Ministry of the Evangelist, Pastor & Teacher | Lecture 14 : BC-206-MEP&T-20260921

All right, welcome back. So, just the last point here. The shepherd gathers the sheep. Uh let's pick up from John 10 where we stop. Verse 15. Just as the father knows me, I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep. Very important, right? Listen to this. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. What do you think this means? Any idea what do you think this means? Jesus is saying I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and they shall be one flock and one shepherd. Yes, he's talking about Gentiles. He's saying now, right now, I know we are ministering only to the Jews, but there will come a time when those who are not of this pen. They too will hear my voice and they will come in to this same sheep pen and we will be one flock with one shepherd. So what does it teach us? The shepherd gathers the sheep. He brings them all together, right? And he makes them one. A shepherd will never bring division within the sheep. Never. Will a shepherd do that? No. A good shepherd will never do that. A a shepherd will never have uh you know favoritism within the sheep. He'll never say this is my favorite sheep. He'll not say that. >> In fact, if a sheep is weak and weary, the shepherd will pay more attention to that and he's not going to say, "Oh, this is a weak sheep. No, let me focus on those that are strong." No, he knows how to gather the sheep. And here he's basically saying, you know, we are to go outside, bring people to Christ. As pastors there's a responsibility of gathering people bringing them together bringing them from you know bring sharing the gospel bringing them to Christ bring them into the sheep pen right Mark chapter 6 and okay let's just finish this passage uh verse till verse 18 is what Jesus was speaking the reason my father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again no one takes it from me but I lay it down on of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again. This command I received from the father. What what powerful look at these words. The reason my father loves me is that I laid down my life only to take it up again. Many times people say where does Jesus say that I am God? You're right here. No one takes it from me, but I lay down my life on my own accord. Jesus on the cross, what does he say? Father, into your hands I command my spirit. Right? He was in control all throughout the time. Even in cru in the crucifixion, Jesus was in complete control. It looked like he was not in control, but he was in complete control. Mastery over the demons. Complete control. The only time when he felt overwhelmed was when sin and shame and everything came upon him and he said God that separation of trinity the the son was for a moment separated because sin was there the father had to turn his face again then he said my god my god why have you forsaken me but apart from that complete mastery where it didn't end with that on the cross what did Jesus say it is finished. That's a that is a declaration of victory. They didn't understand it. The Romans didn't understand. Some of them some of the soldiers may have understood later later we see that they understood. But now we understand what is it? It is finished. He disarmed, destroyed principalities and powers of darkness. And through that through that sacrifice on the cross, the shepherd laid down his life and you and I are called to bring the sheep together, gather sheep from all across the world to be a testimony to what the shepherd has done for us. Let's go to Mark 6 and verse 34. Mark 6 verse 34. And Jesus when he came out saw a good great multitude and was moved with compassion for them because they were like see not having a shepherd. So he became began to teach them many things. >> Yeah. This is just before he does the miracle of the five feeding the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish. He says he saw a large crowd. He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So we we we see that Jesus he modeled the example of a pastor where he modeled the example of a shepherd. Let's look at the shepherd in the Old Testament. Now, very important, the whole aspect of the shepherd was not only Jesus in the New Testament. We see it all through in the Old Testament as well. The aspects the the picture of a a shepherd. Let's go to Numbers chapter 27 15-23. All the way to Numbers chapter 27. 15 to 23. Go ahead, read it. Now then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd." And the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua and the L and the son of Nun with you, a man in whom he is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Set him before Elazar, the the p the priest, and before all the congregation, and in inugate injugate him in their sight. And you shall give some of your authority to him that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. He shall stand before Elazar the priest who shall cure before the Lord for him by the judgment of the urine Urim. At his word they shall go out and at his word they shall come in both he and all the children of Israel with him all the congregation. So Moses did as the Lord com commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Elazar the priest and before all the congregation and he laid his hand on him and and ingorated him just as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses. >> Yeah. Now this is a very important uh time in the ministry of of what God was going to