Think Like This About Your Pastors - Ordination of Alec Shoffeitt — Pastor Eric Turbedsky

What's in this sermon

The shape of the argument

32 units across exposition, application, illustration, theological claim, and conclusion. The pastor's argument is built from these moving parts.

Pastoral correction · unit #15

"The unit applies the exposition directly to the congregation, naming Pastor Billy and the elders at Cross of Grace, and calling the congregation to honor them by recognizing the weight of their work and supporting them materially."

Doctrinal loci· 5 surfaced

Ecclesiology · 27 Bibliology · 13 Theology Proper · 2 Christology · 1 Pneumatology · 1

Bible citations· 24

Theological claims· 5

Three biblical principles govern how a congregation should think about their pastors: honor those who rule well, especially preachers and teachers, and recognize this as God's authoritative Word. unit #3
Elders and pastors are the same office in Scripture, and they are men set apart by God to shepherd and oversee the church. unit #5
Within the category of elders who rule well, those who labor in preaching and teaching deserve special recognition—Paul marks this with the word 'especially.' unit #13
Paul's command to honor pastors is not pastoral advice but divine revelation—he grounds it in the authority of Scripture by citing both Old Testament law and Jesus's words. unit #17
Paul grounds his command in Scripture to establish that honoring and supporting pastors is not optional or advisory—it is a binding divine command. unit #19

Quotations· 4

"You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain, and the worker is worthy of his wages." — Paul (1 Timothy 5:18, citing Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7) (unit #2)

"The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." — Paul (unit #9)

"You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." — Moses (cited by Paul) (unit #27)

"The worker is worthy of his wages." — Jesus (cited by Paul) (unit #28)

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Full transcript

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0 · The introduction establishes the occasion—the ordination of Alec Shoffeitt—and frames the sermon within a celebratory pastoral tone, creating congregational unity and anticipation

It is a tremendous joy to be here this morning. Thank you, Pastor Billy, for the opportunity to share God's Word with you this morning. I bring greetings from Fairfax Community Church. I want you to know that we are praying for you. We are excited about what God is doing in this place through Pastor Billy's faithful ministry and through the leadership of your elders. And we are especially excited about what God is going to do through Alec Shoffeitt as he is ordained to the gospel ministry today.

1 · The unit announces the sermon's controlling question—how should the congregation think about their pastors?—and reads the primary text aloud, establishing the biblical foundation for the argument

This morning I want to talk to you about how you should think about your pastors. And I want to ground that in 1 Timothy chapter 5, verses 17 and 18. So if you have your Bibles, turn there with me. 1 Timothy 5:17-18. This is what Paul writes: "The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says: You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain, and the worker is worthy of his wages."

2 · The unit re-reads the primary text for emphasis, signaling its importance and allowing the congregation to absorb the wording

Let me read that again. Verse 17: "The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." Verse 18: "For the Scripture says: You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain, and the worker is worthy of his wages."

3 · The unit announces the sermon's three-point structure, converting the text into a propositional framework that will govern the remainder of the argument

Now, I want to show you three things from this text this morning. Three things that should govern how you think about your pastors. Here they are: Number one, honor the pastors who rule well. Number two, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. And number three, this is the Word of God for you.

4 · The unit signals the structural shift from overview to detailed exposition of the first point

Let's look at each one of these.

5 · The unit defines the term 'elders' exegetically, establishing that elders and pastors are functionally identical in biblical usage, and that their role is shepherding and oversight

First, honor the pastors who rule well. Paul begins by saying, "The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor." Now, the word "elders" here—it's the same word that's translated "pastors" in other places in the New Testament. These are the men who have been set apart by God to shepherd His flock, to oversee the church, to care for the souls of God's people.

