting gifted spiritual leaders, right? And in many places we see that laying on of hands of the leader confirming the call of God upon the person. And we see that Paul wrote in many places. He says, I was the one who, you know, chose him and he says to the church in Ephesus, writing to Timothy, lay hands on the leaders and pray for them, right? So one of the responsibilities of a pastor is to know or to recognize the gifts that people have, right? To recognize your congregation, to recognize their calling. Now many at times people who come into church, they don't know, right? They don't know what is their calling or they just coming to church just to, you know, okay, because it's Sunday and I have to be at church. But they don't know that, okay, there's a calling. There's something that God has called each one of us for. Yes, there's the general calling, but there's also a specific calling. Now as a leader, right, as a pastor, it's very important that we recognize that God has placed certain anointings upon people, right? And we must be in a place to recognize that and develop these leaders and develop these people into leaders into the call of God. Now this is very important. It's a very important responsibility. Why? Because if I'm not doing the right thing in raising up leaders, I'm not going to be effective in the body of Christ. Yes, I can preach Sunday upon Sunday. I can do all the related tasks, but if I'm not raising up leaders, I would say I've failed to be a good pastor, right? And in many places, look at the example of the Lord Jesus himself. He raised up these 12. He didn't tell them, okay, you're going to be leaders. It was only later on after teaching them, after towards the end of his ministry, he says each one of you will have a call, will have a say in the ministry ahead, right? He recognized their potential. The day the Lord Jesus shows the 12 disciples, he recognized their potential. Look at Apostle Paul. The moment he saw Timothy, Timothy was about 17 years old, the moment he saw Timothy, he recognized, okay, one day this young boy can be a good leader for the church, right? Now, when we are choosing leaders, there are a few things that we must always be, remember, we must always be careful about and prayerfully choose leaders. That's why in the verse that we read, it says that, you know, it is a call of God upon their lives. So we must be careful, but even as we do it, we must see certain things. And certain aspects are very, very, very important. There will be people who are very gifted, very anointed, right? Full to the Holy Spirit. Yet their character or their personal life does not, you know, does not reflect in a good way. Now, what would we do as a pastor, as a leader? We see that, okay, what this person can be, but we as leaders, as pastors, we need to teach them in the right way, train them in the right way, right? Let them know that, you know, there's, I always tell people this, I mean, your gifts and your callings can take you somewhere, right? It can take you up the ladder, but it's your character only that can keep you there. We are very anointed preacher, teacher and all of that. Rise up the ladder, people will recognize you all of it, but for you to stay there, your character needs to be right, right? And so even as we are raising up leaders, make sure that the leaders that we raise up are built in character also. Not only, okay, the word, yes, that's prominent, that's the first priority, but also character, right? See, give them the smallest task, see if they're faithful in that. Give them the most menial task, right? See, they're faithful in that. And if they're faithful in that, it shows their character, right? They're willing to serve no matter what, right? So it's very important as a pastor in the pastoral calling to the main responsibilities to recognize and train leaders, right? Let's look at the next one. The spiritual leader is entrusted with the standard of sound teaching, right? And the leader is to guard with the help of the Holy Spirit, right? The spiritual leader is entrusted with the standard of sound teaching. Let's read 2 Timothy chapter 1 was 13 and 14. 2 Timothy 1, 13 and 14. 2 Timothy chapter 1 was 13 and 14. What you heard from me keep as the pattern of sound teaching with faith and love in Christ. God, the good deposit that was entrusted to you, got it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. Right, thank you. Now we see here two things here. It says there, keep the pattern of sound teaching, right? Now Paul is writing to Timothy and he's telling Timothy there's a lot of things happening around. A lot of doctrines, a lot of new understandings that are happening but you keep the sound teaching that I have taught you, right? That's one. And the second portion says, guard the good deposit that has been entrusted to you. So what is the next responsibility of the pastor? One, to keep sound teaching. Is your teaching in line with the Word of God? Does it, anything that we preach and teach must be aligned to God's work? Sound teaching. Now in a day and age that we are living in, there are so many, so, so many doctrines that have come up. Some are alright, some are false, you could just say it's false. And what happens is they've started off well, but somewhere along the line they've gone away from the truth. That's why Paul says, guard the deposit that has been given to you. So when we read the Word, when the Word goes into our heart, we need to guard it. And so as leaders, as pastors, we have this awesome privilege of ministering this Word in a sound way. Sound teaching. Sometimes when I think of it, it's just so, such an honor. Whether there are 10 people, whether there are 10,000 people, it does not matter because we are going by this Word of God, which is the true living Word of God. And as pastors, we must make sure that there's no dilution to the Word of