HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine: Special Feature: They Smell Like Sheep, page 5

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Leadership in the Jesus Style

 
Fast-Lane Flocks and Cyberworld Shepherds
Harold's lip quivered slightly and he wrung his napkin. "Shepherd is a beautiful idea," he began, "looks like it's what God wants of me as an elder in this church. But how do I make this happen in the real world? Why, the first three days of last week I was in New York, the last two in Houston. I roll out at 5 a.m. and run all day. Most of our congregation does the same. Not much sheep-smell rubs off from a quick Sunday handshake in the foyer."
Harold and his flock live in the express lane of a cyber-world--yet he longs to be a biblical shepherd. Can it happen?
Modern day shepherds in need of time shortcuts may be tempted to transfer popular models from secular management. But Jesus said, "Do not be like them." Quaint as it may seem, elders are still spiritual shepherds, not one minute managers. Jesus is still--and always will be the model for ministry and leadership. We must follow only him. As Jesus modeled it, a good deal of authentic shepherding is hands-on and personal. While few shepherd-hearted elders would militantly defend the "distant CEO" view of eldering, some personalities regard the relational dimensions of shepherding as "touchy-feely" kind of stuff that, like quiche, is not palatable to "real men." But flocks feel a sense of loss when elders neglect informal bonding with their people. Put plainly, church systems that impede this function are not from God! Elders who shepherd well, however, foster congregational infrastructures that leave them plenty of time and opportunity for flock-building.
Smelling like sheep is a tall order for modern, fast-lane shepherds, but some are pulling it off. Hugh, for example, backed into shepherding Steve without even realizing it. Steve came to Christ through M. J. Then M. J. moved away. But Steve was still God-hungry. He wanted the skills to feed himself spiritually and to lead his wife, Mary, to Jesus. We encouraged Steve to meet with Hugh, and, although Hugh is a very busy executive, he met weekly with Steve for several months and shepherded him to such levels that Steve now shepherds his own lunch hour flock. Hugh never called it shepherding. But it was.
Harold, whom we met earlier, has discovered that his fax and email have become "rod and staff" in the hands of this thoughtful shepherd. His flock swaps prayer requests, accountability, and biblical insights on their daily email roundtable.

When elders shepherd, they imitate the ways of Jesus and reflect the very heart of God.

Other skilled shepherds orchestrate magic shepherding moments where they can meaningfully touch several sheep at once. I watched our shepherds "tending the flock" in this way on a Monday evening at their "shepherds' circle" (read elders' meeting). First up, these elders drew the Carter family into their shepherds' circle to pray for little Cameron, the Carter's precious four month old daughter who was facing major surgery to correct a congenital heart problem. Our shepherds gathered around the Carters, laid their hands on them, and spoke loving concern for the family, especially baby Cameron. One shepherd voiced a stirring prayer for peace upon dad, mom, and big brother. Another shepherd took little Cameron's face in his hands and his voice trembled as he spoke a blessing on her and prayed God's healing touch. Then hugs, tears, powerful shepherding!
Praise God, Cameron's surgery was successful and she is a healthy, growing girl. Plus, long after Cameron's full recovery, the Carter family will feel those hands and hear those voices--maybe for a lifetime! All that from a few "magic shepherding moments."
That same evening, Dr. Jan Dunn's Challenge group brought a report. Each person reporting lives under the time crunch of the fast-paced marketplace. Challenge is a special support group sponsored by our church. It began as a divorce recovery group, then broadened to include any persons struggling with painful relationships. I watched the eyes of our elders glow as Jan and friends described the ways God touches hurting people through Challenge. Divorced people finding recovery (three sat right there in the circle). Troubled marriages finding healing. Then our shepherds poured out affirmation for Jan and her team. They roundly endorsed the Challenge ministry and the people it brings our way--many of whom wear scars received at the hands of churches! One shepherd said, "You folks are simply being Jesus Christ. Jesus spent most of his time loving the crushed and broken. We thank God for you." More prayers ascended, and our shepherds walked from that room smelling like sheep. Their flock left feeling deeply cared for, and with new tomorrows written across their faces.
Thank God that shepherding can and does happen in our fast-lane cyberworld! God designed a model, revealed it in Scripture, embodied it in Jesus, and passed it on to spiritual leaders of all time. He called it shepherding. And when elders do it, they imitate the ways of Jesus and reflect the very heart of God.
Several years ago, Carolyn and I rode a tour bus through Israel's countryside, spellbound by Ahim, our unusually gifted tour guide. Ahim, who likes to laugh at himself, told how one of his tours fizzled. Ahim said he was reeling off his spiel about shepherds, who don't drive the sheep, they lead them, etc., etc., when he suddenly realized he had totally lost his audience. They were all pointing out the bus window at a man chasing a "herd" of sheep, siccing the dog on them, throwing rocks at them, and whacking them with sticks. "The sheep-driving man in the field," lamented Ahim, "torpedoed my whole fascinating story, metaphor and all." Ahim said at that point he jumped off the bus, accosted the man, and scolded him. "Do you understand what you have just done to me? I was spinning this charming story about the gentle ways of shepherds and here you are hazing and assaulting these sheep! What is going on?"
A bewildered look froze on the face of the poor fellow driving the sheep, then the light dawned and he blurted out, "Man, you've got me all wrong. I'm not a shepherd. I'm a butcher!" Nuff said!
We need shepherds. Please, no more hirelings... no more board members... no more cowboys... and, especially, no more butchers. Give us shepherds... 'til the Chief Shepherd comes.

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