6 · The unit expounds the phrase 'rule well' by tracing the Greek term, cross-referencing 1 Timothy 3, and defining pastoral rule as faithful shepherding rather than domineering control

And Paul says that these men—these elders, these pastors—if they are good leaders, if they rule well, they are to be considered worthy of double honor. Now, what does that mean? What does it mean to rule well? And what does it mean to give them double honor? Let's start with the first question: What does it mean to rule well? The word "rule" here—it's a word that means to lead, to manage, to care for. It's the same word that Paul uses in 1 Timothy 3:4-5, where he says that an elder must be someone who "manages his own household well" so that he can "take care of God's church." So when Paul says "rule well," he's not talking about domineering leadership. He's not talking about authoritarianism. He's talking about faithful, careful, Christ-like shepherding. He's talking about men who take seriously their responsibility to lead God's people by teaching them, by protecting them, by caring for their souls. That's what it means to rule well.

7 · The unit signals the shift from defining 'rule well' to defining 'double honor,' maintaining the expositional momentum

Now, the second question: What does it mean to give them double honor?

8 · The unit unpacks the Greek term timē, establishing that 'honor' includes both respect and material support, and connects this to the broader context of 1 Timothy 5

The word "honor" in Greek is timē. It can mean respect, but it can also mean material support. In fact, in the context of 1 Timothy 5, Paul has just been talking about how the church should support widows who are truly in need. And now he transitions to talking about how the church should support elders. So the word "honor" here includes material support. It includes financial provision. But it's more than that. It's also about respect. It's about recognizing the weight of their calling. It's about not taking them for granted.

9 · The unit addresses interpretive ambiguity around 'double honor,' weighing two views and concluding that the controlling idea is generous, significant support—both respect and material provision

And Paul says that elders who rule well are worthy of "double honor." Now, there's some debate about what "double" means here. Some people think it means they should receive twice as much financial support as widows. Other people think it means they should receive both respect and financial support—two kinds of honor. I think the second interpretation is probably correct. But either way, the point is clear: Pastors who rule well deserve significant, generous support from the church. They deserve to be cared for. They deserve to have their needs met so that they can devote themselves fully to the work of ministry.

10 · The unit clarifies the conditional nature of the honor—it is merit-based, tied to faithful shepherding—and raises a new question to deepen the exposition

Now, before we move on to the second point, I want to make sure we understand what Paul is saying here. He's not saying that every elder deserves double honor. He's saying that the elders who rule well—the elders who are faithful, the elders who take seriously their responsibility to shepherd God's people—those are the ones who deserve double honor. And that raises a question: What does it look like for an elder to rule well?

11 · The unit surveys multiple New Testament texts to define 'ruling well' comprehensively: shepherding, oversight, teaching, protecting from error, and soul care

Well, the New Testament gives us a lot of clarity on this. In 1 Peter 5, Peter tells elders to "shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." In Acts 20, Paul tells the elders at Ephesus, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God." In 1 Timothy 3, Paul gives a list of qualifications for elders, and at the top of that list is that an elder must be "able to teach." And in Titus 1, Paul says that an elder must "hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." So what does it look like for an elder to rule well? It means he shepherds the flock. It means he oversees the church. It means he teaches the Word. It means he protects the church from false teaching. It means he cares for the souls of God's people. That's what it means to rule well.

12 · The unit closes the exposition of the first point and signals the transition to the second point

Alright, so that's the first thing I want you to see: Honor the pastors who rule well.

13 · The unit announces the second point by highlighting the word 'especially' in the text, establishing that within the category of elders who rule well, a subcategory deserves heightened recognition: those who labor in preaching and teaching

Second, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. Look again at verse 17: "The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." Now, notice that little word "especially." Paul is making a distinction here. He's saying that all elders who rule well deserve double honor. But there's a particular category of elders who deserve special recognition, and those are the elders who labor in preaching and teaching.