do. Joshua was going to going to take over and succeed Moses. What does he say here? Very important. He says, Moses said to the Lord, may the Lord give the God who gives bread to all. Uh verse is this verse uh 15 onwards, right? Yeah. Um verse 16. May the Lord, the God who gives bread to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out. Verse 17, to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in. So the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd. So again, we see here all the way from the Old Testament, we're talking about numbers. We're talking about Moses's time, we see the picture of the shepherd and the sheep. Was it something new to them? No. Because shephering was there all the way from Abraham itself. Right? So we know that this aspect of the sheep and the shepherd was something there in the Old Testament. And we also see it pictured very powerfully in Jesus as the in the New Testament. Open at Jeremiah 3:15. Jeremiah chapter 3 and verse1 15. Go ahead. >> And I will give you shepherds according to my heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. >> Yeah. I will give you shepherds. Now this is God speaking the father. He's saying I will give you shepherds according to my own heart. Now listen, Jeremiah had one very big task. He had a task of he was he was there before during and after the fall of Babylon of of sorry of Jerusalem. Okay. The Babylonian captivity come destroy Jerusalem. So he was there before he was there during and he was there after. Now during this time there were a lot of false prophets coming up and saying no don't worry nothing is going to happen. God loves you. Even Ezekiel had the same problem. God loves you. God who cares for you. Even though you're in this season, don't worry. God loves you. And Jeremiah is saying who? Which God told you that? I am saying destruction is coming. Now God spoke to me. God is saying destruction is going to come. If you don't change your ways, the Babylonians are coming. And it happened so they came they destroyed Jerusalem and after that God is saying listen I will raise up shepherds of my own from as of from my own heart who will lead the people the right way. Not false shepherds not false prophets but people shepherds who look after my sheep in the right way. Shepherds after my own heart. Right? You see the picture there again? a shepherd and a sheep. Go to Ezekiel again. Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel chapter 34. U I know there's a long a long passage, but let's read just a few passages. Go ahead. Just from verse one, just keep reading. >> Yeah. And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel." >> Prophesy against the shepherds. >> Shepherds of Israel. >> Prophesy and say to them, "Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds, who to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourself with the wool? You slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who are sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost, but with force and cruality you have ruled them." So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. And they became food for all the beasts of the field. And when they were scattered, my sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, my flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord as I live, says the Lord God. Surely because my flock became a prey and my flock became food for every beast of the field because there was no shepherd. Nor did my shepherds search for my flock. But the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed my flock. Therefore, oh shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, behold, I am against the shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand. I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more. >> Yeah, pause. So all through this entire chapter, we see the Lord is being the shepherd for Israel. And he's saying Jesser, you have to look after the sheep the right way. If not, I will remove the shepherd. I'll find somebody else. The right shepherd, shepherd after my own heart to look after is the sheep. So now everyone get this picture. >> Jesus didn't come with some new idea of the shepherd and the sheep. It was there all the way from the Old Testament and then he picks it up in the New Testament. But we see this beautiful, you know, the attributes of a shepherd. shepherd speaks, he knows, he leads, he sacrifices for his sheep, he cares, he protects, and he gathers his sheep. Now, I just want to look at a few examples from the Old Testament. Okay? Um, just a few thoughts uh and then we'll if there's any questions we can uh we can ask, right? Look at Abraham. God provided a you know a lot of livestock to Abraham. He had a lot of sheep. His responsibility was to manage people, manage resources and manage the sheep and the livestock that God had given him. This is a very important example. Why? Because a pastor should and we look later on the rewards and responsibilities next class, but I just want to bring this up. A pastor must be able to lead and manage and steward well, right? uh whatever God has entrusted to them, he has to do it well. For example, there are 20, 30 people entrusted to you, do it well. Right? Abraham knew the importance of being a good steward with what God gave him. He multiplied it so much so that God blessed him so much that it went on from descendant to descendants to descendants. Then we see Jacob, a shepherd who worked sacrificially, right? In uh Genesis chapter 31:38-4. Let's go there. These are not on your notes. These are just a few points that I had made. Genesis chapter 31 38-4. 