Gentle Leading

While being courageous and "straight", at the same time Paul had been gentle and kindly with the Thessalonians when first he brought them the Gospel.

All too often we think that, somehow, faithfulness and gentleness are total opposites, and one must be either one or the other. This is not the case. Elders, especially, but all Christians generally, must be as gentle as possible while being utterly faithful to the Word of God.