14 · The unit explains why preaching and teaching receive heightened honor: they are the central, most demanding, and most important task of pastoral ministry, as established by Jesus, Paul, and Hebrews

Now, why does Paul single out this group? Well, I think it's because preaching and teaching the Word of God is the central task of pastoral ministry. It's the most demanding. It's the most time-consuming. It's the most spiritually taxing. And it's the most important. Think about it: A pastor's primary responsibility is to feed the flock with the Word of God. That's what Jesus told Peter in John 21: "Feed my sheep." That's what Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4: "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." That's what the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 13: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account." The central task of pastoral ministry is to teach the Word of God, to open up the Scriptures, to apply them to the lives of God's people. And that's hard work. It's exhausting work. It requires hours of study, hours of preparation, hours of wrestling with the text, hours of prayer. And Paul says that the elders who do this work—the elders who labor in preaching and teaching—they deserve special honor.

15 · The unit applies the exposition directly to the congregation, naming Pastor Billy and the elders at Cross of Grace, and calling the congregation to honor them by recognizing the weight of their work and supporting them materially

Now, let me just pause here and say something to you, Cross of Grace. You are blessed to have pastors who labor in the Word. Pastor Billy, your elders—they are men who take seriously their responsibility to feed you with the Word of God. They study. They prepare. They pray. They work hard to open up the Scriptures and apply them to your lives. And you need to honor them for that. You need to recognize that this is hard work. You need to make sure that they are supported so that they can devote themselves fully to this work. That's what Paul is saying here.

16 · The unit closes the exposition of the second point and signals the transition to the third point

Alright, so that's the second thing: Especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

17 · The unit announces the third point by unpacking Paul's use of 'For the Scripture says,' identifying two quotations (Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7) and establishing that Paul grounds his command in the authority of Scripture itself

Third, and finally: This is the Word of God for you. Look at verse 18: "For the Scripture says: You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out grain, and the worker is worthy of his wages." Now, this is a fascinating verse. Paul is quoting two different passages of Scripture here. The first one—"You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain"—that's from Deuteronomy 25:4. The second one—"The worker is worthy of his wages"—that's from Luke 10:7, where Jesus says that to His disciples as He sends them out to preach the gospel. And Paul introduces both of these quotations with the phrase "For the Scripture says." Now, that's significant. Because what Paul is doing here is he's grounding his command in the authority of Scripture. He's not just giving his opinion. He's not just offering pastoral advice. He's saying, "This is what God says. This is what the Scripture says."

18 · The unit expounds Paul's hermeneutical move—applying an Old Testament agricultural law to pastoral care—arguing from the lesser (oxen) to the greater (pastors), and reinforcing the argument with Jesus's own teaching

And notice what Paul is doing here. He's taking an Old Testament law about oxen—an agricultural law about how you should treat your animals—and he's applying it to the care of pastors. He's saying, "Look, if God cares about the ox that treads out the grain, how much more does He care about the pastor who labors in the Word?" And then he quotes Jesus: "The worker is worthy of his wages." And Paul is saying, "This is God's Word. This is what God has revealed to us about how we should care for those who labor in the gospel."

19 · The unit argues that Paul grounds his command in Scripture to make it binding—not optional, not a suggestion, but a divine imperative that obligates the congregation

Now, why does Paul do this? Why does he ground his command in the authority of Scripture? Well, I think it's because he wants to make it clear that this is not optional. This is not a suggestion. This is a command from God. God has spoken. God has revealed His will. And His will is that the church should honor and support the pastors who labor in the Word. This is not up for debate. This is not something that we can decide whether or not we want to do. This is what God says. This is what the Scripture says. And therefore, it is binding on us.

20 · The unit applies the theology of 'double honor' concretely by raising a series of diagnostic questions, pressing the congregation to examine whether their current practice matches the biblical standard

Now, let me just say this: I know that some of you are thinking, "Well, I already support my pastors. I give to the church. I pray for them. I encourage them." And that's great. That's good. But I want to challenge you to think about whether you are really honoring your pastors the way that God calls you to honor them. Are you generous in your giving? Are you making sure that your pastors are well cared for, that their needs are met, that they don't have to worry about how they're going to pay their bills? Are you protecting them from unfair criticism? Are you defending them when people speak negatively about them? Are you praying for them regularly? Are you encouraging them? Are you making it clear to them that you value their ministry, that you recognize the weight of their calling, that you're grateful for the way they labor in the Word?

