Evangelicals are paying more attention to the church now than they did in the twentieth century. Much of this comes as more and more Christians tire of pragmatism and historically unprecedented "seeker" strategies in the church. It is a sign of health that a number of books now line Christian bookstores on the doctrine of the church, the nature of worship, and even church polity or government and the biblical qualifications for church leadership. While there is much to be thankful for in this regard, we must continue to reflect on how Christ in his person and work should shape our understanding of pastoral ministry. Upon careful examination of the Scriptures, it appears that many actual practices of church leadership are far from what God intends. To better understand my concerns, imagine overhearing a conversation between Joe Christian and a new coworker of his. Suppose also that Joe has been a member of XYZ Church for many years and understands as well as anyone what's happening at XYZ Church, including the leadership structure.
Joe:You mentioned you've been looking for a church since you moved a couple months ago. Find anything yet?
Coworker:Nah, nothing spectacular. We've visited a few places, but the people haven't exactly been warm and the preaching has been less than biblical. So we're still looking. Where do you worship?
Joe:Glad you asked. I've been meaning to offer an invite. We go to XYZ Church. Great fellowship and the preaching is quite strong’you'll love it.
Coworker:Yeah, I've heard of XYZ Church. Who's the pastor there?
How should Joe respond, especially if he wants to communicate his church's understanding of a biblical model of leadership? It would be wonderful if Joe responds, "Well, there are many elders who pastor the flock at our church, but [Blank] does the majority of preaching." Such an answer would indicate that the polity structure at XYZ Church isn't just a formality. Instead, it is actually making a difference in how people in the pews understand biblical ecclesiology.
But imagine the dialogue between Joe and his coworker playing out differently, with the coworker asking good questions and gently pointing out some potential problems with Joe's response.
Coworker:So, what else makes your church different from all the other churches we've been visiting?
Joe:We emphasize expositional preaching, and we've been growing like crazy, mostly from outreach and evangelism.
Coworker:That's really encouraging news. Tell me again, who's your pastor?
Joe:The pastor is [insert well-known pastor name here].
Coworker: I really enjoyed his last book. When's the last time you met with him?
Joe:Oh, I've never actually met him.
Coworker:You've never met your pastor?
Joe:Nope, but the preaching is amazing.
Coworker:Yeah, it definitely is. I've listened to a bunch of his sermons online. I guess I'm curious’in what ways is he counseling you and shepherding you and your family in your walk with the Lord?
Joe:Well, he preaches on Sundays, plus there is his radio ministry. And then his books…
Coworker:Yeah, but in what ways is the person you identified as your pastor aware of the situations and circumstances that are unique to your life? And how does he shepherd you and your family?
Joe:Well, I guess he doesn't…
Coworker:[Long, awkward silence] Joe, it sounds to me like you've got a really great teacher and preacher, but not much of a "pastor."
This basic phenomenon is quite common in evangelicalism today. I've even heard big name preachers say things such as, "Well, God is giving me a platform, and we're reaching lots of people, so why not go with it?" To the thoughtful Christian, this sounds like, "I must increase so that he might increase"’just the opposite of the biblical portrayal of the spirit of prophecy. Furthermore, when shepherding is reduced to preaching, the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep suffers.
The Pastor Shepherd
In many English translations, the original Greek term poimena is rendered "pastor." Today, the term is used generally in reference to ministers or clergy. This is unfortunate, because "pastor" no longer points back to its original meaning. A more helpful translation is "shepherd," the verb form of which is "to shepherd." Thus a shepherd is someone who serves as a guardian, leader, or caretaker for other people. Doesn't this sound an awful lot like discipleship? Is part of making disciples done through preaching and education? Absolutely. Are disciples made by preaching and education alone? Absolutely not!
