Southern Seminary Magazine (Vol. 91.2) Pastoral Ministry in a Changing World

What Does it Mean To Be a Shepherd Leader?
protection, and provision. One result of God’s
shepherding would be peace for David and
for his people (“so that they may . . . not be
disturbed. . . . I will give you rest,” 7:10–11). If
any future king of Israel became a beast who
preyed on the people, God would discipline
this king with a shepherd’s rod (7:14).
This covenant with David is far from the
last place where provision, presence, and
protection appear in connection with sheep
and shepherds, however. In his most famous
psalm, David recognized the Lord as his
shepherd (Ps. 23:1). According to David, his
shepherd God was:
Present to guide him
(“he leads me,” “you are with me,” 23:3–4)
Powerful to protect him
(“I fear no danger,” “in the presence of my
enemies,” 23:4–5; see also Ps. 28:7–9)
Faithful to provide for him
(“there is nothing I lack,” “green pastures,”
“quiet waters,” “he prepares a table,” 23:1–2, 5)
Once again, the leadership of the Lord God
led to peace and rest in a place that God
himself had prepared (“he lets me lie down,”
“I will dwell in the house of the Lord,” 23:2, 6).
Practices of presence, protection, and
provision are entwined in descriptions of
the ideal shepherd in Scripture because no
sheep can survive long without a shepherd
who is present, powerful, and faithful to
provide. Without antlers or claws or fangs,
sheep are hard pressed to strike back at
predators. Lacking the capacity to climb or
to run at high speeds, they can’t escape easily
either. Simply put, an independent sheep is a
dead sheep.
Because they are so vulnerable, sheep
don’t typically rest unless they feel safe and
secure. In the words of Timothy Laniak, for
sheep “rest is not only a function of being
well provided for. It is a state of security
that comes from the shepherd’s protective
presence.” 1 This is why God called for leaders
who would not only lead his people but also
shepherd them. Every sheep needs a shepherd
and a flock.
Shepherd Leadership as a Way of Leading
When God raised up human leaders as
shepherds, he was calling them to participate
in his work of rescuing his people, remaining
with them, and providing for them. This
calling did not elevate leaders to positions of
sovereign lordship over the people; instead,
it placed them in positions of sacrificial
stewardship among the people of Israel. God
alone remained the supreme shepherd of
his people, because only a sovereign God
is capable of perfect provision, protection,
and presence (Ps. 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10;
Mic. 7:14). The position of the God-called
shepherd leader is one of service and
obedience, guiding and guarding the people
under the authority of the supreme shepherd.
In the early church, this way of leading
would become so closely tied to the work of
the church’s leaders that the word “pastor”—
which means “shepherd”—developed into a
title for the office of elders and overseers in
the new covenant.
24 THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY