1 Peter 5:1-3, We need loving shepherds (Ezekiel 34)
My undergraduate degree was in the realm of business and one of the big debates floating around the business world was, “are leaders born or are they made.” Can you train someone to be a good leader or are they born with the characteristics and traits that make them a good leader? You can teach them organizational skills, time management, and people skills but what about intuition, passion, and drive? I am sad to say that I believe the leadership issue has trickled into the church and with our pastors. Denominations and groups have adopted the idea that they can train someone to be a good pastor by just teaching them a few simple steps to follow and handing them a church model or business plan. This may work in the natural world, but it will never work in the church because good pastors aren’t made, they are called and empowered of the Holy Spirit to fully the task at hand. We need to get back to men and women who are called of God leading their churches under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and according to the way Peter laid it out in verses 1-3.
Peter says that shepherds (pastors/elders) should take great care of the Lord’s flock making sure to watch over them with a loving and caring heart. It is never to be a chore or for personal gain but out of an eagerness to love and serve those God has entrusted them with. They should never abuse their power or authority and always be a living example of what a follower of Christ should look like. I am afraid the American church has become over ran with pastors who look at it as a career instead of a calling from God. I urge you to read Ezekiel chapter 34 and read what the Lord said of the shepherds (pastors) of Israel during Ezekiel’s time. They sought to only take care of themselves, they didn’t care for their flock, they didn’t seek the ones who was scattered and now sheep are wandering lost, and so on and so on. God will hold shepherds (pastors) accountable for their flocks and they need to live up to the standard God has set for them. Psalm 23 gives us an example of the ultimate Shepherd that all should strive to live out if they are in a position of authority in the church.