The Lost Art of Shepherding

I was fifteen and trying to decide who I was and who I was going to be. I had some friends who were leading me down a path that looked good. We hung out all the time and they seemed to be there for me whenever I was struggling with some issue in life. It was in that group that I belonged and felt like I could be who I was and they would accept me no matter what.
Then there was this other group. They accepted me as well but it felt like I was under a microscope. It was if they were waiting for me to do something that was not right and then there would be a tongue lashing. They would love me and be there for me and even give better advice than the other group that I belong too. However, I felt like there were stipulations and expectations that I had to live up to in order to belong to this group. There was one difference though. This group had adults who were interested in my life and me. They offered rides, talked to me when I was down, invited me to their houses and poured into me personally.
“I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it’s like to be a leader, in on Christ’s sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.” 1 Peter 5:13

My struggle is that as I look at ministries all over the country, including the one that I serve in, I sense that we have lost the art of shepherding that we see through out the Bible. It is my goal to open the door to what it means to be a shepherd and to offer some practical thoughts on how we can fulfill the responsibility that God has given us for his people.

In Ezekiel 34:1-6 we see God places judgment on the leaders of Israel for not caring for and protecting their flock. The leaders had become self-centered and worried only about what they needed or wanted. Too often our ministries become filled with the things we desire in church and the focus is on our hopes and dreams not the sheep that we are leading. We get wrapped up in the task, the program or only in the core sheep of the church leaving everyone else and everything else to run off and do as they please. God was frustrated and even angry that the shepherds of Israel were not caring for the sheep that he had entrusted to them. God goes on to list things that they should be to care for the sheep. I see this list as action items for our ministries as we care for our sheep.
A Shepherd is to strengthen the weak. While I see the need for us to care for our sheep, the main instructions given to the shepherds deal with the spiritual lives of the sheep rather than the physical. In Acts 20:17 Paul sets apart the elders to lead and shepherd the people based on the teachings they have received and the truth of God. As Shepherds we need to become more aware of the spiritual state of our students. We need to start encouraging them more as they strive to grow in their faith. If we are to strengthen the weak then we need to know where the weak are.
A Shepherd is to heal the sick. When was the last time that you were excited to visit someone who was sick in the hospital? Often we get frustrated that we have to go and care for these people. It takes up time in our busy lives. Truthfully, we can’t physically heal them, but we can bring the hope of one who can spiritually heal them. I do believe that when we care for the sick and pray with them that we offer healing on a certain level. We help them feel at ease and give them hope. There is another piece to spiritual healing that we need not overlook. James 5:14-16 says that when we pray, sins will be forgiven. Often the sick need encouragement in life and in moments of pain and suffering. Those who are sick in sin need someone to pray for them and share the Gospel message of forgiveness and healing.
A Shepherd is to care for the injured. When it comes to shepherding and the instructions that we see from God, this should be the easiest one for us to relate to. We have all had moments where we struggled in our faith and questioned what we believe and think about God. If we are to care for our spiritually injured sheep then we must teach, lead and walk with them. In John 21:17 Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Peter gets frustrated because he has already told Jesus on two occasions that he does love him. Jesus then gives this instruction to Peter, “feed my sheep.” It is that very love for God that should be creating within us a passion to teach and walk in life with God’s people, our sheep.
A Shepherd will bring back the strays. Take a minute to think of three people that have not been at church recently. Why have they stopped coming? What have you done to let them know you miss them? When we take these questions seriously we will become more aware of and concerned for those who are no longer coming around. All too often the comments that we make in regards to those who have strayed are not so positive. Jesus tells a parable of the lost sheep and of the shepherd’s desire to go and find the one that was lost, leaving behind the rest. If we can create in our ministries the idea that those who leave are more important than those who stay, I think we will see major changes in our churches. As Shepherds, there is so much to watch out for that we have to take seriously the sheep that have been entrusted to us.
A Shepherd rules with compassion and humility. Ministry is based on a phrase that has almost lost its impact, “it’s all about relationships.” We have to know our sheep if we expect them to respond to us. In leadership/shepherding we often rule with the iron fist mentality of “this is what I said now go do it.” A shepherd will rule with the compassion of where an individual is and why they may be responding the way they are. Inside of having a relationship with your sheep you also gain the authority to share with them and give expectations to them. When this is done with compassion and humility they will often rise up. Jesus gave plenty of discipline to his sheep throughout his time with us, but he did so with great compassion and humility. The struggle for us is that we feel like we are too busy for relationships that take a lot of time and effort.
God has given us some pretty clear instructions on what it means for us to shepherd his people. The challenge is for us to get out of the way and let his instructions become a part of our ministries. “Feed my Sheep!”