“Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2 HCSB).
A “shepherd” is someone who tends a flock of sheep, or other form of livestock. Those responsibilities form a natural association with pastoral ministers, for both types of shepherds share many of the same characteristics in several respects. For instance…
- Shepherds feed their flocks. A pastoral minister feeds the flock of God by teaching the Scriptures in a way that others can understand, remember, and apply.
- A shepherd leads the flock. A local church congregation is not likely to be more spiritually mature than the shepherds who lead it.
- Shepherds tend the flock. Among other responsibilities, a pastoral leader tends the flock by ministering to the home-bound, those who are hospitalized or incarcerated, or those who are mourning the passing of a loved one.
- A shepherd guards the flock. A field shepherd guards the flock by protecting it from predatory animals. Church shepherds guard the flock by protecting it from the destructive influences of false teachers or others who might inflict spiritual injury.
- Shepherds guide their flocks. Pastoral ministers guide the members of a flock by providing Biblical counsel on a host of concerns.
A God-honoring pastoral leader is also mindful of God’s fearsome rebuke to another group of spiritual shepherds and diligently seeks to avoid their example….
“Then this message came to me from the Lord: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty…
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve.
Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey'” (Ezekiel 34:1-4, 7-10 NLT).