31 Genesis 31 38-4 these 20 years I have I've been with you your eaves and Your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock, that which was stolen by beasts. I did not bring to you. I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. Therefore, I was in the day, the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Amen. >> Okay. Now in this time what's interesting is Jacob is looking after Laban sheep and here in this season Jacob is saying you don't know the challenges that I went through Laban there were times it was so difficult but I was faithfully serving you looking after your sheep faithfully and it gives us this picture of sacrifice perseverance Because for seven years Laban he he went through looking after the sheep. There was there was drought. There was famine. Yet he's saying Jacob is saying none of your sheep, you know, died or none of your sheep were barren. You only got multiplication. But it just didn't happen like that. God was with me. Even through the difficult uh seasons, God provided for me. And uh you know he's bringing out the aspect of uh you know just being um a place of sacrifice, a place of perseverance. And sometimes in shephering ministry just like how Laban had no clue of the challenges that Jacob went through. Sometimes people are not they don't understand what it means to shepherd. They don't understand what challenges you and I may go through. That's okay. God is our rewarder. God is watching and God will honor the work of your hands. And we see that God honored the work of Jacob's hand, right? Um eventually we see Jacob was blessed, right? He got married. Yeah. He was blessed and it was it was beautiful for him to go through but nobody saw the cost, the price that he paid. Then we see the example of Moses again. 40 years of looking after sheep, we see great principles. There was hidden faithfulness to prepare this leader for greater responsibility. Think of Moses. He's looking after sheep as a shepherd. Now, faithfully doing it. What do you think would have happened if Moses said, "I'm not looking after sheep." He said to his father-in-law, Jethro, see, you don't know about me. 40 years I was in Egypt. I was the leader there. People served me. So now I don't serve people. Right? He doesn't have that attitude. He says, "Okay, 40 years ago that was a different season. Now I'm in a different season. There's nothing much to do. This is a different life. So I will look after the sheep. I will be faithful in what I have to do. Small things." But he may have never have understood that that 40 years of faithfulness led him to a door of a greater responsibility. So in pastoral ministry sometimes God will ask you to do the simplest most uneffective task. Be faithful to do it right because that can obedience can open a greater door for a greater responsibility. And Moses knew it. You look at David. Uh David told Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, right? What is the principle here?" He said, he's talking about how he protected the sheep. Principle is a shepherd must be willing to protect the flock. And we talked about all of that. Protecting the people from false teaching, warning people of destructive behavior. Now, for example, if there's somebody in church is and you know, they're destructive behavior. They're behaving like as if you know they're causing contention, strife within the community, church community. What should you do as a pastor? You must protect it. Let me tell you something. By nature, I was non-confrontational, right? Uh I was very young in ministry, so I never I didn't like confronting people. I like preaching, teaching, leading worship and everything should be smooth. But very early in ministry, I realized that's not the case. As a leader, you have to bring correction, right? I have to bring exhortation, correction. I have to do this because if I don't do it, the enemy can come and cause destruction within the church. So what happens when people are, you know, there's this one example I can share this young man many years ago. Okay. Uh he came to church and he uh he was very excited to serve in the church. This is what I think 2016 or 17. Uh he was very excited to serve in the church and but he would you know he would not follow the guidelines. For example, you have to come at 7:00 a.m. to set up. He'll not come at 7:00. He'll come at 7:40 or 7:30 he'll come. Then he'll not apologize, nothing, right? Entitled. So, okay. Then he would, you know, speak very roughly to people. He's a new he's got a good heart. He loves the Lord. He likes to serve. But, these are some challenges. We speak roughly, right, uh, to people. And so, I heard it quite a few times. So I had to bring correction to say see I understand you are a believer. I know your heart. I know that you love the Lord. I know that you want to serve. But this is not how you behave in the church. Right? That's a way to talk to people cuz there are families elders in the church and there are children in the church. They will catch things. Yes or no? >> Children watch and they hey in church also we can talk like this then. So they'll also talk like that right? So I had to bring correction. I had to tell them see firstly you should change the way you your timing pastor I'm a night person night I like to pray. I said all that I don't know. You pray night, morning, afternoon. I don't know. You have to be here on time to serve. Cuz I can't give you that excuse saying you're you pray whole night. You pray the whole night also. You'll be here at 7:30. 