21 · The unit shifts to direct shepherding address, targeting church leaders specifically and calling them to active advocacy and care for their pastors

And let me say this especially to those of you who are in leadership in this church. You have a special responsibility to make sure that your pastors are cared for. You have a responsibility to advocate for them, to protect them, to make sure that they are supported. Don't take them for granted. Don't assume that they're fine. Check in with them. Ask them how they're doing. Ask them what they need. And then do whatever it takes to make sure that those needs are met. That's what it means to honor your pastors.

22 · The unit signals the sermon's move toward conclusion and final application

Alright, so let me bring this home.

23 · The unit applies the entire argument to the ordination occasion, calling the congregation to recognize their responsibility to honor Alec Shoffeitt as he enters pastoral office

Today we are ordaining Alec Shoffeitt to the gospel ministry. And I want you to understand what that means. It means that Alec is being set apart by God to shepherd this flock, to labor in the Word, to care for your souls. And it means that you have a responsibility to him. You have a responsibility to honor him, to support him, to pray for him, to encourage him. This is not optional. This is what God calls you to do. And I want to challenge you to take that seriously. I want to challenge you to think about how you can honor Alec and the other pastors here at Cross of Grace. How can you be generous in your giving? How can you be faithful in your prayers? How can you be encouraging in your words? How can you protect them from unfair criticism? How can you make sure that they are well cared for?

24 · The unit addresses Alec Shoffeitt directly in a pastoral charge, framing the ordination as a high calling, warning of its costs, and promising God's sustaining grace and the congregation's support

And let me say this to Alec: Brother, you are entering into a high and holy calling. You are being set apart by God to shepherd His flock. And that is a tremendous privilege. But it's also a tremendous responsibility. You will labor. You will sweat. You will weep. You will wrestle with the text. You will pour out your life for the people of God. And there will be times when you feel exhausted, when you feel discouraged, when you feel like you can't go on. But I want to encourage you: God has called you to this work. He has equipped you for this work. And He will sustain you in this work. And the people of God will honor you for this work. They will support you. They will pray for you. They will encourage you. That's what this text promises. So labor faithfully. Preach the Word. Shepherd the flock. And trust that God will care for you through His people.

25 · The conclusion synthesizes the sermon's argument, reiterating the congregation's duty to honor their pastors as a divine command, and frames their obedience as an act of trust in God's provision and a means of His glorification

Church, let me close with this: God has given you pastors. He has given you men who will labor in the Word, who will care for your souls, who will shepherd you. And He calls you to honor them. Not because they're perfect. Not because they deserve it on their own merit. But because God has called them to this work, and God has commanded you to support them. So honor your pastors. Support them. Pray for them. Encourage them. And trust that as you do, God will bless this church, and God will be glorified. Let's pray.

26 · The closing prayer addresses God directly, thanking Him for His Word and for pastors, asking Him to help the congregation honor them, and interceding for Alec Shoffeitt as he enters pastoral ministry

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You that You have spoken, that You have revealed Your will to us. We thank You for the pastors that You have given to us. We thank You for the men who labor in the Word, who care for our souls, who shepherd us. And we pray that You would help us to honor them the way that You call us to honor them. Help us to be generous. Help us to be prayerful. Help us to be encouraging. And Father, we pray for Alec today as he is ordained to the gospel ministry. We pray that You would strengthen him, that You would sustain him, that You would fill him with Your Spirit, that You would give him wisdom and grace for the work that You have called him to. And we pray that You would bless this church as Alec labors among you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

27 · The unit unpacks Paul's hermeneutical method in detail, explaining the original agricultural context of Deuteronomy 25:4 and Paul's application of it to pastoral care via lesser-to-greater reasoning

