The Work of Shepherds (3)

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock… 1 Peter 5.2, 3

The Book of Pastoral Rule
Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604)
“The conduct of a prelate ought so far to transcend the conduct of the people as the life of a shepherd is wont to exalt him above the flock. For one whose estimation is such that the people are called his flock is bound anxiously to consider what great necessity is laid upon him to maintain rectitude.”

Pastors have three tools to employ in the work of shepherding: the Word of God, prayer, and their personal example (Acts 6.4; 1 Pet. 5.1-3). The skillful pastor knows how to use these tools consistently, appropriately, and in the proper combination in every situation. Our work may be informed by other resources beyond these – books, courses, conferences and the like – and we may, indeed, employ such resources in equipping the flock of God. But any tools beyond prayer, the Word, and our personal example must always be extensions of our pastoral tools, and not substitutes for them. The first discipline of shepherding, as Jesus explained, is knowing those entrusted to our care, and being known by them (Jn. 10.11). As we use the tools of prayer and the Word to hone the tool of our personal example, we may expect the rectitude of Jesus to be increasingly visible in us. Thus, as those we shepherd come to know us, they grow in the knowledge of Jesus as well.
Do the people you shepherd see enough of your life to know whether they want to be like you in following Jesus?

T. M. Moore

Growing into Christ
Our Pastor to Pastor series, Growing into Christ, is now available as a free PDF, set up for a series of 28 morning and evening readings, meditations, and prayers. A free copy awaits you by writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Here’s a tool you can use for your own growth, and in leading others to grow into Christ and live in Him.

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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).