Duties of Pastoral Guidance

A sermon of Augustine’s contains this extended list of pastoral duties:

“Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low-spirited to be encouraged, the infirm to be supported, objectors confuted, the treacherous guarded against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained, the haughty repressed, litigants pacified, the poor relieved, the oppressed liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be loved” (McNeill).

These duties are right in keeping with what we find in 1 Thessalonians 5:14:  “And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.”

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