Shepherding God’s Flock (13)

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2.10-12

Paul mentioned that he, Timothy, and Silvanus focused their shepherding ministry on “every one of you”. No one in the believing community was exempt from the shepherding care of the apostle. All were encouraged, exhorted, comforted, and charged to “walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” God is calling. Calling every believer. Calling us to a particular way of life that results in the progress of His Kingdom and the glory of His Name.

God’s people will need leaders they can trust, leaders who not only teach and exhort, but who embody the lifestyle to which we are called in the Kingdom of God. Gregory the Great exhorted those in pastoral ministry, “But those who are over others should shew themselves to be such that their subjects may not blush to disclose even their secrets to them; that the little ones, vexed with the waves of temptation, may have recourse to their pastor’s heart as to a mother’s breast, and wash away the defilement they foresee to themselves from the filth of the sin that buffets them in the solace of his exhortation and in the tears of prayer” (The Book of Pastoral Rule).

It takes trust to come to your pastor with the deepest needs and fears of your soul. Pastors must build that trust through faithful prayer, careful preaching, and an exemplary lifestyle. Jesus emphasized this trust relationship as the very foundation of a shepherd’s work: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (Jn. 10.14; cf. vv. 3-5). By working hard to get to know our flock, and letting them know us, we may hope to gain their confidence so that we may serve them at just those moments when they most need our exhortations and prayers.

Building trust is crucial to effectiveness and ministry. Anything that compromises trust must go. Everything that builds it must be put to the best possible use in shepherding the flocks of the Lord.

Resources for Shepherds
What are the keys to building trust with the people of God? Our workbook, Shepherding God’s Flock, leads you to consider the broad scope of what is involved in knowing God’s flock and being known by them. Learn more and order your free copy by clicking here.

Christians were made for good works. Indeed, all our work should be good work—Kingdom work. But what is all our work? Is it more than just our job? And how can we prepare for our work and make the best use of our time in it? These are questions we’re exploring in The InVerse Theology Project’s study on work. Listen to the most recent installment in this series by clicking here, and learn why our work must begin here.

Men, Ailbe Brother Rusty Rabon invites you to join him every two weeks, beginning this Thursday night at 9:00 Eastern, to seek the Lord for revival. I look forward to being part of that group. If you like to join us for 30 minutes of prayer, contact Rusty at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and ask to be put on the list to pray for revival, every other week, beginning August 3 at 9:00 pm.

From the Celtic Revival
If you missed last Tuesday’s study in our series on Columbanus, it reminded us that God speaks to us from both His Word and His world. We need to learn how to hear Him in each. Here’s an excerpt from Jonas, Columbanus’ biographer, and from one of Columbanus’ sermons:

“And do not wonder that the beasts and birds thus obeyed the command of the man of God. For we have learned from Chamnoald, royal chaplain at Laon, who was his attendant and disciple, that he has often seen Columban wandering about in the wilderness fasting and praying, and calling the wild beasts and birds. These came immediately at his command and he stroked them with his hands.”

  - Jonas, Life of St. Columban[1]

“Understand the creation, if you wish to know the Creator; if you will not know the former either, be silent concerning the Creator, but believe in the Creator.”

  - Columbanus, Sermon I[2]

Easier said than done. What can we do to gain a better understanding of God’s world and what we can learn from Him there? Our book, Consider the Lilies: A Plea for Creational Theology, can help. Learn more and order your free copy by clicking here.

Our ReVision study on “The Disciplined Life” can be a good resource for leadership development. It’s free, and if you’ll just write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request it, I’ll send it along, together with two assessment tools to use in the study.

Crosfigell is mailed every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe to Crosfigell today (click here to update your subscriptions). Be sure you click each teaching letter you want to receive, (including Pastor to Pastor).

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD), order a free copy of our book, The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction, by clicking here.

T. M. Moore.

Please pray that God will move many of those we serve through this ministry to share with us financially in its support. If the Lord moves you to give, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal or Anedot, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 103 Reynolds Lane, West Grove, PA 19390.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Jonas, p. 18

[2] Walker, p. 65