From the Desk of David 10/11/2026

Good morning and welcome to the Mentor Church of Christ! If you are visiting with us today, please know that you truly are our honored guest. We hope and pray that we will see you often and get to know one another better!

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV): “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

There are many responsibilities in life that carry great weight, but few are greater than watching over the souls of others. Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that spiritual leadership is not merely about organizing programs, making decisions, or conducting meetings. Faithful leaders are “keeping watch over your souls.” That is an enormous responsibility. In the local congregation, elders are shepherds of God’s flock. Paul told the Ephesian elders, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28). Peter likewise instructed elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Peter 5:2). Shepherds watch because sheep can wander. They protect because dangers exist. They lead because someone must know the way. They care because every sheep matters to the Shepherd. But Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that the congregation also has a responsibility. Christians are told to “obey” and “submit” to faithful spiritual leaders. Those words may sound uncomfortable in a culture that celebrates independence, but biblical submission is not blind obedience. It is the humble recognition that God has established spiritual leadership for the good of His people. Notice especially the reason given: “for they are keeping watch over your souls.” Faithful elders may sometimes say things we do not particularly want to hear. They may encourage us to reconsider a decision, warn us about spiritual danger, urge us toward greater faithfulness, or lovingly confront us when we are drifting. When they do so according to God’s word, they are not interfering in our lives—they are doing the work God entrusted to them. And they will “have to give an account.” One day, every shepherd will stand before the Chief Shepherd and answer for how he cared for the flock entrusted to him. That reality should make elders humble, prayerful, courageous, and compassionate. It should also make the congregation supportive. Hebrews says, “Let them do this with joy and not with groaning.” What a beautiful goal for a congregation! Instead of making leadership unnecessarily difficult through complaining, resistance, and division, Christians should pray for their elders, encourage them, cooperate with them, and appreciate their work. Faithful shepherds watch over our souls because our souls are precious. Let us make their work a joy as they watch over us on our journey toward Heaven. May our Heavenly Father bless us as we do all to be holy for God is holy.