SHEPHERDS, SHEEP, AND SOUL-SEEKING                                                    February 2, 2008

Central Church, Ocala, FL—Max Dawson

Introduction:

1.    When we think in terms of those men who are chosen to lead the local church we almost always use the term “elder” (a scriptural term – Acts 20:17) to describe that office. While there is nothing wrong with that term, we may have used it almost to the exclusion of other terms. There are several other words that are used to describe this same worker in the church. One of those terms has not been given the attention that it needs in many local churches.

2.    God uses the term “shepherd” (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2) to describe, not just the worker, but the function of this worker in the local church. He is a shepherd because he shepherds the sheep. I am convinced that we need to reexamine this term and the role that this man plays in God’s arrangement.

3.     Everywhere I go I try to urge men to prepare themselves for the eldership. It is one of the great needs in the Lord’s church today. But, when I talk to men, I don’t want to merely talk about men filling an office; I want to talk to men about truly being shepherds.

4.    Typically, when the Bible mentions shepherds, it’s not talking about elders. Rather, most often, it is talking about literal shepherds who tend flocks of sheep in a field. Yet, from those passages about shepherds, we can learn what shepherds in the church are supposed to do. God chose the term shepherd to describe the elder because his work is so much like the shepherd who tends his flock in the field.

The Lesson:

I.     Setting things in order with respect to the flock of God.

A.  When Paul left Titus at Crete, he gave the young preacher specific instructions that were designed to arrange the local church in the way God wanted, Titus 1:5.

1.    If Paul were to write a letter to us today, he might still have something to say about order in the local church. He might find some things that are lacking with respect to order.

2.    It is not just a matter of appointing men who are called elders. That, in itself, is not a very difficult to do. It is more a matter of those men serving God and the local church in the way that God intended.

B.          Sometimes, local churches do not have the order God intended.

1.   While there may be men in the local church who are called bishops, deacons, and evangelists (Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4:11), those men may have their roles poorly defined and even confused.

2.   In too many churches, evangelists have taken up the work that primarily belongs to the shepherds.

a. That is, the preacher seeks after the straying sheep. He may make periodic reports to the elders about the status of wayward members, but the primary care, feeding and nurturing of the sheep belongs to the evangelist.

b. In one congregation known personally to me, attendance was falling off and a number of the members were straying. The elders called the preacher in and wanted to know “what is going on.” They expected him to shepherd the sheep.

c. While no one would deny that a preacher can and should be concerned about straying souls, the shepherds of the local church have the primary responsibility for this.

3.   In too many congregations, the shepherds have taken up the work that primarily belongs to deacons.

a. That is, they unlock and lock the building, turn the lights on and off, they set the thermostat, and generally make sure that everything in the building is as it should be. Their work, instead of being focused on the well being of the sheep, is directed more at the facility in which the sheep meet.

b. While no one would deny that shepherds have some responsibility with respect to the meeting place, this cannot be among their primary concerns.

c. Furthermore, in such a congregation, when prayers are prayed for the elders, what is the primary content of those prayers? “Lord, please help the elders to make good decisions.” Or, “Lord, please help the elders to oversee these funds wisely.” Is that what God’s shepherds have become? Has their work been reduced to being business managers and decision makers for the local church?

d. There is no evil intent on anyone’s part that has created what has to be called a situation that is “out of order.” No evil intent, but still something that is less than what God wants.