Now, let me just take a moment to explain what Paul is doing in verse 18. He's quoting two different passages of Scripture, and he's using them to make a theological argument. The first quotation—"You must not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain"—comes from Deuteronomy 25:4. Now, this is a law about agriculture. It's a law about how you should treat your animals. When an ox is treading out the grain—when it's walking around in circles, crushing the grain so that the chaff separates from the wheat—you're not supposed to muzzle it. You're supposed to let it eat while it works. That's the law. It's a law about kindness to animals. But Paul takes that law, and he applies it to the care of pastors. He's saying, "Look, if God cares about the ox that treads out the grain, how much more does He care about the pastor who labors in the Word?" It's an argument from the lesser to the greater. If God is concerned about the welfare of animals, how much more is He concerned about the welfare of His servants who preach the gospel?

28 · The unit expounds the second quotation in 1 Timothy 5:18, tracing it to Jesus's words in Luke 10:7 and establishing the principle that workers in gospel ministry deserve material support

And then Paul quotes Jesus. He says, "The worker is worthy of his wages." That's from Luke 10:7. Jesus said that to His disciples when He sent them out to preach the gospel. He told them, "When you go into a town and they receive you, stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wages." Jesus was saying, "You don't need to feel guilty about receiving support from the people you're ministering to. You're working for them. You're laboring for them. And a worker deserves to be paid." And Paul takes that principle, and he applies it to pastors. He's saying, "This is what Jesus taught. This is what the Scripture says. The worker is worthy of his wages. And therefore, the pastor who labors in the Word deserves to be supported by the church."

29 · The unit synthesizes Paul's hermeneutical method, arguing that Paul is not proof-texting but constructing a theological argument grounded in the authority of Scripture, thereby making the command binding

Now, here's what I want you to see: Paul is not just quoting random verses. He's making a theological argument. He's saying, "This is what God says about how we should care for those who labor in the gospel. This is what the Old Testament says. This is what Jesus says. This is what the Scripture says. And therefore, this is binding on us." And that's why he introduces these quotations with the phrase "For the Scripture says." He's grounding his command in the authority of God's Word. He's saying, "This is not my opinion. This is not my preference. This is what God has revealed. And therefore, you must obey it."

30 · The unit cross-references 1 Corinthians 9, showing that Paul applies the same Deuteronomy 25:4 principle to apostolic ministry, establishing the broader canonical pattern that gospel workers deserve material support

Now, let me show you something else. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul makes the same argument. He quotes Deuteronomy 25:4—the law about the ox—and he applies it to apostolic ministry. He says, "Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop." And then he says, "If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?" Paul is saying, "Look, when God gave this law about oxen, He wasn't just concerned about oxen. He was establishing a principle: Those who labor deserve to benefit from their labor. And that principle applies to those who labor in the gospel. If we are sowing spiritual things among you—if we are preaching the Word, if we are teaching you, if we are caring for your souls—then it's not wrong for us to receive material support from you. In fact, it's right. It's what God intends."

31 · The unit cites Galatians 6:6 to reinforce the consistent New Testament pattern: those who teach the Word deserve material support from those they teach

And then in Galatians 6:6, Paul says, "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches." Same principle. If you are being taught the Word of God, if you are being fed spiritually, then you have a responsibility to share materially with the one who is teaching you. This is a consistent pattern throughout the New Testament. Those who labor in the Word deserve to be supported by the church. That's what God says. That's what the Scripture says.

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Daily readings

5-day reading plan

This week we trace how Scripture grounds the congregation's honor of pastors: from the office itself, through the special weight of preaching labor, to the binding divine command that compels our material support and protection.

Family table

Who Works Hard to Feed Us?