7 on time. It was quite hard but I had to do this because otherwise others will come and say he's coming at 7:30 even I can come at 7:30. Right? or the other person will say how come he's talking so harshly and there's no correction given to him then I'll be questioned so very important warning against when you say warning it's not like you know don't ever speak like this you know like you know we're talking about bringing correction in the right heart because sometimes if we don't bring connection God will bring it as a warning to us many times I woke up in the morning and suddenly there'll be somebody in my mind something I've not thought of but somebody's in my mind that means something is there about this person that maybe I have to correct or maybe there's something that's going on so the spirit of discernment is there no we'll get to know okay and we pray so it's very important the principle is warn against destructive behavior there'll be times when people are you know into bad habits they're coming to church they may try to say something try to this young this man many years ago he would he came to church every time after church he'll come and say you said this wrong you said this wrong okay one day I asked him because I realized that what he was doing he was he was telling people in the church and it was not wrong what we were teaching was in line with the scriptures you said this I said what do you feel is wrong? said no we can't take it we can't speak I don't remember what the example was but he said you you you can't take it literally this is what it means and all of that said no we when we reading the scriptures so I tried to explain to him but so I had to warn him I said see anything you have you speak to me don't go and speak to the church members try to create discord create confusion within the church you speak to me open policy you come you tell me these are the things if it's something that I have to take I'll take if it's something that I don't have to take I'll tell you straight right but don't go to the church members and say things cuz I have to protect them I I cannot allow any discord or anything happening so one thing I do in church is I always tell our church people if you have any problem come straight to me and tell me anything come and tell me even if it's against about somebody else within the church if it's about me it's about something that I said while preaching or if I said something harshly while preaching and you felt hurt about it come and tell me straight no need to tell anyone else come and tell me I'm willing to uh if it's something I'm willing to correct myself so now in church if anybody has any problem they'll come straight to me and because of that I can very confidently say there is no backbiting, there is no gossip, right? There are times when people have misunderstanding with each other. They come to me and we try to get it resolved. Okay, what do we do? Okay, this is what happened. Why? Because we must look ahead. Don't assume there will be no problems in pastoral ministry. Don't assume there's no problems or two believers no problem. No, two believers can have the biggest problems. We have to be able to protect the church, right? So, standing against spiritual attacks. Sometimes spiritual attacks happens to our church members. Uh that's where you come in. Now, these spiritual attacks could be for example a person can be continually having bad dreams and become emotionally weak. It's a spiritual attack or or continually, you know, falling in sin. spiritual attack. So we must be there for them, right? Um also defending vulnerable people. For example, there are people in the church who are vulnerable, right? Any decision, you know, they very easily agree to everything. You should be there to defend them, stand with them, right? David's faithfulness with sheep prepared him for a greater responsibility ahead for him. Right? Um and so very important in the pastoral ministry is to be able to make these decisions. It's hard. No, I think correcting in love is one of the most difficult things that we can do but it's an important thing to do. U it's the last one. Yeah. And we'll talk about all of this uh next week as well in terms of the rewards and responsibilities. But God holds shepherds accountable. Each one of us, if you are a shepherd, God holds us accountable. That means the shepherd should stand and speak on behalf of what you have done or your sheep. If a shepherd has failed to strengthen the weak, heal the sick or bind the injured or bring back the scattered, seek the lost, what will happen? We'll have to give an account of it. Leadership is a stewardship before God. It's not a stewardship before people. The flock does not belong to the pastor. The flock belongs to the chief shepherd that is Jesus. Always remember that, right? Uh leadership is being good stewards before God. Not only front of your boss or your pastor, your senior pastor. No, that's there. But good steward before God. Because the people who come to your church and the ones who you're serving, God has brought them there and he's given you and I the responsibility to look after them. So just like a like a parent if he doesn't correct the children what will happen what will happen they go they'll just do whatever they feel like doing I'll tell you this example right it's a real example that's happening right now I had I have a relative this uncle