Jan. 14 Application | ‘Care for the Flock’

By David Faust 

Jesus didn’t happen to notice some sheep grazing nearby and remark offhandedly, “I am the good shepherd.” The Lord was addressing the Pharisees when he made this bold claim, and for emphasis, he said it more than once (John 10:11, 14). Jesus deliberately identified himself with Scriptures like Psalm 23:1 (“The Lord is my shepherd”), Psalm 100:3 (“Know that the Lord is God. . . . We are his people, the sheep of his pasture”), and Isaiah 40:11 (“He tends his flock like a shepherd”). 

And by claiming to be “the good shepherd,” Jesus pointed to Ezekiel 34, which denounced evil shepherds who cared for themselves at the expense of God’s flock. That same chapter predicted God would send a leader who “will tend them . . . and be their shepherd” (Ezekiel 34:23). The title “good shepherd” had not only messianic implications, but Jesus also was contrasting himself with the self-serving Pharisees. They were bad shepherds—“hired hands” who would run away when wolves attacked the sheep—or worse, they were “thieves and robbers” who “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:8-13). 

Pastor Is a Verb 

Everyone needs shepherding, even those who lead the church. Do you know anyone who is “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36)? Is there a “flock” in your family, workplace, church, small group, or neighborhood that relies on you to nurture their faith, protect them from spiritual harm, and guide them in the right direction? 

Pastor should be a verb before it’s a noun. It’s an action to do, not just a title to wear. In the New Testament, shepherding was a ministry to fulfill, not merely an office to hold. Unless leaders actively shepherd the flock, it’s inaccurate to call them pastors.  

Why do so many Christians—even elders and church staff members—resist the work of shepherding?   

It’s messy. Animal sheep produce manure. Human sheep produce complex questions, troubled marriages, chronic illnesses, tense interpersonal conflicts, and countless other problems. Eugene Peterson described pastoral leadership by citing William Faulkner’s description for how he went about writing a book. Faulkner said, “It’s like building a chicken coop in a high wind. You grab any board or shingle flying by or loose on the ground and nail it down fast.”  

It’s inconvenient. Shepherding is unpredictable. You can’t always confine it to your office and schedule it on your calendar. Searching for lost sheep will take you to uncomfortable places and awkward situations. Sometimes the flock needs attention in the evening, on weekends, and during holidays. Shepherding may require difficult conversations, late-night emergency room visits, and heart-wrenching funerals. 

It can’t be learned from books alone. Bible college and seminary professors do their best to impart pastoral skills to their ministry students, but many shepherding lessons are best learned through observation and personal experience.  

Shepherding Has Its Rewards 

Although it’s wearisome at times, tending God’s sheep can be incredibly rewarding. There is joy in heaven and on earth when you find a lost sheep and bring it home to a well-fed, well-led flock.  

Peter exhorted first-century elders, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them,” and then he promised, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (1 Peter 5:2, 4). 

Personal Challenge: Who depends on you for spiritual leadership and protection? Ask God to help you shepherd your flock well.