Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

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F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

The objectives will help you greatly as you explore the diverse and abundant biblical materials on the prebyteroi in the NT. As always, take special notice that it is your responsibility as Mentor to emphasize these concepts throughout the lesson, especially during the discussions and interaction with the students. Highlight them constantly, and refer to them often. This devotion focuses on the role that the elders have to actually shepherd the flock of God. This text makes plain that elders are shepherds and that there is much dynamism between the various designations of leadership in the NT. Elders are to “shepherd the flock of God that is among them.” Much overlap exists in the terminology of Christian leadership, and here such an overlap is made explicit. Elders are called to shepherd the flock , to be pastoral, guarding and protecting, leading and feeding, caring for and nurturing the body of Christ. To be a God’s leader is to shepherd, to want to provide care for others, to be a people person . This is altogether missed and overlooked in many modern contexts and discussions of Christian leadership. Elders shepherd . They care for sheep; they lead a flock . Here again, Leland Ryken helps us capture the meaning of the symbolism as it pertains to our responsibility to lead others: One of the most familiar and best-loved images of spiritual leadership is the shepherd . . . familiar from passages like Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34. Although Jesus clearly describes himself in shepherd terminology in John 10, he applies this term only indirectly to his disciples (sending the Twelve to the “lost sheep of Israel” in Matthew 10.6 and telling Peter to feed and care for his sheep in John 21.15–17). However, after the ascension, when Jesus is no longer present to give personal leadership to his flock, the shepherd metaphor becomes more prominent. Paul exhorts the leaders of the Ephesian church in Acts 20.28. “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock” (RSV). Also speaking to elders, Peter says, “Tend the flock of God that is your charge” (1 Peter 5.2 RSV). Notice that in both cases the flock belongs to God, not to the shepherd; the shepherd is a servant, assigned the task of caring for God’s people. The shepherd image conveys ideas of tenderness, nurture and devotion; but it also implies discipline (the rod and the staff), the setting of limits (protection against wolves) and the right to

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