Under-shepherds: Gifted Men God Gave His Church for Growth-Ephesians 4:11-16

There seems to be some confusion in our day on spiritual leadership, yet the biblical pattern for pastoral ministry could not be clearer in the OT or NT of Holy Scripture. But deviations from the biblical pattern crept into the church by the 2nd Century A.D. and continued, becoming increasingly severe into the medieval period of the church. Nevertheless, certain individuals and isolated groups continued their efforts to follow the biblical pattern, including Chrysostom and Augustine in the early church and the Paulicians, Cathari, Albigenses, and Waldenses during the medieval period. The Reformation witnessed a broader return to the biblical pattern through the magisterial reformation of Luther, Calvin, and others and through the Anabaptist reformation. During the modern period, Puritan leaders such as Baxter, Perkins, and Edwards led a return to biblical principles in pastoral ministry. Bridges, Morgan, and Allen were nineteenth century examples of biblical ministers. The late twentieth century produced others, including Lloyd-Jones, Adams, and MacArthur. One of Jesus' favorite metaphors for spiritual leadership, one He often used to describe Himself, was that of a shepherd--a person who tends God's flock. A shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects--responsibilities that belong to every church leader. In fact, the word 'pastor' means shepherd. The apostle Peter wrote to elders, well familiar with sheep and shepherding: "I exhort the elders among you...shepherd the flock of God...exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory (1 Pet 5:1-4). Jesus is the perfect example of a loving shepherd, while the rest of us sinful under-shepherds remain in process, though growing and conforming! Jesus epitomizes everything that a spiritual leader should be. Peter called Him the "Chief Shepherd" (1 Pet 5:4). He is our great Rescuer, Leader, Guardian, Protector, and Comforter. Church leaders are under-shepherds who guard the flock under the Chief Shepherd's watchful eye (Acts 20:28). Ours is a full-time responsibility because we minister to people who, like sheep, often are vulnerable, defenseless, undiscerning, and prone to stray. Shepherding the flock of God is an enormous task, but to faithful pastors it brings the rich reward of the unfading crown of glory, which will be awarded by the Chief Shepherd Himself at His appearing (1 Pet 5:4). Join us this coming Lord's Day as we celebrate the gifted men God gave His Church, as we consider Ephesians 4 and "Under-Shepherds: Gifted Men God Gave His Church for Growth."