God. The sound teaching of God's Word. Another thing that I've noticed is when people don't understand something from the scriptures, we make up our own thing. And when we make up our own thing, it becomes a false doctrine. If we don't understand certain things, let it go. Prayerfully wait on the Lord, wait on the Lord. Keep reading, keep trying to understand. And slowly the Lord will bring revelation. There are many things in the book of Revelation that I'm still learning. But I'm still trying to understand, okay, how is this going to happen? But it does not mean it's not going to happen just because I don't understand it. I can't come up with my own assumptions. I can't say, you know, how can Jesus come back to Israel, to Jerusalem, you know, sit on the temple there. It does not make sense. How can He come back? He will not come back. Now, what am I doing? Because I don't understand, I'm coming up with my own doctrines. How can spiritual beings and earthly beings live together during the millennium period? It does not make sense. Now, if it does not make sense, but that's what the Word of God said. So we must stay with a sound doctrine. And there are plenty of scriptures all through that we read from the Bible, which we may not understand, but stick to sound doctrine. Remember the church in Thessalonica? What did they say? Said the believers in the church and the people around came and said, the raptures already happened. And so Paul had to sit, write the epistle, saying, no, the rapture has not yet happened. Don't you know, if you read the letters to Thessalonica, it says, don't you know, didn't I tell you when I was there that this is what is going to happen? In the trumpet sound and the twinkling of an eye, we will be transformed. We will meet Him on the clouds, and He goes on to explain. So as pastors, make sure that we are teaching sound doctrine. If we are unsure about something, take some time. Say that you're not sure, right? You can go read about it, learn, ask your senior leaders or those who are in the ministry for many years. You may have people who you may know of, read about them, listen to sermons, learn. And then if you feel that you are, you know, this is in the line with God's word, then go ahead and release it. But it's our responsibility. And as pastors, it's very important because what we are doing is if we don't feed the sheep good grass, and we feed them some, you know, something that is spoiled and some, you know, maybe decayed and something that is smelling and it's not good for the sheep. What is going to happen? The sheep is going to face the consequences because we are giving the food that is not right. And the sheep is going to eat it. But after that, the consequences are bad. And as shepherds, we must be very watchful of what we are teaching. Right? I remember, you know, just a couple of weeks back I was listening to a couple of sermons. And as I was listening to the sermon, you know, my attention was somewhere else. I was just doing something and the sermon was just, I was just listening to it. And I was surprised because in the middle of the sermon, the preacher says, it's a wonderful church, wonderful pastor, big ministry. He says this, God broke the law for love. And that sentence struck me, you know, as I was just listening to it. I was not paying attention, but when I heard that God broke the law, but Jesus says, I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. And then the preacher went on to give examples that didn't really relate to the scriptures. It didn't coincide with the scriptures. But then I noticed that the whole congregation, maybe thousands of people are all clapping and, you know, whistling and, you know, they're enjoying the sermon. I thought to myself, how many of them are going to go back thinking that God broke the law for love? That was the sentence he used, God broke the law for love. And, you know, I just thought to myself, you see how dangerous it is if we don't have sound teaching, we can end up just diluting this whole gospel, right? So make sure that we're sound teaching the gospel, right? Third one, if they had to preach and teach the gospel faithfully, they are worthy of double honor. Let's read 2 Timothy 5 and 17. Second, oh, there's no five. Hold on. It is, I think it's 1 Timothy. Yeah, it's 1 Timothy 5, 17. 1 Timothy 5, 17. The elders who direct the affairs of the church well or worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. Thank you. So it says that those who preach and teach the gospel faithfully are worthy of double honor. Now, what is the key word here? The key word is faithfully. We are to preach and teach the word of God, the gospel faithfully. Right? So another very important responsibility of a pastor is whether we are teaching or preaching to two people, or one person, or even if it's hundreds or thousands of people, we are to preach and teach the gospel faithfully. When we do that, that is double honor, right? What an honor that is, right? All we need to do is preach and teach the gospel faithfully. Stay faithful to the word of God. Stay faithful to his promises, right? Stay faithful to the call of God upon our life, right? It's a wonderful scripture. It says, no man puts his hand to the plow and turns back and goes the other way. If he does, then there's something wrong. He's weak-willed. So Paul is saying here to Timothy, just preach and teach faithfully. Stay faithful to the sound word of God. There will be new doctrines coming from all the other ways, all the other sides. People with new ideas, new things, new doctrines. But you stay faithful to the word that has been given to you. Faithfulness, right? It's very important responsibility of a pastor. Now it's very easy to lose faith in a journey that we are in, right? Very, very easy to lose faith. And when we look at what's happening now, it is sad. And it's disheartening to