Then Acts 20:20 says, “How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable.” Paul did not shrink from his duty. He did not withdraw from declaring to the saints anything that was profitable to them. To declare something is more crucial and more important than to merely tell. Paul did a faithful job to declare every bit of God’s interests that He had toward His people.
Paul did not withdraw from his responsibility. Rather, he taught the believers publicly in the meetings and privately from house to house.
From now on the elders should do more home visitation. By visiting the homes of the saints, the elders can teach and shepherd the saints. Teaching in this verse really means shepherding. In the New Testament, teaching goes along with the matter of shepherding. Shepherding needs the proper teaching.
Among us in the past our concept was that the elders only manage the church affairs, make decisions, and give announcements. But we have to realize that to manage the business affairs of a local church is secondary.
A local church in its administration does need some management in its business affairs. But the main responsibility of the elders is firstly to shepherd, as Peter tells us in his first Epistle, chapter five verse 2. As we have indicated, shepherding requires teaching, so the elders should also teach (1 Tim. 3:2; 5:17). For the elders to teach others, they first of all must be taught. They must learn first.
Just to visit the homes of the saints and tell them to trust in the Lord and believe in Him is not adequate. The elders must read to them some profitable verses, give them some definitions, and teach them with the Holy Word. Then they will be edified, established, strengthened, and built up.
To shepherd is not just to give a message. This is neither adequate nor primary. The primary responsibility is to go to the saints and shepherd them in their homes. So Paul set up a pattern for the elders by teaching the saints publicly and from house to house. In Greek, “from house to house” means according to houses. If there is a house, the elders should go. If there are ten houses, they should go to each one to visit each of the saints.
When I was in the Lord’s work on mainland China close to fifty years ago, I spent much time visiting people for the gospel to get them saved and going to the saints’ homes. By visiting a home the real situation of that person’s environment could be seen. Then the elders could render them the proper shepherding.
Although we need to mow the lawn, keep our house clean and neat, clean the windows, and vacuum the carpet, do not spend that much time on these things. Rather, we should save some of the time to shepherd the saints. If we go to the homes of the saints to shepherd them, there will be a record of this in the heavens.
In Acts 20:27 Paul continues to say, “For I did not shrink from declaring to you all the counsel of God.” Not only did Paul teach them, care for their interests, and care for the things that were profitable to them, but he declared also God’s counsel, God’s plan, and God’s economy. No doubt, Paul taught the Ephesians a great deal concerning God’s New Testament economy.
Similarly all the elders must learn what God’s New Testament economy is and point this out to the saints. By knowing God’s eternal economy, most of the saints would then be solidly grounded and deeply rooted. Most Christians today only receive shallow teachings, instructing them to be good, humble, loving, and kind. This is the land of teaching that you can hear in today’s Christianity. The things of God’s New Testament economy, God’s eternal plan, and God’s plan for the church are absolutely lacking among them. Hence, what is needed among us is the proper biblical, divine revelation concerning God’s eternal economy.
The elders must learn all the things of God’s economy and dive into them. By so doing they will pick up a real burden. They will be able to comfort the disappointed saints by telling them God’s economy. To hear God’s economy and receive such a high calling will become a strong comfort and encouragement to the disappointed ones. The problems that we are facing today in the recovery are mainly due to the lack of a deep understanding and realization of God’s eternal economy.
Human beings need a goal. In order to have a goal, we need a high vision. Those people who love their country have such a vision. This vision strengthens them, comforts them, and encourages them to pass through all kinds of opposition and attack. We in the Lord’s recovery are God’s overcomers today, fighting for His kingdom and doing something for His interests. Yet many among us are short of a high view of God’s eternal economy.
Once we see the vision, we will become another person because we have such a high calling. This will change our concept concerning our human life and daily life. Because we are short of such a high view, we just care for our family life and daily life. There is not much consideration for God’s eternal interests. To impart such a vision merely by general teaching in the meetings is not adequate. It is like a professor speaking to a large class of students. We need some tutors to tutor the saints in details.
If the burden and responsibility of the eldership grows to such an extent that it does not allow you enough time to do your secular job, that might be the time for you to give up your occupation, and trust the Lord for your living. I do believe that the Lord will supply you.