Dear Matthew:

            You will recall my encouragement that you aim to be the shepherd at New Hill rather than the leader.  As I suggested, there are already leaders in place in the church.  If you, as the new young pastor, set out to be the leader, you may never get to be the leader or the shepherd.  But if you aim to be the shepherd of this flock, you may well one day discover that you are also the leader.

            By urging you to be shepherd, I am not suggesting that you will have no influence in the church.  Leadership functions as influence.  If your aim is to affect changes in the church as a leader might, you will probably have to set yourself up as an alternative leader to those already there.  This may lead to conflict instead to progress.  Remember that the church did not call you because they had no leaders, but because they had no pastor.  There is a big difference.

            If you minister as servant shepherd, you will be amazed at how the people come to trust you and follow you.  But you must be patient and never abandon your shepherd role.  When Jesus was questioning Peter as to the nature of his love for Him, he instructed him to 'feed my lambs,' to 'tend my sheep,' and to 'feed my sheep.'  To Jesus, the shepherd model of servant leadership was the role for Peter.  He refers to the people as 'lambs' and 'sheep' and calls for two different tasks in taking care of them, to 'feed' and to 'tend' them.

            As Paul addressed the Ephesian elders on his departure from there for the last time, he charges these church leaders with the shepherd role, 'Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood' (Acts 20.28).  He refers to the church as 'the flock.'  He indicates that they are elders by the appointment of the Holy Spirit as 'overseers,' making clear that they are under authority and will be held accountable.

            Their work as pastors is summarized in one word.  They are 'to shepherd the church of God.'  Here the word is used as a verb to describe how they are to fulfill their responsibility.  Even though they are 'overseers' by the Spirit's appointment, their work is 'shepherding.'

            The shepherd analogy is applied to God himself in Psalm 23, often called 'The Shepherd Psalm.'  The way David sees God as Shepherd, meeting his every need, is informative as to the way God will use a pastor in the church to care for the flock.  The psalm begins, 'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.'  Because God is my Shepherd, I have everything I need.  I am reminded of the great promise in Philippians 4.19, 'And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.'

            Since you are God's shepherd for New Hill Church, He intends to use you there to see to the needs of that flock.  He wants them to lack for nothing.  And you are His agent to minister to them there.  Leadership as such is not what they need.  Rather they need shepherding, with the leadership element inherent in that role.  That is your calling. 

            David says of his Shepherd, 'He makes me to lie down in green pastures' (vs. 2).  The shepherd cares for his flock by moving them to new pastures, making sure they are nourished and at rest.  As pastor, your job is to 'feed the flock,' but you must keep moving to green pastures.  You are to give them the spiritual nourishment of the Word of God as they grow more and more in their faith relationship with Christ.  I will have more to say later about the nature of your preaching ministry.

            The Psalmist continues, 'He leads me beside the still waters' (vs. 2).  Here is the sensitivity of the shepherd to the natural fears of the sheep.  He does not knowingly frighten them, but rather seeks to give them protection and security.  'He restores my soul,' giving the assurance of his presence and his touch.  So does a pastor seek to give his flock assurance of the loving care of God by modeling himself that genuine affection and care for the people.

            The shepherd provides the leadership the sheep need as a natural aspect of his role.  David writes, 'He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake' (vs. 3).  This leadership is a good model for the pastor.  It is moral leadership in 'paths of righteousness.'  He proclaims and advocates the holy life that is right for the believers.  His motive is to glorify God, that the church be a godly fellowship 'for his name's sake.'  The central focus of pastoral leadership is not organizational or institutional, but moral and spiritual.

            David writes of the shepherd's role in threatening times and circumstances.  'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and staff, they comfort me' (vs. 4).  When Christians face the threat of trouble, loss and death, they want their pastor close by.  His presence reminds them of the presence of God.  The Scripture he reads and the prayers he prays encourage their faith.  His love for them is a channel of the love of God.  His faith reminds them of the rod of God's protection and the staff of his leadership.

            Psalm 23 shifts then from the shepherd metaphor to that of a generous host (vss. 5, 6), who provides in abundance for his guest, honors him with privilege, and welcomes him for a lifelong stay that moves eventually into eternity.  The pastor also sets before his flock the riches of God for them.  He serves up abundance week after week, keeping them reminded that God accepts them in Christ as an honored guest, even a child in the household.  He points them beyond this life to eternity and assures them of God's care beyond the grave.

            My point in going over Psalm 23 is that your role as pastor is to serve as God's agent among his people, to be the channel through which He provides His grace.  You know you are not the only instrument of God in your church.  But if you see your assignment in these terms, you will understand the pastoral role more clearly.

            The shepherd role the pastorate is exemplified best in Jesus.  He is our model for every aspect of our ministry.  Let me urge you to do a careful study of John 10, through verse 30.  In these verses, Jesus uses the shepherd role as an illustration of his own unique calling.  He refers to himself as 'the good shepherd' (vs. 30).  He contrasts the shepherd's role with that of the stranger, the thief, and the hireling.  Though all may deal with the sheep, only one is the shepherd.

            The shepherd enters the fold legitimately, 'by the door,' (vs. 1) just as the pastor's calling to the church is a work of the Holy Spirit and not of his own manipulation.  The sheep recognize his voice as he calls them by name and leads them out (vss. 3, 27).  A pastor is a spokesman for Christ, sounding the voice of the Good Shepherd so that regenerate believers recognize that voice and the authenticity of the pastor's ministry.  He knows his people personally and intimately, calling their names as he gives personal attention to the greatest and the least.

            The sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice.  So will the people follow their pastor when he leads as a servant shepherd.  In his voice they hear the voice of their Lord and know that he represents Him.  But they will not follow the voice of strangers, those who represent only themselves, who serve for their own ambition, who see their ministry for what they can get rather than what they can give.  The flock will run away from such strangers in fear (vs. 5).

            The shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (vss. 11, 15, 17).  As a shepherd, the pastor knows that his calling to the church is not for his benefit, but for theirs.  They give him an opportunity to do what he most desires to do, preach the Word.  They provide him housing and a salary and other material advantages.  But he is not there for the advantages to himself and his family.  He is a shepherd, God's gift to His people for their nourishment, care, protection, and guidance.

            There is much more to the shepherd metaphor for the pastorate.  As you study the Bible, you will come upon text after text to add to your understanding of this calling of yours.    There is great joy and fulfillment in the shepherd role.  Other models for the pastorate--the CEO, the vision caster, the enabler, the change agent--are all too limited.  They miss the heart of Jesus for his people.  I believe you already have a shepherd's heart for your people.  Cultivate that attitude.  Do not let yourself be tempted by ambition or impatience. 

            We continue to pray for you.  God is with you.

Love,

Dad

 

Wayne McDill

Senior Professor of Preaching

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary