Shepherding a Church

This week's blog entry is again taken from my newest book, Pause, Recharge, Refresh. This collection of daily devotions is intended to energize a pastor's day-to-day life and ministry. I believe that pastors give of themselves on a daily basis — to their congregations, their communities and their families. Because of their servants' hearts, they often forego their own needs for the needs of others. I hope these devotions will remind pastors daily of how special they are in this world and in the Kingdom of God, and how important it is to take care of themselves. For more information on this resource or any of our other efforts on behalf of pastors and their families, please visit our Web site, The Parsonage.

I began pastoral ministry in 1963. I was 23, fresh out of seminary, and assigned to a church on the wrong side of the street in a Southern California community. I was given practically no chance of pulling my little charge out of the doldrums. But I had learned from my heritage how important it was to love people. So I did.

I visited their homes, paid attention to their children, visited the sick in hospitals and nursing homes, prayed for the downtrodden and lonely. I made myself available and told them publicly that, next to my family, they were the most wonderful people in the world.

It is critical for your congregation and community to know that the shepherd of the flock is truly that — approachable, responsive, gentle, and genuinely filled with compassion. Those characteristics are more significant for the leader of the flock than academic degrees, church growth numbers, or status achieved.

The Pastor Shepherd (John 10:1-28):

• Lays down his life for his sheep.
• Knows his sheep.
• Protects his sheep.
• Feeds his sheep.
• Encounters his sheep.
• Can locate the sheep in his pasture.
• Searches for the lost sheep.
• Promises eternal life to those who believe in the Good Shepherd.

It is a ministry modeled after the Good Shepherd Himself.

"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself" (John 10:11, MSG).

I'd love to hear your thoughts and reactions in a comment below. Be blessed and be a blessing!

(PRR042)

Comments

[john krach]

Thanks H.B, For the healthy reminder that we are to love our people more than our position or title.

[Anonymus]

Mr. London,
Thank You for posting this... Currently we are struggling with a SBC church with a young man coming from a very very small congregation to one of many more people who are doing great ministries,merged 2 churches successfully, thriving after a 2 year "church healer" interim has been working through some difficult situations to get things back on track and working smoothly...At 30 years old & having 2 years previous experience as a full-time pastor..He is what some are calling a prophet, but dogmatic in approach. Taking private (thought to be confidential) conversations and making it a major part of his sermons the very next Sunday....Feeling it is his job to demand a worship leader to take anger management courses for 13 weeks with him (pastor) for walking out of a worship team pratice in frustration ( I was there and know what took place & it was not in anger). The pastor not having any credentials or counseling to determine if someone has anger issues. Starting to even read body language/movement in a chair as a diagnosis for a person being "hostile" or "angry"... Not getting to know the people before making MANY changes... Mind you the people are still getting to know each other after just a year of merging.

Things brought forth in business meetings/messages of the pastor making NO hospital visits,posting hours in bulletins of 9-4 Tue-Fri, untouchable on Mondays (even boldly stating if something as drastic as 37 people in the congregation being killed in an accident to call the deacons instead), so on and so forth... Mainly being highly defensive prior to anyone questioning him. Not realizing this church body is a very supportive group and isn't questioning his motives, but getting his reasoning in full length no matter.

Deacons are willing to let him learn and grow, but how long should that be allowed and after how many people leave the church?

Your post here has been a great reminder for us as a family to be reminded what a "pastor/shepherd" should be and mean to us. We desire to allow God to work through us by being "fed" and not beaten into submission or told almost weekly that what we had been doing wasn't working.....

May the Lord bless you in many ways as our family has been....