Pastoral leadership requires relationship. It is important to note that the command "to shepherd" isn't given to all the saints. All Christians should encourage, rebuke, teach, admonish, and love one another. But unlike these "one another" commands, the command to shepherd is given uniquely and only to either apostles or elders in the New Testament. Delegating this responsibility to Sunday school teachers or small group coordinators, important as those roles may be, amounts to an abdication of leadership, especially when we consider the type of authority required for biblical shepherding. After all, shepherding is frequently associated with the idea of ruling (cf. Matt. 2:6, 1 Tim. 5:17). In fact, poimaino is translated "rule" in many English versions of Revelation 2:27 and 19:15.
Discipleship and Imitation
This is not the type of leadership the Bible promotes. Consider a sample of biblical texts:
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. (1 Cor. 4:15’16) Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:1) Brothers, join in imitating me. (Phil. 3:17) What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me’practice these things. (Phil. 4:9) For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. (2 Thess. 3:7’9)
When writing to pastors, Paul likewise exhorts them to serve as examples for believers to emulate:
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Tim. 4:12) Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works. (Titus 2:7’8)
The imitation language is striking. How can someone imitate a person they haven't even met? The person you call "pastor" must be someone you spend enough time with such that you can actually strive to follow him as he follows Christ.
Again, discipleship involves education, and that cannot be overlooked, but we shouldn't misunderstand the other significant forms of pastoral ministry that support the normal means of grace. It's wonderful that churches are recovering pulpits as places for theological education and Bible exposition. However, the Scriptures make clear that preaching is necessary but not sufficient to see people conformed into the image of Christ.
The Great Commission presumes engagement with people in relationship. We are not called to make converts, nor merely to educate and make good students. Christian leaders, especially pastors, elders, and overseers, are called to see not merely that people know everything that Christ commanded, but that they obey. That simply cannot happen apart from real, genuine relationships.
What's important is that the Bible’rather than "traditions" of recent American invention’shapes our theology and even our theological vocabulary. If we believe that the New Testament teaching on the church is normative and want to be faithful, then some adjustment may be in order. There is no better place to turn to reshape our understanding of shepherding than the "Good Shepherd" himself. Let us consider Jesus, then, as our model.
Christologically Shaped Polity
If Christ is our example in all things, it makes perfect sense that we would take cues from him on pastoring well: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). From this verse, we know that: (1) a good shepherd communicates with his sheep and the sheep listen; (2) a good shepherd knows his sheep; and (3) a good shepherd's sheep follow him. This is radical in its simplicity. Is it enough, then, that a faithful pastor communicates to his congregation by preaching the Word? Hardly. In the context of the above passage, John 10:14 reads, "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me."
Here Jesus says the relationship isn't one-way’not only does the shepherd know the sheep, but the sheep also know the shepherd. The question becomes, then, whether this "knowing" is allowed to be generic. Does it meet the demands of Christ's example? No, and here's why: Jesus clarifies with great precision what kind of "knowing" he had in mind. "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:14’15).
The "knowing" that Jesus has in view when describing a good shepherd is the same sort of relationship he has with the Father. This is certainly more than a one-way digital relationship, listening online, or watching a big screen. Christ really raises the bar here. The kind of fellowship that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit enjoy should shape the way pastors seek out meaningful relationships with their congregants. Conversely, pastors who don't know their people functionally deny that Jesus is the pastoral example.
The Lord as Shepherd
In Ephesians 5, Paul compares the relationship between a husband and a wife to the relationship between Christ and the church. That is, the marriage relationship prophetically testifies about spiritual realities. Paul is able to build this example because of the marriage imagery that is so prominent in the Old Testament (see, for example, Isa. 54:5; Jer. 31:32; Ezek. 16:32; Hos. 2:16). But the Lord is also called the shepherd of Israel in the Old Testament (Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:15). Accordingly, pastors prophetically bear witness to the world about who Jesus is in much the same way that husbands do.
If a pastor does not have time to meet with his people, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that, by analogy, he prophetically testifies that Jesus is too busy for us. The elder who is not eager to know his people prophetically tells the world that Jesus doesn't really desire a relationship with us beyond listening to a sermon once a week. In conclusion, consider how the Lord, through the prophet Zechariah (11:17), warns bad shepherds:
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!
May God raise up true shepherds among us to care for their congregations, following the example of Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd.
