Effective Spiritual Leadership: Shepard Elders

I. Introduction

A. Biblical Image of a Shepard.

1. Subtle blend of authority and care.

a. As much toughness as tenderness.

b. As much courage as comfort.

B. Shepherd-sheep relationship is rich in the Bible

C. The illustration of an Elder is repeatedly shown in the Bible as the Shepherd.

a. Ps 23:1,2

b. Ezek. 34

D. When Paul and Peter Exhorted elders to do their duty, they used the imagery of the Shepard.

1. Acts 20:28

2. 1 Peter 5:2

E. In order to understand the Elders and their work we must understand the biblical imagery of shepherding.

F. New Testament Elders are to provide the flock:

1. Spiritual Protection.

2. Spiritual Nourishment.

3. Spiritual Guidance.

4. Spiritual Nurturing.

II. The Shepherds Spiritual Protection.

A. From false teachers.

1. Acts 20:17, 28-31a.

B. Protection from false teachers requires knowledge.

1. Titus 1:5,6,9.

2. Illustration Elders in Jerusalem.

a. Problem of false teachers teaching circumcise.

C. Protection means seeking the lost

1. Guarding the sheep from wandering a way from the truth.

2. Includes disciplining;

a. Sinful behavior

b. Improper behavior and attitudes.

1) 1 Thess. 5:12.

3. Stopping bitter infighting

D. Protecting is vital because Sheep are defenseless animals.

1. Sheep are unaware and vulnerable to dangers.

a. Phillip Keller, shepherd and agricultural researcher in East Africa and Canada

1) “It reminds me of the behavior of a band of sheep under attack from dogs, cougars, bears, or even wolves. Often in blind fear or stupid unawareness they will stand rooted to the spot watching their companions being cut to shreds. The predator will pounce upon one then another of the flock raking and tearing them with tooth and claw. Meanwhile, the other sheep may act s if they did not even her or recognize the carnage going on around them. It is as though they are totally oblivious to the peril of their own precarious position.”

E. Protection is a significant aspect of Elders with his flock

F. Shepherd Elders must be spiritually alert.

1. He must know the predator and act wisely and quickly.

2. Paul exhorts Elders to “BE ALERT”

a. He knew the natural tendency f shepherds to become spiritually lazy, undisciplined, prayerless, and weary.

3. O.T. Prophets cried out against Israel’s elders.

a. Isaiah 56:9-12 All you beasts of the field, come to devour—all you beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. "Come," they say, "let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure."

4. Shepherd Elders must be watchful and prayerful.

5. They must be aware of changing issues both in society and the church.

G. Shepherd Elders must be courageous.

1. Must have courage to fight fierce predators.

a. David was a model shepherd of outstanding courage.

1) He had courage to fight animals who threatened his flock

2) He had courage to fight Giants who threatened God’s people.

b. Without courage to fight for the truth and the lives of God’s people, Satan will devour the local church.

2. There are many weak, immature, and unstable believers.

a. So the Elders must act as a wall of safety around the flock.

1) John 10:12b “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.”

3. Shepard Elders must be willing to lay down their life for the flock.

III. Shepard Elders must provide Spiritual Nourishment.

A. N.T. emphasis is placed on the teaching of God’s word.

1. Jesus the Good Shepard was preeminently a teacher.

2. He commissioned others to teach all that He had taught, Matt. 28:20.

3. To Peter He said to “feed my sheep” John 21:17

a. John 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.

B. Teaching/feeding the flock was important in the First Century.

a. Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

b. Acts 11:25-26 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, [26] and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

c. 1 Tim. 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

2. In Order of the Spiritual Gifts teaching is listed third after Apostle and prophet.

a. 1 Cor. 12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

C. Shepherd Elders must be able to feed the whole word of God.

1. 1 Tim. 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

2. 1 Tim. 5:17-18 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. [18] For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages."

3. Acts 20:28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

4. 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

D. Sheep are nearly incapable of feeding and watering themselves properly.

1. Ezekiel 35

IV. Shepherd Elders must lead the Flock.

A. To Shepherd a congregation or a nation as David, one must lead.

1. 2 Samuel 5:2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.' "

2. Psalm 78:71-72 from following the nursing ewes he brought him to shepherd Jacob his people, Israel his inheritance. [72] With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.

B. The qualification of an Elder is to be a good steward, or manager of his house

1. Titus 1:7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

C. Peter uses the verb from of overseer to exhort elders to lead.

1. 1 Peter 5:1-2 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: [2] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

2. Sheep are born followers, not leaders

a. Sheep are not independent travelers. They must have a human conductor. They cannot go to predetermined places by themselves. They cannot start out I the morning in search of pasture and then come home at evening time. They have, apparently, no sense of direction. The greenest pasture may be only a few miles away, but they sheep left to themselves cannot find it. What animal is more incapable than a sheep? He realizes his impotence, for no animal is more docile. Where the shepherd leads, the sheep will go. He knows that the shepherd is a guide and that it is safe to follow him.” Jefferson, ministers as shepherds pg.59-60

D. Sheep must be led to fresh water, new pasture and relief from dangerous heat.

E. Shepherd Elders must have management skills.

1. A healthy flock Christians doesn’t just happen.

2. It’s a result of the shepherd’s skillful management of members and resources.

F. The work of shepherd Elders is hard.

1. Sheep don’t take vacations from eating.

2. Predators don’t just disappear.

3. Observe Jacob’s description of his life as a shepherd.

a. Genesis 31:40 There I was: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.

4. A lazy Shepherd is a disgrace and danger to the flock.

a. Nahum 3:18 Your shepherds are asleep, O king of Assyria; your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains with none to gather them.

b. Zech. 11:17 "Woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May the sword strike his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be wholly withered, his right eye utterly blinded!"

G. One reason there are few good shepherds in many churches is because too many are spiritually lazy.

V. Shepard Elders must care for practical needs.

A. They must be ready to meet what needs the sheep have.

1. Visiting the sick.

2. Comforting the bereaved.

3. Strengthening the weak.

4. Praying for all the sheep.

5. Visiting new members.

B. The church is not only a flock, but is a congregation of Royal Priest with talents

1. Some in the flock will be more talented in some areas.

C. Elders want to lead an active, alive, every-member-ministering church.

D. Shepherd Elders have love for the Lord’s people.

1. The great secret to caring for sheep is love.

a. 2 Samuel 12:3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.

2. Phillip Keller, author of Psalm 23

a. “All the care, all the work, all the alert watchfulness, all the skill, all the concern, all the self-sacrifice are born of his love-the love of One who loves His sheep, loves His work, loves His role as a Shepherd.”

3. Average Christian, if asked what he or she wants most from spiritual leaders, in most cases it would be, “to be loved and cared for!”

E. Shepherd Elders work is people-oriented work

F. Without love the eldership is an empty shell.

G. Like Jesus our Christ, a good shepherd elder loves (agape) people.

VI. Conclusion.

A. Shepherd Elders must:

1. Protect the congregation.

a. By being spiritually alert

b. By being courageous

2. Feed the congregation the spiritual word of God.

3. Lead the congregation.

a. Management skills are necessary, but not required.

b. Be involved in hard work.

4. Caring for the practical needs of the congregation.

a. This is only accomplished with love for the people.