see pastors and ministers of God going back and saying, hey, I don't believe in God anymore. What happened? Somewhere along the line, the enemy has come and stolen that joy or that seed of God's word from their heart. And from faithfulness, they become unfaithful. So Paul is saying, as a pastor, be faithful to the gospel. Be faithful to the word of God. Let's go to the next one. Now, another responsibility is pastors must be people whose life and gifts are clearly visible both in their homes and outside of the church. And I'll give you the words. Second Timothy chapter 1 was 3 to 14. That's a long scripture. Second Timothy chapter 1. Let's go ahead. Second Timothy chapter 1 was 3 to 14. I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience as my forefathers did, as without seizing, I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you being mindful of your tears that I may be filled with joy. When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother, Lois, and your mother, Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to store up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me, his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God. Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason, I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed for I know who I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him until that day. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us. Amen. Amen. Thank you Rosalind. Now Paul is just telling Timothy his life testimony. Of course, Timothy knows what's happened in his life but he's trying to remind him. The ones who have been chosen as a pastor has not been novices but they must be people whose life and gifts are clearly visible to people. Paul is saying here, what is he saying? Verse 8, he's saying, do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord. Do not be ashamed of me who's a prisoner. Do not be ashamed of the gospel. And he goes on to talk about many other things, right? He says, I was appointed here by Christ. It is not my own work. And so as pastors, as leaders, may our lives be a testimony for people who are watching. That's a very important responsibility for pastor, right? It is not about preaching but to live the life that we're preaching about. What does Paul say? He says, you know, I don't want to be disqualified from what I myself have been preaching. To the Corinthians, he says that I've been preaching the gospel and if my life does not show that, then I myself am disqualified. What is the use of me preaching, right? So picture this, as pastors, you and I have this wonderful responsibility. Not only in the church but even at home. We are to be a testimony unto Jesus. Now I've reminded of this book that I was reading and this little joke came up but it was so powerful, you know, it really struck me. There was this wonderful man of God who had a big church and one Sunday he was, I think I've used this example before, but one Sunday he was preaching at church and everyone was just enjoying the message. They clapped and after the sermon, the woman came up to the pastor's wife and said, oh, your husband is such a wonderful preacher. He's so, you know, so anointed, so gifted. But the woman, the preacher's wife didn't seem pleased at all. She was just, you know, nodding her head and they asked her what happened. Aren't you, you know, blessed? Aren't you appreciative of your husband who has preached so wonderfully and he's such a great man of God? And the woman says, I wish my home was on that pulpit because when we go home, he's a completely different person. He's shouting, he's screaming, he's always angry, he's, you know, rebuking, he's doing, you know, all the wrong things. But on the pulpit, he's preaching well. Now, what is the testimony there? Church people saying, oh, very good man of God. But at home, your wife is saying, you know, but that's not what Paul is talking about. Paul is saying, be a good testimony at home and in the church. Many a times, Paul says, follow me just as I follow Christ. He's not saying follow me when I'm in church. Follow me, follow everything that I've been doing because I am following Christ. Whether people see me, whether people don't see me, whether I'm alone in the prison cell or whether I'm preaching in front of hundreds of people, follow my example. Now as pastors, we have to come to that place. We continue to develop and say, God, help me to be a testimony, both in the church to the people I minister to and at home. Because if I'm only a testimony in the church and not at home, I have failed. If I'm only a testimony in my workplace and or if I'm only a testimony in the church and not in my workplace, I have failed. So as a pastor, we have to be a testimony. We have to lead by example. I always believe this. What we do as a shepherd, our sheep will do the same thing. It's the anointing that flows. If you are a person who, for example, if there's a pastor who's always gossiping, always talking bad about people, you will find the same thing happening in the church. Now it's nobody's fault, but our fault. Because we have not set the example. If there's a pastor who's always maybe is going through some living a life that is sexually immoral, you will find the same thing in the church. You'll find it. Now how can this pastor go and minister to those who are going through these challenges in life when he himself is in a pit? And the Lord Jesus says it's the blind leading the blind. That's not what we want to do. We need to be an example. And when we are right, we can come to a place to speak into people's lives. It's very important. As pastors, we have to maintain integrity in our life. Learn over time. Of course we will make mistakes, but we learn over those mistakes. Okay, I made a mistake. God help me not to make this mistake again. Help me to grow, help me to develop and to build