| Shepherding evokes idyllic images of green pastures, fluffy sheep, and carefree shepherds lounging in the grass. But shepherding is not all lazy days spent by a babbling brook. Shepherding involves hard work, in fact it can be downright demanding. The sheep, unfortunately, do not possess an enormous amount of intelligence, and they find themselves quite often in need of the shepherd’s care and assistance. So the shepherd spends his days watching for predators, caring for injuries, searching for strays, delivering newborn lambs, and directing his flock to the right pastures.
It is in these images that God chose to communicate not only how He cares for us, but also how church leaders are to care for the church. We see in the New Testament admonitions to “be shepherds of God’s flock,” “be examples to the flock,” and “keep watch over yourselves and all the flock.” And the very word that Ephesians 4:11 labels “pastor” finds its roots in the Greek word for shepherd. God’s people are led by modern-day shepherds, and while you won’t see a minister extracting thorns from a member’s wool or directing the Sunday school class with a staff and rod, he performs the same types of tasks. Preachers, elders, deacons, ministry leaders are frequently seen counseling a grieving widow, teaching from God’s Word, or celebrating a baptism. It is through the everyday tasks of church life that leaders exercise care for their flocks.
We are very excited to unveil a new series in 2007. As you minister to your congregation, you will face situations that stretch and challenge you. The Caring for the Flock series is designed to help you address the needs and concerns every shepherd faces.
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