4.   In some congregations, since the preacher does most of the work of shepherding, and since the elders do most of the work of deaconing, the poor deacons are left uncertain about what they are supposed to do.

a. Let me be careful not to paint with too broad a brush. God has some terrific local churches where everything is in order and these “out of order” problems do not exist. But, that is not the case in so many local congregations.

b. In churches where things are not in order, the deacons rarely act with initiative on any matter. Every direction, every assignment, must come from the elders. Deacons are not empowered to act without a decision first being made by a meeting of the elders. Every decision about anything that happens in the local church must go through the elders—even to the smallest matter of buying a new broom to sweep the building. The deacon says the old broom is worn out and a new one is needed. The elders meet in the back room and tell him to get three prices on brooms; bring the prices to the elders and they will make a decision. While that illustration is extreme, it is not far from the truth in many congregations.

c. Whatever happened to Acts 6:1-5, where the Jerusalem church appointed (what appear to be) deacons to be “over this business”? Did these seven men have to go to the apostles to get special permission to buy pots and pans? Did the apostles micro-manage everything these men did? Do you think maybe these seven men were given the authority to make some decisions and even spend some money without clearing every penny through the apostles? They were “over this business.”

C. When “out of order” situations like those we have described exist in the local church, everything in the local church is hurt by that situation.

1.   When the roles are confused, nobody really functions in the way God intended. This will ultimately hurt the sheep who are of that flock; they will not get the kind of care, feeding and nurturing that God intended.

2.   But, it will also have a negative impact on evangelism. While such a church may be evangelistic in its outlook, it will have only limited success in its work.

a. Why? Because it often comes down to a one-man show in evangelism. The preacher is expected to seek the lost, teach and convert them. Once they are converted, the care of the new convert is also his responsibility. After a while, he finds that he can’t keep up with the new sheep; they begin to fall away; he begins to get discouraged.

b. The preacher (and even the elders) may want the church to do more evangelism and to be more effective, but it rarely happens. The preacher would like to set a pattern for others in the local church so they will follow his example. But he can’t keep up. Evangelism suffers mightily in this arrangement.

D. We must call for a return to God’s order and God’s roles for those men who have positions of responsibility. When the roles are as God intended, the work of evangelism, as well as everything else in the local church, should produce far greater results.

1.   Let the preacher take the lead in evangelism, 1 Timothy 2:2. Let him equip others to follow in his footsteps.

2.   Let the shepherds have the primary care of the sheep—of the feeding and nurturing the sheep, and of seeking the straying sheep, Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5; Luke 15:4.

3.   Let the deacons be “over this business,” Acts 6:3.  Whatever work is deemed appropriate for them with respect to building and maintenance, lawn and landscaping, budgeting, seeing to widows, transportation, benevolence, recording and PA systems—let them do their work. Let them do their work without micro-managing and making all decisions for them.

a. One man said, “Oh, we could never trust our deacons to make decisions about money.” Why not? You must have appointed men who were not what Acts 6:3 says they should be—men of “good reputation…full of wisdom.”

b. Another said, “But this would give authority to deacons.” What does Acts 6:3 give them? They are “over this business.” While deacons do not oversee the church, they are to be over something.

E. A practical example of the “shepherding model.”

1.   The Dowlen Road church in Beaumont, Texas is but one example. Since we began the work of adopting this model in 2006, we have learned of other churches that are doing essentially the same thing. I offer the Dowlen Road church as an example only because it is that with which I am familiar. I do not suggest that we have everything perfect or have solved all the issues involved. We (the shepherds) believe we have a long way to go to be what God wants us to be.

2.   When we made this transition, there was only a little resistance. There was virtually no resistance within the eldership or from the deacons. In fact, our deacons have done a much better job since we made that transition. One man, however, (not a deacon) got angry at the elders when we told the congregation what we were doing. He said, “It will never work because you elders will never give up your power.” We don’t view it as giving up something, but as making the church to be more what God wants it to be. By the way, his comment betrays something that was in his heart and is in the heart of many—that the eldership is about power; it is about getting the power and staying in power. What a perverted view of God’s order!

3.   We have given our deacons (as a group) a very broad range of things we expect them to do. We periodically discuss goals and objectives with them and then we allow them to carry out the various works given them. We allow them to decide who among them will do specific assignments; they decide how much to spend and when and how the jobs will be done. They are accountable to the group of deacons and are ultimately accountable to the elders and the congregation. We do not question their decisions or judgment (though we obviously reserve the right to intervene in anything that might be contrary to God’s pattern the scripture). If we see that a certain job is not being done, we will speak to one of the deacons and they (as a group) will see that the deficiency is corrected.

