Sublime

Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd”).

In order to maximize the mutual knowledge of the shepherd-sheep relationship it is essential that the members of the church be delegated among the elders of the church in order that each elder will know which sheep he is responsible for and the sheep will know the identity of their shepherd.

When the work of shepherding is difficult, the commitment of the shepherd is truly revealed. Yet shepherding is a labor of love to the one who truly is a shepherd.

Every member should have a personal connection with at least one elder. Real sheep “know they belong to a shepherd. They are named, known, and counted every day.”[143] The elders must not merely know the names of those members who are “his” sheep but must strive to know them personally.

19. Shepherd John 10:11

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28 NIV).

In Peter’s words to his fellow elders he reminded them that they were to shepherd the flock, “nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3).

Psalm 8, David marvels at God’s creation and the fact that man is given dominion over it.