Take Care of the Sheep


REV. DAVID WALKUP Moderator


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      


                  -                 - -    his encouragement to the Ephesian   “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance among all those who         the while knowing he will not see them again. “So the word of the Lord continued to in- crease and prevail mightily”


“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”    “Paul didn’t preach the gospel . “Paul concludes by commending the elders to God and (to the word of) his grace (v. 32). Paul knew that his own strength could not guarantee the Ephesian elders’ ministry success. Leadership in ministry recognizes the inability of human strength to produce supernatural results. The Holy Spirit, not Paul, had ultimately called these Ephesian elders as the leaders in that congregation (v 28). Paul certainly had a hand in modeling for them the content of ministry during his three years in Ephesus. For him, however, the ministry was empowered by the gospel, and these elders needed to be reminded that God’s hand and (the word of his) grace would be the primary means through which they would succeed.” 


     which is the word of Godword “which is able to build you up and to give you the   pastor who endeavors to minister according to the pattern of Paul among the Ephe- sians can usually enjoy an equal measure of affection and respect. More importantly, and by God’s grace alone, the pastor who longs to minister as Paul ministered will not have worked in vain. When this life of labor ends, servants of Christ who lived as Paul did will walk into that celestial gathering and hear those resplendent words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” - 


Acts 20:27 “The Whole Counsel of God” May/June 2026 3


Moderator’s Challenge


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