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Pastor to Pastor

Watchers of Souls

Here is the work of shepherds.

Growing into Christ (5)

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13.17

The Elder and His Work
David Dickson (1821-1885)
“Besides pastors, we have in the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland more than fourteen thousand men ordained as elders, to watch for souls as those ‘that must give account;’ and to whom are addressed the solemn words, first spoken to the elders of the Church of Ephesus, ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.’”

David Dickson was what Presbyterians call a “ruling elder” – a layman entrusted with pastoral oversight of people within his congregation. In Presbyterian circles, pastors and elders are regarded as shepherds, though this seldom works out in practice. David Dickson’s little book on the work of shepherds contains much sound advice for any who serve in such a role, whether they are called elders, deacons, wardens, leaders, or some other term. Disciple-making is a two-way street. The shepherds of God’s flock watch over the souls of His sheep, being faithful to care for each one as the Lord would Himself. At the same time, the people of God must be willing to submit to such pastoral oversight. We can perhaps see here why Aelred’s teaching about friendship as the context for disciple-making is so important. Who would submit to someone he did not regard as friendly to his soul? And who would want to provide such pastoral concern if he did not regard those he serves as friends?

Who is responsible for the work of shepherding in your church? Are all the people in your church cared for by able shepherds?

If Men Will Pray

Paul explicitly declared that men everywhere should lift holy hands in prayer, so that the Gospel could flourish (1 Tim. 2.1-8). So how is it with the men of your church? Are they men of prayer? Do they take no rest, and give God no rest, seeking Him in prayer? Men at Prayer provides resources for you to use in enlisting, equipping, and encouraging your men for prayer. Watch this brief video, then begin developing a strategy for leading the men of your church to take their place on the wall, seeking the Lord for revival, renewal, and awakening in our day. If you need helping thinking this through, or you’d like to talk about this effort, send me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
All quotations are from David Dickson, The Elder and His Work (Dallas: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1990).

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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