4.   Since we made our transition, deacons have been the primary planners of the church budget (with only marginal input from shepherds); they have arranged for the cleaning and re-striping of the parking lot (with no input from shepherds); they have installed new shelving, are doing cabinetwork, have repaired sheetrock and put a new roof on the building, and have various other projects going on in the building (with no input from shepherds). They don’t talk to us about it or ask us about it. They make decisions as a group, make sure the money is there in the budget and then they act. The primary budget decisions that the shepherds make are regarding preacher support at home and abroad. (We, of course, reserve the right to make any budget changes that we deem necessary to keep the budget in line.)

5.   The deacons also make the benevolent decisions regarding needy Christians, similar to the work done by the deacons in Acts 6:1-5. They have not only done this work, they have done it well. When we appointed our 25 deacons, we appointed men of wisdom to be “over this work.”

6.   The nine shepherds each have a list of 40+ names that they pay careful attention to. A list of 400 names can be intimidating. But when I look at a list of 40 names, it is not overwhelming at all. (By the way, the congregation does not know that nine such lists even exist). While as a group, we oversee the whole congregation, and all of the shepherds have concern for every sheep, each individual shepherd has special responsibility to make sure certain sheep are fed and nurtured, that they are not straying and all is well with them.

7.   As part of our work of shepherding, we each have two or three men that we are trying to mentor, to train and equip them to help us now and to one day take our place.

8.   Another goal we have as shepherds is for each shepherd to be evangelistic. We want to set a pattern and an example for others to follow. What that means is that we work with the names on our lists again; we practice evangelism and get those on our lists to also be involved. This gets around the problem that is so common in many churches—where the preacher gets up and preaches on evangelism; people feel guilty and for a few weeks try to do something; they usually wind up discouraged and give up until another sermon provokes them. Evangelistic shepherds can provide a point of contact in evangelism where individual sheep have someone to turn to who has already worked with them to be evangelistic. He can motivate, train and encourage in respect to evangelism.

9.   Finally, our last goal as shepherds is to be close to the sheep, to build relationships where they trust us and turn to us in times of need. This, in reality, is among our most basic goals. For, if we have not developed a caring relationship with the sheep, then none of the other things we are trying to do will be very successful. Point II below addresses the critical relationship that the shepherd must cultivate with the sheep. Please read and study the things found below. You will find that these shepherding principles run like a thread through the entire Bible—Old and New Testaments. God has always needed faithful shepherds. The scriptures below show what a faithful shepherd does. Historically, shepherding has been looked down on by many people. It wasn’t good to be a “sheepherder” in the old west; if someone said, “He looks like a sheepherder,” that was no compliment. The same was true in old Egypt, Genesis 46:34b. “Shepherd” sounds gentler than “sheepherder,” but the meaning is the same. God’s people were often shepherds, and though it was a lawful calling, it was dirty and smelly. Shepherds smelled because they were close to the sheep. Have we sanitized shepherding in our own minds—and are no longer close to the sheep?

F.  The bottom line of all of this is that churches and elderships must make careful examination of themselves. Upon self-examination, and carefully searching the word of God, we may learn that we have unintentionally drifted from God’s ideal for the local church.

1.   God intended for shepherds to be shepherds. If we are not seeking the sheep and their well-being, then we are not shepherds at all.

2.   Let us heed the call of God that is upon our lives and model ourselves after the Great Shepherd.

II.    A shepherd’s heart—what a shepherd does.

A. The shepherd knows the sheep.

1.   Notice the words of Jesus, the good shepherd, John 10:14. Every undershepherd can learn from Him. The Lord’s point in this text is that He cares about the sheep, John 10:11-14. Because He cares about them, He knows them.

