Church ministry is an adventurous journey. It is a journey wherein both shepherds and believers walk along together towards spiritual maturity. Of course, leaders should stay ahead in leading the flock, but they are not on the mountaintop of perfection. We all have lessons to learn as we fall and rise.
There are few lessons I have also learned in my brief journey of being a shepherd of God’s flock. I hope, as I put these lessons in writing, it would inspire and enlighten both the pastors and believers in Christ Jesus.
Before going further, I want to mention that this message is addressed to both shepherds and believers, especially to the shepherds who wants to care and serve God’s people. This is not relevant to those pastors who have no heart to love and serve the people of God.
One crucial lesson I have learned in church ministry is this—I should not suppose I am a ‘messiah’ of people. Many pastors function like a messiah [savior] for their own detriment. In our good intention to help God’s people, I am afraid, we have become more of a hindrance in believers’ relationship with Christ Jesus, the head of His church.
We shepherds think we have to be always ready to give counsel and to help. We consider ourselves as problem-solvers of people with problems. We want them to know we are always there for them. Now I am not denying the responsibility of a shepherd to counsel and to help people in their problems. What I want us to understand is that this is our secondary role.
The first and foremost task of a leader is to lead people to the Lord of lords. It is to draw people closer to God, not toward myself. It is to teach people to seek God first, not me. It is to guide people to lean on their Maker to cope with the problems of their lives, not to depend on me for their help. It is to cast them under the wings of God, not to curb them under my wings.
To put in one statement, this is what I would say—the primary responsibility of a Christian leader is to train people to depend on God’s wisdom and strength to solve their own problems.
True, there is wisdom in the counsel of elders. It is foolish to ignore their counsel. God uses His children to speak to us and to guide us. But many people act unwisely by always seeking first the counsel of leaders than praying in the closet and seeking the face of the Wonderful Counselor. They are quick to share their problems with the shepherds than giving priority to the Chief Shepherd of our souls. They are more dependent on the prayers of their leaders, than on God in whom they have believed for their salvation.
Although such attention is cherished by church leaders, it is unhealthy and dangerous, both for themselves and for believers.
A Christ-centered leader avoids excessive attention and unhealthy dependence upon him by believers. His delight is in seeing people seeking God, trusting in Him and exalting Him in all things.
Let me also mention something which is necessary for your consideration—it is good for leaders to pray for people, but it is wrong to think that the prayers of pastors are more powerful than the prayers of believers. The Scripture doesn't say the prayers of pastors are powerful and effective. It says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16). I hope the readers do not have the assumption that only pastors are righteous:-) Observe, these words are said in the context of praying for one another.
Furthermore, before saying to people to call for the elders of the church to pray for them in sickness, James beforehand says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (Jas. 5:13). Before "them", "him" should come first in prayer. Personal private prayer precedes corporate prayer. Our corporate prayers, in fact, would be powerful when our private prayers are fervent.
Sadly, there are many believers who keep on begging others [pastors and others] to pray for them while they themselves neglect to pray in isolation and wait upon the Lord.
In seeking to cope with the problems in life, both pastors and believers ought to realize their helplessness and the urgency to seek God for His intervention and help. We are all helpless creatures in desperate need of helpful Creator. We all must, both individually and corporately, rely absolutely on God, who alone is our refuge and strength. Apart from Him, we are nothing and can do nothing.
Therefore, we pastors should know, and also the believers must understand—leaders are not high priests. They are not mediators between God and people. They are just monitors to help people know God for themselves. In the New Covenant age, because of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer has access to seek and walk with God. And the shepherds’ job is to see this being fulfilled and lived by believers in church.
There are few lessons I have also learned in my brief journey of being a shepherd of God’s flock. I hope, as I put these lessons in writing, it would inspire and enlighten both the pastors and believers in Christ Jesus.
Before going further, I want to mention that this message is addressed to both shepherds and believers, especially to the shepherds who wants to care and serve God’s people. This is not relevant to those pastors who have no heart to love and serve the people of God.
UPON WHOM IS THE DEPENDENCE?
One crucial lesson I have learned in church ministry is this—I should not suppose I am a ‘messiah’ of people. Many pastors function like a messiah [savior] for their own detriment. In our good intention to help God’s people, I am afraid, we have become more of a hindrance in believers’ relationship with Christ Jesus, the head of His church.
We shepherds think we have to be always ready to give counsel and to help. We consider ourselves as problem-solvers of people with problems. We want them to know we are always there for them. Now I am not denying the responsibility of a shepherd to counsel and to help people in their problems. What I want us to understand is that this is our secondary role.
The first and foremost task of a leader is to lead people to the Lord of lords. It is to draw people closer to God, not toward myself. It is to teach people to seek God first, not me. It is to guide people to lean on their Maker to cope with the problems of their lives, not to depend on me for their help. It is to cast them under the wings of God, not to curb them under my wings.
To put in one statement, this is what I would say—the primary responsibility of a Christian leader is to train people to depend on God’s wisdom and strength to solve their own problems.
True, there is wisdom in the counsel of elders. It is foolish to ignore their counsel. God uses His children to speak to us and to guide us. But many people act unwisely by always seeking first the counsel of leaders than praying in the closet and seeking the face of the Wonderful Counselor. They are quick to share their problems with the shepherds than giving priority to the Chief Shepherd of our souls. They are more dependent on the prayers of their leaders, than on God in whom they have believed for their salvation.
Although such attention is cherished by church leaders, it is unhealthy and dangerous, both for themselves and for believers.
A Christ-centered leader avoids excessive attention and unhealthy dependence upon him by believers. His delight is in seeing people seeking God, trusting in Him and exalting Him in all things.
Let me also mention something which is necessary for your consideration—it is good for leaders to pray for people, but it is wrong to think that the prayers of pastors are more powerful than the prayers of believers. The Scripture doesn't say the prayers of pastors are powerful and effective. It says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16). I hope the readers do not have the assumption that only pastors are righteous:-) Observe, these words are said in the context of praying for one another.
Furthermore, before saying to people to call for the elders of the church to pray for them in sickness, James beforehand says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (Jas. 5:13). Before "them", "him" should come first in prayer. Personal private prayer precedes corporate prayer. Our corporate prayers, in fact, would be powerful when our private prayers are fervent.
Sadly, there are many believers who keep on begging others [pastors and others] to pray for them while they themselves neglect to pray in isolation and wait upon the Lord.
In seeking to cope with the problems in life, both pastors and believers ought to realize their helplessness and the urgency to seek God for His intervention and help. We are all helpless creatures in desperate need of helpful Creator. We all must, both individually and corporately, rely absolutely on God, who alone is our refuge and strength. Apart from Him, we are nothing and can do nothing.
Therefore, we pastors should know, and also the believers must understand—leaders are not high priests. They are not mediators between God and people. They are just monitors to help people know God for themselves. In the New Covenant age, because of the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer has access to seek and walk with God. And the shepherds’ job is to see this being fulfilled and lived by believers in church.
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Enquiries:
cstephendavid@gmail.com (or) messageforourage@gmail.com
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