Shepherding the Flock of God
Jeffrey D. Johnson is the teaching pastor of Grace Bible Church and president of Grace Bible Theological Seminary in Conway, Arkansas, where he resides with his wife, Letha, and their four children. He is the author of several books, including The Pursuit of Glory and The Absurdity of Unbelief.
The following article is excerpted from The Church: Her Nature, Authority, Purpose, & Worship.
Pastors are servants. Pastoring a church is a ministry, not a career, and so pastors must never place themselves or their ministry above God’s sheep. Pastors must sacrifice their personal aspirations for greatness, do away with the desire to become a Christian celebrity, and be willing (if need be) to minister in obscurity. They are not to use smaller churches as stepping stones to gain the employment of bigger churches. Pastoring is not about building a resumé, for God’s sheep are not to be exploited in this fashion. Just as shepherds are not to leave the sheep when danger approaches (John 10:11–13), they are not to abandon their flock just because the opportunity to minister in greener pastures becomes available. Instead, God’s ministers should be willing to sacrifice and give themselves to feeding, ministering, and serving God’s sheep wherever God may call them. The needs and care of the flock should always come first (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1–3).
Pastoring is not about money or prestige but about watching over God’s heritage (1 Peter 5:2–3). Pastors are to walk beside the sheep, pray for the sheep, preach to the sheep, rebuke the sheep, and encourage the sheep as needed. This takes humility, godliness, meekness, and patience, which come only by walking daily in the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–25). If pastors are not willing to serve, then they are not fit ministers of God’s people.
In short, pastoring is about giving, not receiving, and it is about ministering to and not exploiting God’s people. Good pastors, therefore, are those who are more concerned about the praise of God than the praise of men. God gives pastors to serve the church rather than giving the church to serve pastors.