This prompt invites kids to think about the work pastors do in preparing and preaching God's Word each week—work that's often invisible to t…

Couples

Honoring Together: What We Owe Our Pastors

What struck you most about the biblical weight Paul places on honoring and supporting our pastors—and what conviction or gratitude did that…

Memorize

1 Timothy 5:17

This verse is the sermon's governing command—it establishes the central obligation that a congregation must honor pastors who rule well, particularly those devoted to preaching and teaching. Memorizing this text anchors the congregation's understanding that pastoral honor is not optional advice but a biblical principle that shapes how we think about and support our shepherds.

Daily readings · Monday–Friday

5-day reading plan

This week we trace how Scripture grounds the congregation's honor of pastors: from the office itself, through the special weight of preaching labor, to the binding divine command that compels our material support and protection.

Monday Acts 20:28

Luke records Paul's charge to the Ephesian elders—men he calls to 'guard the flock of God'—reminding us that the pastoral office is not a human invention but a divine appointment. When we honor our pastors, we honor those whom the Holy Spirit has made overseers of God's own people, a calling of immeasurable weight and sacred trust.

Tuesday Titus 1:9

Titus is told to appoint elders who are 'able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it'—the work of teaching and defending God's Word is central to the pastoral calling. This passage shows us that the labor Paul especially honors in 1 Timothy 5:17 is the costly, ongoing work of studying, preaching, and shepherding through Scripture, a task that demands devoted attention we must support.

Wednesday 1 Corinthians 9:9-14

Paul does not argue that pastors might deserve support; he anchors the command in both Old Testament law ('Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain') and Jesus's own words, establishing a binding principle of Scripture. This passage demonstrates that material support for those who labor in the Word is not congregational generosity but obedience to God's authoritative Word—a debt we owe, not a favor we grant.

Thursday 1 Peter 5:1-3

Peter's charge to elders calls them to shepherd 'willingly' and not 'for the money'—yet this does not negate the congregation's obligation to support them materially; rather, it frames the pastor's heart and the church's duty as inseparable. We honor pastors by ensuring their material security frees them from anxiety and allows them to serve the flock with the wholehearted devotion Peter describes, knowing that their willing hearts do not exempt us from our binding responsibility to provide.

Friday Galatians 6:6

Paul's command—'Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches'—calls us to a concrete, material partnership with those who feed us from Scripture. As we witness Alec's ordination and recommit to honoring all our pastors, we must ask ourselves: Are we sharing generously? Are we praying steadily? Are we protecting them from reckless accusation? The gospel compels us to move from abstract affirmation to tangible, costly support that reflects the value of their labor in our lives.

Sunday-evening family table

Who Works Hard to Feed Us?

For the parent

This prompt invites kids to think about the work pastors do in preparing and preaching God's Word each week—work that's often invisible to them. Listen for their observations about effort and care, then help them connect this labor to the idea that people who work hard deserve to be supported and honored.

Pastor Alec and Pastor Billy spend a lot of time studying the Bible and preparing sermons to teach us. When you think about all that work—the reading, the thinking, the praying—why do you think the Bible says our church should make sure they're taken care of and supported? What would happen if we didn't?

works for ages 7+

Couples · three questions over coffee

Honoring Together: What We Owe Our Pastors

What struck you most about the biblical weight Paul places on honoring and supporting our pastors—and what conviction or gratitude did that stir in your own heart?
How might our marriage reflect the same costly generosity toward our church leaders that the gospel compels from us toward one another—in giving, prayer, protection from criticism, and spoken encouragement?
Who is one pastor or elder in our church you could pray for this week by name, and what specific burden or labor might we lift before God on their behalf?

Memory verse this week

1 Timothy 5:17

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.

Why this verse: This verse is the sermon's governing command—it establishes the central obligation that a congregation must honor pastors who rule well, particularly those devoted to preaching and teaching. Memorizing this text anchors the congregation's understanding that pastoral honor is not optional advice but a biblical principle that shapes how we think about and support our shepherds.

Where this was preached

About the church

Cross of Grace Church

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# Cross of Grace Church

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