of mine he had two sons he has two sons Okay. Growing up they they were very cute kids. Two sons. Two years gap between them. He never corrected them. He never hit them. He never brought correction for their for their lives. Whatever they asked for he gave. Whatever. By the age of 15 16 they were already riding bikes. Okay. Whatever they wanted, they got video games, sports items, bikes, cycles, everything. Now they're almost 30. They're reaching 30 years old. Both of them are total misfits. They don't even listen to their parents. And the parents are crying now saying, you know, what do I do? They cried. They asked me, what do I do? I said, you can't do anything now. You can't do anything now. What do you want to do? All you can do is pray. You can't tell them anything now. You tell them, they're not going to listen to you. They're reaching their 30s. One of them got married, has children also, but still he doesn't come home in the night. doesn't want to live with his wife saying I don't want I don't want to look after my kids had children don't want to look after what is he doing roaming around with friends you're married you should have some responsibility what responsible nothing I got married you for you said get married I got married we had children but now I I don't have the time to look after kids around what is he doing nothing he's not even working he's living out of his parents parents money. Parents are crying. Why? Only thing is they did not discipline the child when they're growing up. If they had disciplined him, they would have known what is right and what is wrong. So I say I don't know. He doesn't even know what's responsibility. I said that's because you didn't give him responsibility. You gave whatever you want to give. As a father, you love them so much. I understand. But you didn't bring correction. Love does not mean we don't bring correction. Love does not mean whatever it is we do. No, we love our children. So we bring correction. We want them to grow raise up in the right way. How much more will God not bring correction to us when we we as his children. He will bring correction to us. He will teach us. He will take us through seasons. It is for our good. so that later when we grow up we'll realize the importance the responsibilities right and really it's very sad and I tried to speak to him he was not bothered I tried to speak to him as a relative I tried to speak to him as a pastor he's least bothered it's not my we can't do anything to this why discipline was not given when they were small discipline is very important We should be good stewards of what God has given us. And one of it as a pastor is to bring discipline, correction within the church because you love them. Don't ever feel in pastoral ministry if I correct and I discipline that means they may think I don't love. Don't feel that. You love them. You care for them. That is why you're doing it. Right? If I tell each one of you, hey, I want to see y'all, each one of you becoming good leaders and I discipline you and I correct you, it's because I care for you. I care that you become something. Otherwise, I can come teach. You want to take it, you take it. You don't want to take it, don't take it and go. I a thing, right? I'll teach and go. But that's not the heart, right? We want you to learn. We want you to grow. There'll be times we bring in the supra. We say things, we correct you for your good. You understand? Right? So that's that's something that we must develop as leaders. Take correction, but also bring correction to people. Bring it in love. And as you get into the leadership role, the Lord will teach you how to do this. There'll be times you may not understand how to do it but as you do it you will learn you will you will understand the importance of all of these things right you know some some of the things I've told I tell the churches at e like the location that I'm in in east I tell them see don't come and just sit like this during worship and go I tell them tell them clap your hands lift up your hands right these are expressions of worship now I don't force But I encourage them. I say clap your hands. It's okay. The Bible says clap your hands together and praise the Lord enjoy. Lift up your hands and worship. Sing aloud. After many years of telling if you come now to ABC to east the moment you start one song, everyone starts clapping. I don't know if it's for me or because I've said no it's not because of that cuz I know they right. But I have to tell them I have to tell them right and when it's worship songs if they know it they all sing right it's beautiful to listen to that they all sing right because of telling them it wasn't like that initially but we have to tell them right so these are small responsibilities and next week we look at some of the greater responsibilities and the rewards it's a very rewarding ministry meaning you feel so happy You feel so joyful to be a shepherd over people. It's a rewarding ministry. God says, the Lord Jesus says that we will stand give an account. So we'll give an account of of the things that we are doing in leadership. Right? So we'll pause here. We'll stop here and then we will pick up from uh next class we look at the rewards and responsibilities. Uh there's a lot of points there. I'll get the notes printed those online. uh the same notes that I'm printing. I will post it on the classroom so that you can uh follow along next week. Any questions? Any questions before we close? Okay. So, we'll stop here. We'll pick up from next