Pastors, guard yourselves & the entire flock Series: Holy Spirit - Helper & Friend As we were going through Acts 20 we have run into the passages where Paul calls for the elders of Ephesus to travel to Miletus to meet with him. As he encourages them, he reminds them of their sacred duty before the Lord to - "watch out for yourselves and for all the flock over which the Holy Spiri has made you overseers to feed the flock of God which He purchased with the blood of His Son." This sobering injunction carries with it many truths which have been all but lost on the modern church. The modern church is all about bigger, better, more alluring and as many lost brought into the physical church building as possible. Of course such notions could hardly run any more contrary to the admonitions in scripture. The chuch is a SHEEPfold, a place to keep wolves OUT OF, not invited INTO. One of the requirements of guarding against sin and wolves that this pasage mentions is judgments in the church. Contrary to popular opinion, we are REQUIRED by God to judge between the brethren. NOT for condemnation, but for edification, exhortation and purity. This week we begin a short study on what the scripture say regarding the need for wise people in the congregation of the saints to arbitrate disputes in the family of God and to judge sin. Please approach this with a mind which is willingly subject to scripture and not with bias and preconcieved ideas. May god bless you as you learn and study.