Being a shepherd

Shepherds are willing to bear the pain and endure the brunt of the sheep, for the sheep.  True elders do not command the consciences of their brethren but appeal to their brethren to faithfully follow God’s Word.  Out of love, true elders suffer and bear the brunt of difficult people and problems so that the lambs are not bruised.  The elders bear the misunderstandings and sins of other people so that the assembly may live in peace.  They lose sleep so that others may rest.  They make great personal sacrifices of time and energy for the welfare of others.  They see themselves as men under authority.  They depend on God for wisdom and help, not on their own power and cleverness.  They face the false teachers’ fierce attacks.  They guard the community’s liberty and freedom in Christ so that the saints are encouraged to develop their gifts, to mature, and to serve one another. Alexander Strauch

I’ve been in ministry since 1998.  But for the first time in my life, I’ve begun to feel the weight of the responsibility.  In my 20′s, more often than not, I was task oriented rather than people oriented.  Not that I didn’t care about the people I served with, but shepherding wasn’t at the forefront.  I’m grateful to God for those people who were patient with me and put up with my hair-brained schemes

During those days, God blessed me with older, wiser men in leadership who often times shouldered the brunt of my stupidity or turned me away from poor decisions.  At the time, I didn’t realize the support and shelter I had.

That safety net is no longer there.  When I make decisions now, there isn’t a buffer.  The things I decide directly affect the health of the church.  It is a humbling realization.  I’m beginning to see why the role of pastor should only be accepted with “fear and trembling”.  The following verse sobers me.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Hebrews 13:17

God be gracious.