week. Uh have a great week ahead. There's a question. Okay. Go ahead. as uh you were speaking about correction uh so how do we uh bring correction to the believers uh at the same time like not hurting them and by correcting like exing them >> so I know it's very difficult for example if there are like different age categories in the church for example if a child is very rebellious uh so like without hurting them like how do we correct them Okay, that's a good question. See, the thing is if it's a child, the way that we, you know, deal with them is very different, right? So, I can't say you have to clap your hands. You have, you have to do this because they're kids. They they don't understand, right? But how would I correct a child? I would tell the parents, I tell, hey, why don't you teach them and give them time? They're still child children. But then what about when they're teens, right? in their teens nowadays teens you you tell them sometimes they'll take it sometimes they don't take so I'll do what I want teens have that thing so the way that is why in APC what we've done is we separated it before teens used to sit in the main church but we realize that teens need something different they can't be learning it's good what we are doing but they there are topics that they need in their season of life right so they're going through physical changes in their their their mind is going through lot of questions they're still trying to understand what is this Instagram Facebook they don't understand but they trying to pick up and trying to find their own identity so in these times it's very important to have good training good training good leadership right so uh for for a teen what would I do I would say see uh if a person says you know I'm I see them always on the phone or always you know um worried about life or anything. Uh I would say hey listen you know what um I wouldn't be stern on them but I would bring out scripture and I try to tell them see our identity is not based on what we wear or how we speak you know the Bible says we are children of God right so uh we're not saying don't wear good clothes or or don't you know try the fashions of what's happening that try it uh but let your heart be in a way that hey I'm a child of God that should be your root so you can't be very forceful on teens right uh but you can bring correction hey I told you know you should be on time small things be on time if somebody's talking you should listen these are some basic things but these also are very important right uh uh some things that we do is we can also say no making fun of somebody else when they are talking if they're saying something like in teams or somebody's talking respect them you're teaching them respect Right? You're bringing correction and teaching them something. Right? Uh it may not be something very biblical but it's important. You have to learn how to respect when somebody else is talking. Right? Um so that way if it's youth okay how do I talk to I can be a little more stern because they're above 20 22 they're you know they're saying okay I don't know what to do what career to take right or what. So okay you don't sit at home go do something. Sometimes I've told youth very strongly said go get a job. Don't simply sit and don't say I'm praying waiting for God's leading. No you pray wait for God's leading but also go and work. Don't be sitting. So you can be a little you know stern but even as you do that explain to them why you're doing it. See if you sit at home for 2 years 2 years gap it's not going to help you in your in your bio data. They'll ask you what you did 2 years. It's a gap. So avoid that gap. go to work, do something. And secondly, you're earning something. You can be a blessing to your family. You don't have to ask anyone money. So some, right? So explain to them why you're doing it. Right? Then if it's families, again, you can be a little more, you know, uh correct in love, but uh you can be a little stern. Uh but then again, when you're being stern also, you have to like know how to bring it across like in a sense. uh you shouldn't shouldn't sound harsh to them. There's a difference between being firm and harsh, right? Um being harsh can really bring the person down, right? Example, if I say, "Can't you come to church at 8 8:30?" What what work you have that you can't come on a Sunday morning at 8:30? Nothing. Just have to get ready and come. Why can't you? That's being harsh. But being firm is listen, it's important to honor God. So it's important to come to church on time so that you don't miss the worship time. Right? So I want to encourage all of you, please come for the worship time. The Lord will speak to us. Don't skip the worship time. So you're being firm, you're not being harsh, right? So initially you may have different kinds of responses, right? Some people will say okay. Some people will say uh feel bad. They won't talk. Some people may even leave the church. But it's okay because you're doing what is right. You're doing what is biblical. Okay. So the responses don't take it too much to heart. But even as you learn to correct in love, it'll come as you keep doing it. You will understand. Then you say, "Okay, next time let me say it like this or let me say." So it depends on the situation also. Right. Right. Yeah, welcome. Okay, if there's no other questions, we will close for today. Right, have a great week ahead. I'll see you next week. >> Thank you so much, pastor. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, pastor.