“…be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve” (1 Peter 5:2 GNB).
The Apostle Peter encouraged the leaders within his audience to “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you” here within this passage. But what does that directive involve? Well, contrary to the stereotypical image of a pastoral minister who only works on Sundays, that responsibility involves a significant amount of work and effort. The nature of that work is often difficult, exhausting, and demanding.
For instance, the Biblical epistle of 1 Timothy outlines several qualifications for overseers (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7). Those qualifications relate to our text from 1 Peter 5:2 in several important ways…
- The first qualification calls for someone who leads a life that is free of valid criticism. In other words, a congregational leader’s behavior should not be open to a legitimate accusation of misconduct. A discerning shepherd thus lives with the understanding that a momentary lapse in judgment may tarnish years of productive ministry.
- A church leader’s character should reflect the qualities of loyalty, dedication, and faithfulness to his spouse.
- He must reject anything that might hinder or cloud his judgment.
- In addition, elders should be hospitable and possess the qualities of discipline, propriety, and composure in leading God’s people.
- Shepherds of God’s flock must be skilled in communicating the Biblical Scriptures.
- An overseer must possess the ability to manage conflict in a way that reflects well upon Christ. He must conduct himself in a manner that is not quarrelsome, opinionated, argumentative, or unnecessarily confrontational, especially with those who exhibit such behaviors.
- He cannot be a person who is driven by a covetous desire to accumulate financial wealth.
- He must display a Godly, stable home life, with children who are respectful and reverent. He must be discerning enough to avoid neglecting his family, thus creating a destructive leadership vacuum in the lives of his children. While no parent is perfect, a person who struggles in this area will likely face difficulty leading the church.
- Finally, a man who fills the role of a congregational overseer should be recognized as a reputable person by those outside the Christian community.
Thus, we have the following exhortation from Acts 20:28…
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”