The Work of Shepherds (5)

For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. Titus 1.7-9

Draft Ecclesiastical Ordinances
John Calvin (1506-1564)
“The examination [of a candidate for ministry] contains two parts, of which the first concerns doctrine – to ascertain whether the candidate for ordination has a good and holy knowledge of Scripture; and also whether he be a fit and proper person to communicate it edifyingly to the people. Further to avoid all danger of the candidate holding some false opinion, it will be good that he profess his acceptance and maintenance of the doctrine approved by the Church…The second part concerns life, to ascertain whether he is of good habits and conducts himself always without reproach.”

As we have seen, the work of shepherding involves the use of three tools: The Word of God, prayer, and one’s personal example. Calvin understood this well. Men called to be shepherds (“bishops” as our text translates the word overseer) must be competent in the whole counsel of God, and consistent in their teaching with what has been handed down by our forebears in the faith. They also must be pious, gracious, and generous in giving of themselves for the care of God’s flocks. And – note that word, “maintenance” and the present tense of “conducts” – shepherds must be diligent to improve in these qualifications all their lives. We cannot shepherd the flock of the Lord in any way other than what He prescribes, and this means keeping a close and prayerful watch on our lives and teaching, and thus keeping all our tools in good working order.

What rule or procedure do you follow to be always improving in the Word, prayer, and your personal example?

T. M. Moore

Fan into Flame
Our book, Fan into Flame, is a handbook on the work of pastors and shepherds. It explains the context and calling of the shepherd, as well as the tools available to us for this work; and it provides useful tools for assessment and planning to improve in the Lord’s calling. This is an excellent resource for leadership training or personal growth into Christ. Order your copy by clicking here. Or contact me about our Pastoral Hope Initiative, during which series of assessments we walk men through this handbook and various other resources. We have waived the fee for this service, so watch this brief video, then drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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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 from John Calvin, “Draft Ecclesiastical Ordinances,” in J. K. S. Reid, ed., Calvin: Theological Treatises in The Library of Christian Classics (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1954), pp. 58ff.