myself in wisdom. And I think one of the greatest challenges for pastors and leaders of course across the church is wisdom. Paul says the gifts of God are irrevocable. Just because we are preaching and there's healing and miracles. It is God's work. It's God's gift. God is doing his work. When the word is preached, God will do his work. There will be miracles. Now we as people may have sinned and all of that, but God is still doing his work. But what is it? We must always come to a place by saying, God, it's not about me. A cleansing of our own lives should happen continually. So again, as pastors, we must be a testimony. We must be people who can say, follow me. This is a follow Christ and it comes over time, but we can. We can. It's the same Holy Spirit who works in us. So to pastors who are here now and you're already leading a church or you're leading a small group. What you do is very, very important. If you're starting a church service 10 minutes late every Sunday, don't expect the congregation to come early. You have to be there early. You have to set the example and then they can follow it. So next one. The pastors must be gifted in managing their household and also managing the household of God. 1 Timothy 3, 4 to 5. 1 Timothy chapter 3 was 4 to 5. 1 Timothy chapter 3 was 4 to 5. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his family, how can he take care of God's church? So powerful words from the Apostle Paul. He says, now it's interesting to see the Apostle Paul doesn't have family and children. But look at the wisdom of God upon his life. The man who was not there for the Lord's supper, but he says, what I receive from the Lord I give to you. The man who was not married writes about husband and wives. The man who did not have children writes about children, how important it is for children to obey parents. That was the wisdom of God. As leaders, as pastors, learn how to manage your family. And I think this is an area where as pastors we have failed big time. We don't know how to manage our family, but we're very good at managing the church. And so we need to get that right. We must come to a place where we say, okay, family. We always say this, right? When we ask people what is priority, God or family, obviously people say God. Yes, God is priority, but family is what God created. So you can't separate them into different boxes. You can't say, okay, this is God, and then this is family. No, God and family co-exist with each other. God is the one who gave you the family. So he has put children, he has put family under our care and we must take care of it, right? So as pastors, we must never, and I was sharing, I think last week with the first year students on how so many friends that I have, right? Who are pastors' children, but they hate going to the church. They're friends of mine. They don't like going to the church. They've been brought up in the church all their life, right? Their parents are pastors. All their life they've been brought up in church. And I asked my friends. I said, hey, we were all friends. We're still friends, but I always, out of curiosity, I always ask them, why you don't like church? You know what they say? Because my dad and mom like people in the church more than me. That is the number one answer that we get. My parents like the church more than me. From the time I was small till about 17 years old or 18 years old till I joined college, I think only once we went out as a family. And so just my friend, he was, you know, he was sharing with me and, you know, he's an alcoholic drug addict, a pastor's son. Now who's to blame? I can't say all the blame is on him for choosing the wrong things, but even the parents, because all the left go for prayer meeting, go for this meeting, go for that meeting. And they have a house and right next to the house is their hall, church hall. So the half the time the parents are there. And they have a few church people who would come and cook in the house and they would come and, you know, give them the food he would eat. There was no time. That's what he was sharing with me. There was no time I could sit with my parents and talk and have. I don't remember when was the last time we had lunch together in the house. Either my mother would have gone or my father would have gone. I'm the only son. They had some church people at home who would look after me. I don't know who they are. But whatever I needed was there. If I need some books, if I need some toys, I need a cycle, I need anything that is needed, materially was there, but they were not there. And as I was hearing this, it really, you know, the Lord was ministering to me. And I said, God help me never to come to this place. The parents, I speak to the parents always, they are crying. He's my only son. He raised him up in the right way. Always took him to church, always asked him to be in the, you know, worshipped him, got him a drum kit, thinking that he will play drums. Always asked him to, you know, sit for Bible study. You know, this man was in the ministry for many, many years, but somehow I mustered up the courage and I said, Uncle, I think you need to go back to understanding your son. He's lost his childhood. He doesn't, he, when I was talking to him, he said, I've never gone out with a family. So I asked him, Uncle, when did you go? When did, when was the last time you went as a family? No, we cannot go. If you go, who look after the church? I said, you're still saying that, right? And Paul is saying, how can somebody look after the church of God when he is not able to manage his own house? The ministry may be going well, but he's broken. His wife is broken. His son is broken. The whole church keeps asking, you know, why did this happen to him? They're all praying for him. That's wonderful. But it's, you know, instead of, instead of doing the right thing, of course, sometimes it's out of