2.    A shepherd of the flock of God must care about every Christian.

a. His work is not one of positional leadership that says, “I have been given a position, and I am supposed to be the leader. Others are supposed to follow me.”

b. Real leadership involves influence where others want to follow. The only legitimate way for a shepherd to truly have influence is for the sheep to be convinced that he really cares about them. Isn’t that a primary reason why we follow Jesus—because we know He cares about us?

c. Can a shepherd show he cares for the sheep if he doesn’t know them? He knows their needs, concerns and weaknesses. He knows when they need help.

3.   No elder can equal Jesus with respect to knowing the sheep; yet he wants to build relationships with the sheep, such that will give them confidence that he cares. Every elder typically has a realm of influence. And while one elder may not have a strong connection with every member of the flock, a multiplicity of elders can indeed have that connection.

B. The shepherd watches over the sheep.

1.   Notice the shepherds near Bethlehem, Luke 2:8. What were they watching for? Sheep have a natural enemy—the wolf. The shepherd cares, therefore he watches.

2.   In like manner, the shepherd of God’s flock watches over the sheep, Acts 20:28-31. He watches for dangers, both from within the flock and without. False teachers abound and can cause the sheep to be scattered and devoured. A shepherd should not wait until the wolf has the lamb in its mouth and is dragging it off before he acts. He warns the lamb about the false teacher and keeps his eyes open.

3.    It is evident that shepherding requires a sacrifice of time and energy for God’s cause.

C. The shepherd goes before and leads the sheep.

1.   Notice Psalm 78:52-53. The shepherd leads. If you have ever seen a shepherd, he leads his flock from the front. He goes before and they follow him, John 10:27.

2.   By a demonstration of faith, God’s shepherd goes before and sets the example for the sheep, Hebrews 13:7. He demonstrates the value of obedience to God in his own life first; this gives others the confidence to follow him. He sets an example of righteous living for others to follow, Acts 20:28a. He also trains others, Numbers 27:15-18.

3.   In a practical sense, the elder must recognize that he is much more than a positional leader. He is active in showing others how to live, not merely telling them. He doesn’t depend merely on his authority, but on his godly life to motivate others.

D. The shepherd seeks the best for the sheep.

1.   See Psalm 23:1-2. This is about leadership—and more. He seeks the best for the flock—green pastures and still waters. He wants to lead them to peace, tranquility and a good feeding place. If you owned a flock of sheep wouldn’t you want that?

2.   This means that the shepherd provides guidance and direction for the flock. He does not wait around to see which way the flock is going, and then get out front. He does not sit on his hands and wait for others to suggest a direction for the church. He sets an agenda. His agenda is for the good of the sheep. He wants to see them well fed, strong and growing—and at peace. He is concerned with the individual teaching each saint receives, as well as the broader teaching done in the congregation.

3.   An elder must be careful not to devote all his time to working on problems, being a troubleshooter. He must devote time to planning and setting the church’s direction.

E. The shepherd defends the sheep.

1.   We now go to the case of the shepherd boy, David, 2 Samuel 17:34-36. David went after the lamb that was in danger. He not only defended and rescued the lamb, he also killed the bear and the lion that attacked the lamb.

2.   Elders in the church do not literally kill the bear, but they do defend the sheep by stopping the mouth of the false teacher, Titus 1:9-11. He must have it in his mind that he is not going to let anyone steal God’s sheep away. He will put up a fight to defend them. Sometimes people wonder why shepherds aggressively pursue a lamb that is being stolen away. Now you know. This is his work.

3.   No one should become a shepherd who is filled with fear and cowers before danger. Bold men like David are needed.

F.  The shepherd searches for the lost and straying sheep.

1.   Sometimes the lamb is not stolen away, but just wanders away. When that happens, the shepherd seeks, searches and goes after the straying sheep, Luke 15:4-5.

