The Shepherd’s Example (1)
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil. Proverbs 4.26, 27
Take heed to yourself… 1 Timothy 4.16
The shepherds of the Lord’s flock have three primary tools to use in caring for and equipping the saints: prayer, the Word of God, and their personal example. Working for continual improvement and mastery in each of these is the duty of all shepherds—pastors, teachers, leaders, counselors, and parents. We must look to the state of our soul and life, to ensure that the example we set before God’s sheep supports the truth we teach and the prayers we offer for them.
In this Pastor to Pastor series we will sharpen the focus on ourselves and the example of our lives, following the lead of three shepherds from the past to improve the discipline of the self-watch.
We’ll start with Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) and the advice he gave aspiring shepherds in Lectures to My Students.[1] Spurgeon called on his students to keep their lives in “good order”: “…the Lord usually adapts means to ends, from which the plain lesson is, that we shall be likely to accomplish most when we are in the best spiritual condition; or in other words, we usually do our Lord’s work best when our gifts and graces are in good order, and we shall do worst when they are most out of trim…We are, in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in good order.”
It can be very easy, in the midst of a busy ministry, to neglect giving proper attention to the health of our soul. But, as Paul went on to say, it is much to our advantage and that of God’s people to keep a close watch on our soul, lest impure thoughts, misguided affections, or false values begin to become established there.
Watching over and caring for our soul must be accompanied by paying careful attention to our “way”, to what we do and how we do it—pondering our path, as Solomon has it. Every shepherd must engage faithfully and continually in watching over soul, life, and teaching. But the soul comes first.
Teaching and learning as disciples
In my conversations with Dr. Mike McQueen, we’re considering ways that existing ministries of the church sharpen the focus on discipleship. You can listen in by clicking the link or the audio bar at the top of each issue of Pastor to Pastor.
Resources for ShepherdsHow do you practice the self-watch? What is your approach to keeping a close watch over your soul and life? Will you share it with us? Send me your practice in 50-75 words and I’ll share it with our readers in this newsletter as we go forward in this topic.
What is the “Kingdom economy”? What does it have to do with us as believers? How do we participate in it? These are the questions we have begun to examine in our new ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy.” Here’s a link to the first installment. Our first segment considers “These Last Days” and the economy God is unfolding in them. Update your Subscriptions to add ReVision and follow this and other series every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (scroll to the bottom of any page at the website, www.ailbe.org).
Singing can be an excellent way to keep a close watch over your soul and life. In the psalms, God has given us words to use in opening ourselves to Him to find mercy and grace in all our times of need. We have set all the psalms to familiar hymn tunes in The Ailbe Psalter. Order your copy in book form or free PDF and sing your soul to refreshment in the Lord.
From the Celtic Revival
Brendan of Clonfert (fl. ca. 560) began his ministry with a big vision:
So then, after writing the rule of the saints, and their customs and devotion, Brendan returned to Bishop Erc, and received orders from him…It was after this therefore that there grew up in his heart a great love to the Lord, and he desired to leave his land and his country, his parents and his patrimony. He requested earnestly of the Lord that He would grant him some secret country, far removed from men.
– The Life of Brendan of Clonfert
This prayer was a perfect example of “be careful what you pray for” because God would answer Brendan in a most unusual and demanding manner. But first, Brendan needed more instruction and training in ministry. He sought and gained that by joining the monastic community at Clonard under the direction of the saintly and famous Finnian.
Follow Brendan’s adventure of faith—which, while certainly historical, is in many ways a parable for every believer’s journey in the Lord. Add our twice-weekly Crosfigell teaching letter to your subscriptions.
The Celtic Revival (ca 430-800 AD) is a neglected period of Church history. There is much to learn from the great saints and leaders whose work, over nearly four centuries, “saved civilization” (Thomas Cahill). Here are some additional free resources in our bookstore to help you discover why we think this period is worth revisiting:
Patrick: A Devotional History
Colum Cille: A Devotional History
Columbanus: A Devotional History
The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction
Lives of Irish Saints: A Tribute
Living to Rule: An Introduction to Celtic Christian Spirituality
The Theology of the Celtic Revival II: Foundations
We hope you’ll have a look.
T. M. Moore
If you have found this issue of Pastor to Pastor helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our Read Moore daily (5 days) podcast, we are working our way through the book, Understanding the Times. Why not listen in? And new in our bookstore, our book, The Ongoing Work of Christ shows us how the book of Acts provides a template and footprint for all who take up the work of building Jesus’ Church.
Support for Pastor to Pastor comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1]All quotations are from C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973).
