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John MacArthur, well-known radio preacher and author, echoes this point when he writes:  “Whatever the leaders are, the people become.  As Hosea said, ‘Like people, like priest’ (4:9).  Jesus said, ‘Everyone, after he has been full trained, will be like his teacher’ (Luke 6:40).  Biblical history demonstrates that people will seldom rise above the spiritual level of their leadership.”  Because people are like sheep, shepherd elders have an extraordinarily powerful impact on the behavior, attitudes, and thinking of the people:

Biblical Eldership, Alexander Strauch, page 70