My job as a pastor is to feed, strengthen, heal, bind, restore and seek out those whom God has entrusted to us. In other words, I’m called to be a protector of the flock. Over the last 31 years of shepherding, in the course of defending the sheep, I’ve been threatened with violence, cursed, ridiculed, reviled, but I do not complain for one moment, because this was what I signed up for.

This is my calling and ministry and God has given me sufficient grace for it. This is the authority Jesus has vested to us as shepherds because He is the Chief Shepherd and Defender of His people. We all need someone whom we can trust to fight for us when the time comes. This is a word that will encourage many of you.