What does the Lord God expect of a pastor, elder, overseer, both individually and collectively? What do the NT writings convey about their duties? Although, without question, the members will have their own list of expectations for these men, let us be very careful lest we find ourselves binding duties and responsibilities upon these men that God Himself has not! Remember: it is the Holy Spirit who creates pastor, elders, overseers (Acts 20:28), not us, and it is through the inspiration of the same Spirit that their duties and responsibilities are enumerated. Let's briefly, in skeletal form, notice the six works (duties, responsibilities) specified by the Spirit for the shepherds of the flock. These are His expectations for these men; their reason for being!
Guide the Flock --- These are to be men of knowledge, experience and wisdom to whom the members of the church may appeal for a "Thus says Yehovah" to vital questions and issues relevant to their daily living (Acts 15:2, 6; 16:4). Pastors, elders, overseers are thus to be capable counselors of those given into their care, guiding them in the way they should go. At times, they will need to make judgment calls in some given situation, but they do so with the best interests of those they serve in mind, considering the impact of their judgments upon the flock.
Guard the Flock --- Sheep are particularly susceptible to harm from predators. They need a shepherd to guard them and protect them. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God" (Acts 20:28). A good shepherd not only guards himself from the evil predators, but also his flock. The word "overseer," by the way, can also mean "guardian; one who watches over protectively." "They keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account" (Hebrews 13:17).
Nourish the Flock --- Pastor, elders, overseers must feed the flock, not feed off of the flock. One of the indictments against the wicked shepherds over Israel was -- "the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock" (Ezekiel 34:8). Therefore, God declared, "I shall deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them" (vs. 10). "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?" (vs. 2). The pastors of the called-out Assembly must be spiritual nourishers of the disciples of the Messiah. Thus, they must be skilled scholars and capable teachers of the word (1 Timothy 3:2; 5:17; Hebrews 13:7). These men must "hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). One who is not "apt to teach," is NOT fit to serve as a shepherd of the flock. What good is a shepherd who can't feed sheep?!
Equip the Flock --- The Lord has given "teaching pastors" to the church "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-12). Their work is to develop these disciples in their faith and mature them in their relationship with Jesus (vs. 13). Thus, good elders are equippers and enablers of those disciples they seek to motivate to acts of service. They are not micro-managers, but rather entrust to responsible men and women in the church the various ministry tasks. They equip and enable, then stand aside and let the members take responsibility.
Example to the Flock --- The apostle Peter cautioned elders never to "lord it over those allotted to your charge, but prove to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:3). Sheep must be led, not driven. A good shepherd knows this; those who don't will "dominate" the flock "with force and with severity" (Ezekiel 34:4). In contrast, the Lord, the good Shepherd, says, "I will lead them" (Ezekiel 34:15). Pastors lead by the example of their lives; lives lived in harmony with the teachings of God's Word. Jesus said, "Follow Me" ... He didn't drive them from behind with a stick. He led; and He did so by the power of the example of a godly life! "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).
Serve the Flock --- A shepherd is a servant of the flock, not the lord of it. All of the above areas of responsibility can fall nicely under the umbrella of this single term. Shepherds serve. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said, "I am among you as the one who serves" (Luke 22:27). "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). The members are not at the disposal of the elders ... indeed, just the reverse: the elders are at the disposal of the members! Many elders seem to have forgotten this (if they ever knew it). Elders are not gods, they are guides; they are not saviors, they are servants; they are not lords, they are leaders; they are not executives, they are examples. Until elders get out of the board room and into the pasture where the sheep are, there will continue to be a deadly disconnect between shepherds and sheep, and the latter will continue to wander away and become lost with no shepherd to seek for them, and they will continue to become sickly and die with no shepherd to bind their wounds or heal their diseases. You can't serve a flock from behind the closed doors of a board room; you must be among them! As one astute author once declared, "A shepherd must smell of sheep!"
Conclusion
Ezekiel 34 ought to be required, and regular, reading for every elder in the church! It is a powerful indictment against false shepherds, giving extensive insight into the many ways these self-serving little lords abuse the flock of God. The chapter also reveals the attitudes and actions of godly shepherds, as perceived in the Great Shepherd Himself. We can learn much from these negative and positive assessments. The Lord God said, "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest. I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick" (vs. 15-16). "I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered" (vs. 12). "I will eliminate harmful beasts from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods" (vs. 25). "And they will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid" (vs. 28).
What a wonderful Shepherd we have in the Lord Jesus the Messiah!! Those men who serve as shepherds over the flock of God today must model themselves after him, and then, "when the Chief Shepherd appears, they will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). Those who lead the flock of our God "will give an account" (Hebrews. 13:17), thus they should take seriously their calling. Those who lead well will receive eternal glory; those who do not lead well will face the wrath of God. "Thus says Yehovah God, 'Behold, I am against the shepherds'" (Ezekiel 34:10). What a frightful prospect!
False shepherds "dominate" the flock "with force and with severity" (Ezekiel 34:4). However, God will one day step in and "break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them" (Ezekiel 34:27). Those leaders who enslave the sheep of their folds, who lord it over them with force and severity, will give an account to their Chief Shepherd. That will not be a pleasant day for many in the church today, I fear. It is my fervent prayer that those who serve as shepherds of the flock, as elders of the church, as overseers of the household of God, will seriously consider the solemn aspects of their work of service, and conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the example of our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. This will not only result in eternal blessings for them, but the called-out Assembly of our lord Jesus the Messiah will be blessed and built up by their godly leadership.
Lord God, bless Your flock with spiritual shepherds!!
Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon
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