Shepherds

Friends,

Some timely thoughts concerning the new situation at Outreach church of Christ. When we consider the subject of "shepherding," I believe that Christians and Christian leaders have a difficult time with this concept. Why? How many examples of "shepherds" do we have in our society? Zero – none. This is a problem. Yet, we humans are compared to sheep – it is how God, through many of his biblical writers, describes us. (See Isaiah 53 and John 10, for example). And God describes His leaders as...shepherds. What can we understand concerning shepherds? When we consider the information from Acts 20:17ff, the "titles" or functions (elder/presbyter, v.17, bishop/overseer, v.28, pastor/shepherd, v.28) concerning God's church leaders, all support the same goal concerning this concept of "shepherd." This man is one who would oversee (bishop) God's flock in serving as a shepherd (pastor) and makes decisions (elder) in relationship to the goal -- caring for the sheep. We really only have examples from the Scriptures to help us to understand their role. So, we must study; we must learn to emulate how a shepherd operates. All of the examples of shepherds that I have seen in the Bible are individuals who are "men of the earth". They are gentle, yet wise. They are simple, yet profound. Consider those to whom the birth of Jesus was announced (Luke 2:8-20). When it comes to shepherds, I like to think about David. I admire him so much. He truly models, as a type of Jesus, what a shepherd is to be. He is a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). He is one who would go after the one sheep who has gone astray in order to bring it back into the fold (Luke 15:1-7). He is not intentionally self-willed, but humble (see Psalm 40:1-17). He has a sensetive heart and confesses his sin (see Psalm 51:1-13). He is one who would humbly lead the sheep and not dominate them (1 Peter 5:1-4); he communicates with them as Jesus says, "the sheep follow His voice because He knows them and they know Him" (John 10). Shepherds are servant leaders. Jesus is the ultimate example of who a shepherd is supposed to be -- He is the Chief Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He loves all of the sheep with unconditional love. He sets the example of how all of His people should live in relationship to one another -- sacrificially! Thank God for the unconditional act of love and grace by His Son; He who willingly laid down His life for all of us. It is this by which we have been saved -- the shepherd who is the Lamb of God! I am excited for the Outreach church of Christ and the shepherds who lead them. God bless them as they grow in spirit and love with the flock of God.

Don