The Work of Shepherds (2)

And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6.39, 40

The Book of Pastoral Rule
Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604)
“There are some who investigate spiritual precepts with cunning care, but what they penetrate with their understanding they trample on in their lives: all at once they are teaching the things which not by practice but by study they have learnt; and what in words they preach by their manners they impugn. Whence it comes to pass that when the shepherd walks through steep places, the flock follows to the precipice.”

The Apostles acknowledged three tools for doing the work of shepherding: The Word of God, prayer, and personal example (Acts 6.4; 1 Pet. 5.1-3). These three must be used effectively, and in balance. We cannot shepherd the flock of God by the ministry of the Word alone. Preaching is important, but preaching alone will not get the Lord’s flock to where He wants it to be. Nor will prayer, or prayer and the Word alone, enable us to fulfill the noble task and good work of shepherding. We need to live the life of faith with vision, joy, power, courage, consistency, and holiness, so that what we preach and how we pray will lift the flock we serve to the heights to which we aspire, and toward which we journey together. What do you long and pray for your people to become? To know of the Lord? To do in serving Him? See to it these things are in your life, then preach them and pray for your people to follow as you lead.

How does your own personal example figure into the work of making disciples in your ministry?

T. M. Moore

Mission Partners Outreach
The Lord calls all His sheep to be His witnesses, but being a witness for Christ doesn’t just happen. The flock of the Lord must be equipped for this calling, and Jesus has set shepherds over the flock to do that work. How can we equip the sheep to live for Christ and be His witnesses? Our Mission Partners Outreach provides the resources and framework for making witness-bearing disciples in your church. Want to learn how it works? Watch this brief video, then contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations are from Gregory,The Book of Pastoral Rule,in Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, eds., Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 12(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1895, 1995).