Is a pastor primarily a shepherd or a CEO? Unfortunately, this is a conversation that only exists in the American Christian world. I know no other religious movement, Christian or otherwise, that says local religious institutions like churches need to adopt a CEO model of leadership.
In a much talked about 2006 interview with Atlanta, Georgia-based megachurch pastor Andy Stanley, he was asked a question about the imagery that describes pastoral leadership. Traditionally, this term has served as the model churches were to follow.
But Stanley thinks the church needs to do away with this term and adopt a CEO model. When asked whether the church needs to stop thinking of pastors as being shepherds, he stated, “Absolutely. That word needs to go away. Jesus talked about shepherds because there was one over there in a pasture he could point to.
“But to bring in that imagery today and say, ‘Pastor, you’re the shepherd of the flock,’ NO. I’ve never seen a flock. I’ve never spent five minutes with a shepherd. It was culturally relevant in the time of Jesus, but it’s not culturally relevant anymore.”
Despite Stanley’s objection, the shepherding model seems to be the model God consistently furthers throughout Scripture. Take, for instance, Paul’s dialogue with the elders at Ephesus about eldership. He states, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28). It appears Paul disagrees.
To lead God’s people, the Bible provides the shepherd imagery applying to God himself when the Bible describes how He ministers to his people. This imagery began way back in the book of Genesis when Jacob blessed his sons, as he described God as “the God who has been my shepherd all my life” (Gen. 48:15), thus declaring his care for him.
Then in Psalm 23, David describes God as the one who protected, guided, and directed him throughout his life as a shepherd would his sheep. Also in the Psalms, God is described as the one who protects his flock. (See 95:6-7; 77:20). The purpose of this imagery is to describe the way God cares for his people.
However, the shepherd imagery extends also to Christian leadership, as I already mentioned. Take, for instance, Moses and David. They were both leaders who were called to lead in significant ways. Moses was invited to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt into the promised land, while David was called to be the king of Israel. The Bible uses shepherding imagery to describe their leadership.
For example, in Isaiah, he describes Moses as the one who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. “Where is He who brought them up out of the sea, with the shepherd of His flock.” (Isaiah 63:11)
Concerning David, the Bible says that “Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel’ “ (2 Sam. 5:2). And David did it with the integrity of heart, as Psalms declares.
When the New Testament comes along, Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd (John 10:14). Shepherding also describes the way he loves and cares for his sheep (John 10:27,28). What’s more, this image even represents the way Jesus loved the people who didn’t follow him. According to Matt. 9:36, “When (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
In the New Testament, the shepherding imagery extends to the way the church is to lead (I Peters 5:1-5). One of the characteristics of the leader is a love for the people he or she leads, which is different than the secular leadership theory. The Bible calls His Church the family of God, the body of Christ, and the household of God, which demands that it should be led in a certain way, calling for a certain kind of leadership.
Now that I made my case about what the Bible teaches about how God designed church leadership, I need to say one more thing: Why did God choose this imagery? This answer ought to be obvious. Who needs a shepherd? The answer to that question, of course, is sheep.
Consequently, people need a shepherd because people are sheep. This imagery, however, is not very flattering.
Many people would consider themselves strong and independent. The Bible uses the sheep metaphor to describe them instead. Why? One reason is that he wants them to be “sheep of his pasture,” meaning he wants them to depend on him. He is the Good Shepherd who loves us and cares for us.
The Bible also teaches that his people are easily led off course and need spiritual oversight. Consider what Luke had to say in this matter.
“Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:28-31).
Now, much more can be said on this topic, but I think I made a strong case regarding the metaphor God has chosen to define how he wants his church to lead.
Shepherding is not the only criteria for a leader in God’s church, however. Not only does the Psalmist say, “So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart.” He also “guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.” After all, the leader needs strong leadership and administrative skills to lead the church effectively.
It’s essential, however, that the shepherd metaphor not be lost.
Tim Orr of Columbus is an author and an adjunct faculty member in religious studies at IUPUC, where he has served for more than 10 years. His writing reflects his 20-plus years working with a variety of cultures. His website is TimOrr.net. Send comments to [email protected]
