Shepherds and Sheepdogs

 

Looking back at the years of Herb’s ministry to the church, I seriously doubt we would have survived had not God sent him when He did. Herb was blessed with invincible determination. He could sense the presence of a wolf and was devoted both to me and the flock. Never once did I doubt his support for my role as pastor or the sincerity of his actions. Nor did I put him on a dog leash. We soon moved into our wonderful facility in Boynton Beach and Herb disappeared as silently as he came. His work was done. An important truth I learned from him was this: The sheepdog is devoted to the shepherd. If needed, Herb would have protected me with his life. In a short time the congregation was thriving again, office appointments filled our workweek, some pastors seeking help flew in from out of state. New faces appeared on Sundays. When I left the pastoral ministry in 1994 the church was filled and thrilled. Since then, I have learned much more about shepherds and sheepdogs which I think you need to hear.

I am aware that wolves and sheepdogs look much alike and that pastors must proceed cautiously—but I also know that it is spiritual suicide for any pastor to pretend he is God’s sole gift to the church. Not so. If the church does not have sheepdogs—male and female—it indicates the pastor’s failure to recognize and encourage the development of spiritual gifts in his flock. Churches across America are literally dying because pastors are not devotedly mentoring their Calebs. Hear me: Pulpit preaching does not achieve it! Living relationally is the only acceptable route to pastor/sheepdog success. That requires giving responsibility to underlings and showing them how to develop their spiritual gifts. The proof of a church being a true New Testament organism is that God has “fitly joined the body together” with different parts working in harmony. Paul had Timothy, Barnabas, Silas, and others as helpers and explained their function this way:

According to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body (Ephesians 4:16).

A healthy church is a growing church. If there is no growth something is wrong. And it is not God’s fault. I have been in churches across America and in other countries and can tell you without hesitation that every successful one has the “team” concept of ministry. One of the essential qualities of a true leader is that he recognizes his own limitations and supplements that lack by enlisting others. The best leaders—including the greatest American Presidents—have surrounded themselves with competent assistants and then delegated authority to them. Pastors who insist on working “solo” will ultimately burnout and finish their ministry with nothing accomplished. Few things alarm me more than being in a church where the only voice I hear, the only activity I see, the only opinion working, is the pastor’s. A conscientious shepherd does not try to be the “whole show”. In my early ministry I knew a pastor who demanded sole care of church funds though his own record was one of financial failure and bankruptcy. How dare he put the church at risk! I say this kindly but I will say it nonetheless: I have yet to meet a pastor who was capable of being everything the church needed. He is not equipped to be administrator, treasurer, teacher, counselor, legal advocate, kitchen aide, etc., etc. Some have imagined they were competent to function alone—but in every case their records proved them wrong. Their congregations disappeared and the churches died as a direct result of their bad administration and egotistical self-image. Where were their sheepdogs? In some cases they had chased them away. Without sheepdogs the flock is destined to failure.

Tags: featured, sheepdogs, shepherds

Category: Ministry, Spring 2010