When Rabbi the Apostle Paul wrote his letters it is clear that primarily he always emphasised Godly leadership and living, and that all the assemblies in the Body of Messiah should be governed by sound doctrine because what we believe will affect how we live. Also what leaders believe will affect how they teach and act, and also affect the members of the local assembly. Leaders with spiritual oversight are to keep watch over themselves and watch over all of the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers or shepherds (Acts 20:28).
Those who have spiritual oversight are to watch their life and doctrine closely and to persevere in them, because if they do, they will save both themselves and their hearers (1 Timothy 4:16). As an apostle Paul had the authority to oversee the assemblies that he had planted and over the leaders he had ordained. However, Paul was not into heavy shepherding and entrusted to those ordained to exercise appropriate spiritual oversight as shepherds and elders. Once Paul had established an assembly and its elders he would move on and leave the ongoing work to the overseers trusting that they would be led by the Spirit (Acts 20:27-32).