ignorance. And we're all praying that he comes back to the Lord. But this is what he is, he's saying. So he doesn't like church. He doesn't like church people. You know, he says, I have seen their lives. There's something else in the church. And then when they go out, there's something else. Right. But here it's very important. Paul is writing the Timothy. We don't know whether Timothy was married, whether he had children, but I'm sure he's, he's exorting the people within the church as well. Leaders and overseers and deacons in the church. He's saying, look after your family. If you don't do that, how can you look after the church? Right. And this problem is real. So as pastors, the responsibility of looking after the family is very important. Spending time with family, spending personal time with your wife, with your children, praying for them, spending time together, being there for them. Very important. Because there will come a time the children grow up, they'll be 15, 16 years old, and you will not have a right to speak into their life because they, you were not there when they needed you. Right. So I make a conscious decision where my boys, they're growing up now, but whenever they say, I make a decision, I have to drop them and pick them up from school. It doesn't matter what time it is. It doesn't matter if it's raining, whether it's thunderstorms are coming or whatever is coming. I drop them, drop them to school, pick them up from school. Make sure I do it. I personally want to do it. Are there school vans in school bus? Yes, but I want to do it. And during the way I talk to him, just spending time, just finding out, just letting him know about school, what you should do, what you shouldn't do. There are small things that make a difference. So if you are in that place with children, spend time with them. And sometimes I look back at these photos that we took when they were kids and I feel, oh man, they've grown up so fast. They were just one year old, two years old. They've grown up so fast. And now they want friends more than family. So it's very important that you come to a place where you know that you're doing the right thing in your family. So Paul is very important. Paul is telling the congregation, the leaders, especially pastors, look after your family. Next one, pastors are to wholly give themselves to the scriptures. The pastor's attention is directed to the truth. 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 4. Let's read that. 1 Timothy 2 and verse 4. 1 Timothy chapter 2 was, who was all meant to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth? This is a very important point for pastors to bring all of them to be saved and to bring them to the knowledge of the truth. The pastor's attention should be directed to the truth of God's Word. Now we always say this. Don't give the devil pulpit time. As pastors, when we are preaching and teaching, focus on the truth. Jesus says the truth will set them free. Now the wrong thing to do is to go up on the pulpit and begin to talk about everything else, what others are doing, or what this person is doing, what that ministry is doing, all of that, bringing out all the wrongs of what's happening around and then spending the last five minutes on the truth of God's Word. No. As pastors, we must focus on the truth. Remember that people come from different backgrounds. There will be people from different faiths. Let the truth of the Word of God touch their lives. Remember, truth is greater than what is false. Light is greater than darkness. So you speak the truth. The wrong thing to do is to say, this religion does this, this religion does that, but this is what Jesus did. You don't have to talk about all the other things. Jesus said, just speak the truth. The truth will set them free. The Word of God. So we must direct people to the truth of God's Word. Not direct them to ourselves, but to the truth of God's Word. Okay, we look at one more point and then we take a break. To the sound words of the Lord Jesus, the pastors are to lead people to the sound words of the Lord Jesus and the teaching that is in accordance with Godliness. We are to discipline them in Godliness and discipline them in the things of life. So as pastors, we must be disciplined in our personal life and also discipline the sheep that are in our fold. We have a responsibility of encouraging and exhorting our congregation, telling them to pray, set time aside for prayer, set time aside for reading of the Word of God, set time aside for the things of God, family, prayer. We have the responsibility of exhorting the congregation. It's a responsibility. We must do it. We must discipline the sheep. Imagine a shepherd does not discipline the sheep. I love what David says. Your rod in your staff. What is the rod used for? And what is the staff used for? The staff is to gently pull the sheep that is going astray. The rod is to whack it when it keeps going away. So there will be times. Discipline is important. We have to discipline ourselves and then discipline our church members. All we can do is we can share with them the importance of being disciplined in life. There will be people in a congregation who are at different maturity levels. Spiritually, they are at different levels. Some people will take it. Some people won't take it. For those who don't take it, don't push them. Don't be stern. Don't be rude with them. Just move on. But focus on those who have made a decision to discipline themselves. Build them up. Continue to exhort them. Continue to build them in the word, in the faith. Discipline is important for the pastors. When they are disciplined, they will be able to talk and speak into the members' lives. The congregation's life. We will take a break. We will come back and we will continue with a few more points. We will look at a few rewards as well for the pastors. Let's take a break.