2.   Shepherds seek to restore the straying sheep, Galatians 6:1-2.

a. One of the greatest weaknesses in the church today is that shepherds often wait until the lamb is far, far away from the flock before they act. By that time, the lamb may be so tainted by the world, that it is nearly impossible to restore him.

b. I once heard of an elder who came to services and found a certain member missing. He left the services and went and found the Christian and brought him to worship. While that may be a radical action, isn’t it consistent with a shepherd’s mission?

3.   Let no one become a shepherd who has no heart for seeking the sheep.

G. The shepherd accounts for the sheep.

1.   Note the language of Jeremiah 33:12-13. At the end of the day (and several times a day) he counts the sheep. They pass under his hands, and he numbers them one by one. If one is missing, he searches for that one. If the sheep belong to the shepherd, he gives account only to himself. If the sheep belong to another, he must give account to another. He is responsible and can be held to blame for those that are lost.

2.   Being a shepherd of the flock of God is an awesome responsibility. Like the shepherd tending sheep in the field, the shepherd of God’s flock will account for the sheep, Hebrews 13:17. It is a work that can be done with joy; but it is also a work that often involves grief. Shepherds will answer to God; so will the sheep.

3.   Let it forever be put to rest that elders are merely “decision-makers” for the church. The work of shepherding is far more than that. Let no sheep and no shepherd think it is just a matter of how to spend money, etc.

III.   The requirements of a shepherd—what a shepherd is.

A.  We sometimes set the qualifications for elders on a very high shelf. We may even view them as almost unattainable. But, viewed objectively, what is so hard about them? Aren’t these characteristics things that all Christian men generally should have?

1.    A casual look at the qualifications shows they are not that hard to attain or to understand. Yet, we may still find it difficult to understand some of the qualifications. Many factors may contribute to our struggles to understand. Maybe a fresh look at the texts will help us. Let’s be sure that we really know what the requirements are!

2.   Our plan in this study is to present a balanced view of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. In some churches, so much focus is put on family issues, that if a man passes these, he may be appointed with only a little thought given to the other qualifications.

3.   The things found in these verses can be classed into three categories, which set forth three basic requirements for a man to be a shepherd.

B. He must be a good man—a man of character. Several qualifications speak of his character and conduct. They tell us, “This is the kind of man who should be a bishop.” The following list contains the words used in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

1.   Blameless—one against whom no evil charge can be sustained. This doesn’t mean he has never done wrong, but that he isn’t harboring sin in his life. Would you appoint a man who had been impulsive, hypocritical, foul-mouthed and who denied the Lord? Peter, who (in his past) had been guilty of these things, served as an elder, 1 Peter 5:1.

2.   Temperate—a man of wisdom, watchfulness and self-control (vigilant, KJV).

3.   Sober-minded—calm, even-tempered, using sound judgment and self-control.

4.   Good behavior—a modest man, leading a well-ordered and disciplined life.

5.   Hospitable—generous, treating guests with kindness without seeking reward.

6.   Not given to wine—not a drinker; not subject to the influence of alcohol.

7.   Not violent—not a man who comes to blows; not a fighter, but peaceable.

8.   Not greedy for money—neither a covetous man nor a lover of money.

9.   Not fond of sordid gain—does not make his money in a sleazy way (see NASB).

10.   Gentle—reasonable, mild mannered, kind and fair to others (patient, KJV).

11.   Not quarrelsome—not a contentious or argumentative man, but peaceable.

12.   Not a novice—not a new convert or beginner in the faith.

13.   Not self-willed—not arrogant or pleasing himself, not stubborn or headstrong.

14.   Not quick-tempered—not a hothead or one who is quick to get angry.

15.   Lover of what is good—a promoter of virtue; one who loves what is right.

16.   Just—a man who is fair, right and equitable in his treatment of others.

17.   Holy—one who is devout toward God; a worshipper of God.

18.   Clearly, many of these words overlap and are nearly synonymous. It is a mistake to try to make fine distinctions on each word. It is wise to treat them as a whole and allow the words and phrases to say to us, “This is the kind of man who should be a bishop; he is a good man, a mature Christian man who is devoted to God and who treats his neighbor with kindness.” He, then, is recognized in the community as a good man, “having a good testimony among those who are outside.” His reputation and influence are extremely important. A good man will have such a reputation among men of decency and honor.

