Shepherd: A Leadership Type

From the time I was very small until now, I have come into contact with a person in church known as “pastor.” In fact, pastor has usually meant “the pastor.” This was, and is in many Christian churches, the God-ordained spiritual leader, CEO and president (to use corporate business terms). Is this biblically sound? What does this word “pastor” mean? Well, a pastor is a shepherd. He is one who tends a flock, usually of sheep (the words shepherd and sheep are related).

In my last post I mentioned how Jesus learned how to follow the leaders around Him; namely His parents, and by extension, those who taught Him while He grew as a child. At some point, though, He became a man. In speaking with other leaders in the church of his day, apostle Peter said of Jesus, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (I Peter 5:4).

It is interesting that though the Scriptures speak of Jesus as being “the Chief Shepherd”, so many in churches today call themselves “senior pastor”. Hmmm. I would imagine perhaps none of these leaders would say they are Jesus. Perhaps these “pastors” should call themselves something else? So, in this brief blog the questions I have are these:

1. If Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, then if you are a church leader (a pastor) are you also chief or senior?

2. Is the idea of someone else, other than Jesus, being chief in the church found in the Bible?

3. Was Jesus a CEO/President type of leader?

4. If you are a pastor and are heavily involved in leading “the flock” like one would lead a business, are you following well?

May the Lord bless the writer and readers of this note.