Why does your church need leadership? I realize this may sound too fundamental of a question, but for the sake of a short conversation, have you ever paused and wondered why churches need leadership?
More specifically, what do church leaders do?
The Bible on Church Leadership
We can find a few references to spiritual leadership in our Bible.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 – This passage provides a list of qualifications for overseers (also known as bishops or pastors) and deacons in the church.
Acts 20:28 – In this verse, the apostle Paul exhorts the church elders in Ephesus to “keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”
Hebrews 13:17 – This verse instructs the church members to “obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 – In this passage, Peter encourages the church’s elders to “be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be.”
Titus 1:5-9 – This passage provides instructions for appointing elders in the church and lists the qualifications they must meet.
So biblically, we find qualifications (Timothy and Titus) and comparisons (primarily to shepherds and flocks). This is helpful and instructive to a point. If you are a pastor, though, you and I know there’s more to the role.
Or at least some metaphorical unpacking to do.
What’s the Deal With the “Shepherd” Metaphor?
In the first century, shepherds were generally viewed as low-status workers who spent most of their time out in the fields tending to their flocks. Perhaps this is enough of an answer for us church leaders!
But there is more. Shepherds were often seen as uneducated, rough around the edges, and socially isolated from the rest of society. All said, shepherding was not a highly respected occupation, as it was physically demanding and involved working with animals that were not considered clean or pure according to Jewish religious law. Shepherds were often poor and marginalized, and their work was seen as a last resort for those who could not find other forms of employment.
Honestly, I can’t think of a better professional metaphor!
There are some exceptions to this view of shepherds. For example, in the Bible, King David was a shepherd before he became a king and was often praised for his skills. Additionally, in some areas, shepherds were highly valued for their ability to provide food and resources for their communities.
If the sheep could speak, I imagine they’d be grateful for their shepherd. All except the few disgruntled sheep who transferred by letter from another flock where they were also persistently unhappy.
But I digress…
How To “Shepherd” Your Church (and Community) Flock
The authors of scripture used the “shepherding” metaphor consistently for a reason. Most obviously, everyone in the first century was intimately familiar with the shepherd and sheep relationship. Less obvious, at least to modern readers, is the purpose of a shepherd.