C. He must be a teaching man—a man of convictions. Paul says several things that speak of the man’s ability to teach and, by implication, of his ability to lead. Paul says, “This is the kind of man who should lead the church.” Teaching itself is a leadership position. The words used to describe the elder are leadership words—elder, shepherd, overseer. Here are what 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-11 say about teaching.

1.   Able to teach—able to instruct, skilled at teaching either publicly or privately; indicates one who has both the knowledge and ability to teach others God’s will. 

2.   Holding fast the faithful word—one who knows and relies upon the word of God in every situation, and who believes in its power and trustworthiness.

3.   Able to exhort and convince—one who uses the scriptures properly; by sound doctrine, he answers the teacher of error. As such, he knows the difference between truth and error. He is not tossed to and fro with every new doctrine! He is stable in faith and knowledge. He is not one who can only minister questions to his hearers. He knows what is right and wrong—he takes his stand for the right!

4.   Able to stop the mouths of false teachers (Titus 1:10-11). As such, he fears God and not man. He is God’s servant and a servant to those who fear the Lord!

D. He must be a family man—a man of capability. Several of Paul’s statements speak of his relationship to his family. When all those statements are summarized, the Bible says to us, “This is the kind of man who should serve the church.” In the family, he sustains two relationships—that of a husband to his wife, and that of a parent to his children. In both relationships he is the leader of his family. His family leadership is a fair ground for testing his capability to lead the church. That is the stated purpose in 1 Timothy 3:5. What does the Bible say about him as a family man?

1.   Husband of one wife—he must not only be a married man, but must be faithful to his wife, a one-woman man, not flirtatious.

2.   One who rules his own house well—one who presides (rules) over his house, and does so in an effective way, providing loving leadership for the wife and children.

3.   Having his children in submission with all reverence—children not only obey him, but obey him out of respect for him. This is further enforced by Titus 1:6…

4.   Faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination—children who are not accused of riotous or unruly behavior.

5.   Their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things—a wife who brings honor to her husband, 1 Timothy 3:11. (See Proverbs 31:23.)

6.   The bishop is to be a family man. The kind of family he has, the way he raises his children and leads his wife are indicators of his leadership qualities. A man’s wife must be of a certain character, or else his influence will be greatly damaged. A man’s children must be of a certain character, or his standing before others will be greatly diminished. His ability to teach is also measured in his family. If a man cannot teach and lead his own wife to be a godly woman, and if he cannot teach his own children to become Christians, how will he teach others? What kind of influence will he have—either in or out of the church—if he has not led his own family to be Christians?

IV.     The need for faithful men to serve.

A.  One “qualification” we did not address above is “desire,” 1 Timothy 3:1. Is it fair to treat this as a qualification? Does it really make any difference whether you call it a qualification or not? If a man does not have a desire to serve, will it do the church well to force him to serve?

B. Desire is a thing a man must search his soul over. Why should a man have desire?

1.   Not for power, prestige or position. The office isn’t about self, but service—to God and other Christians. It is about love for souls and dedication to God’s cause. It is about striving for excellence and desiring to lead others to higher ground.

2.   In times of crisis our nation has raised up men of honor, patriots who stood on the frontlines. The church needs “patriots.” The Lord’s church has always had men of honor, duty and sacrifice to stand up and be counted when they were needed. Are you one of them?

C.          “Desire” in 1 Timothy 3:1a, is from oregetai, “to stretch one’s self out in order to touch or grasp a thing.” It is not just “I want,” but “I sacrifice.” See Hebrews 11:16. God’s cause seeks men (and their families) who will sacrifice for the Lord.

Conclusion:

1.    Faithful men must step to the front and take up the work God has given to shepherds.

2.    Let those men look into their own hearts, and then serve!