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PFT - Role of A Shepherd
PFT - Role of A Shepherd
In Ephesians 4, Paul says that God give five special gifts to the church: apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. All of these are necessary for the maturity of
the church, but to me, the ministry of the pastor is special. The role of the pastor, or
shepherd, is special for me because I believe this is one of the five-fold ministries that
most resembles Jesus.
A pastoral role is special because all Christians have some responsibility to show
love and care for one another. At some level, we are all called to be a shepherd to
Christians who are younger than ourselves in the faith.
Not everyone is a pastor, but we all function in pastoral ministry to some extent. I
personally believe that we need more pastors in the church than apostles, prophets,
evangelists, or teachers. There always seems to be a lack of people who have the heart to
shepherd God’s people.
Responsibilities of a shepherd
King David, who himself was a shepherd for many years and also a shepherd for
the entire nation of Israel, wrote Psalm 23 to describe how God shepherds His people. In
these verses, we can see the responsibilities of a good shepherd.
Matthew 13:52
He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the
kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new
treasures as well as old.”
Shepherds need to understand the learning styles of their sheep, their ability to
handle different teaching, and the timeliness of each topic.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak,
be patient with everyone.
We should instruct, encourage, show love in practical ways, but the most
important thing we can do to help restore people spiritually is to pray for them. We need
to intercede on their behalf. Samuel was the last of the prophets to lead Israel. When he
anointed a king to lead in his place, he promised he would pray for the nation, which was
his spiritual flock, that they would always follow God.
1 Samuel 12:23
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you.
And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
Guide the sheep in godly living
Psalm 23:3 also says, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s
sake.” Good sheep follow their shepherd, for better or worse. We need to set a good
example for everyone, but especially for those who we take responsibility for as
shepherds. Paul tells Timothy to set an example for everyone in the church, even those
who are much older than him. Everyone has influence through their life example. Your
pastors will be encouraged to see you full of zeal and love.
1 Timothy 4:12
Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
We should set an example for our sheep to follow. Our actions are much more
powerful lessons than our words. We need to watch ourselves in how we treat people,
how we honor our word, how hard we work, how we make decisions, and how we
manage our finances.
God is honored when His people walk in paths of righteousness. Remember, we
are disciples of Jesus.
Spiritual shepherds also need to listen to the Holy Spirit in order to give godly
advice and guidance. We should be very careful about advising people. For our part, we
should not force them to do anything. (After all, even God does not force us to do His
will!) But for their part, they should look to us as God’s representative. We need to ask
God for wisdom in what to say when we give counsel.
John 10:12-13
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf
coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and
scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the
sheep.
Conclusion
The shepherd role, or pastoral role, in the church is very important. God uses
Christians to take care of younger believers. God Himself is the excellent role model for a
spiritual shepherd as illustrated in Psalm 23.
Discussion Questions
1. To what extent are you a spiritual shepherd? Who do you have responsibility to be
a shepherd over?
2. What are some of the most important roles of a shepherd for you personally?
What do you appreciate most about your shepherds?
3. Why did Jesus make such a big deal about sheep with Peter in John 21?