2009 NOV Clothesline

Greetings to all on 27 OCT 2009

Word for the Day Presbytery – generally, a governing body of ordained leaders, sometimes referred to as elders.

Quote for the Day
Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream. [1]

Website for the Day
www.olivetree.com
Since more and more of us are using PDA’s, this is a great source for Bible software. They have a wide variety of products for most every phone.

Thought for the Day
Several comments and questions about leadership have been raised over the past few weeks. A couple of reasons come to mind. People are looking for authentic leadership and/or people are questioning modern leadership models. Maybe those two reasons are really one and the same.

It is my observation that our model for the last half of the 20th century was biased toward the administrative gift, or qualification. Because America emerged from World War II as the world leader in so many areas, it was only natural that the church concept of leadership would be clouded by the national model for success. This is not meant to impugn those who selflessly served as elders for all those years gone by. We, as lay members, all too gladly gave over responsibilities to these men so that we wouldn’t have to be bothered with business meetings. My Dad served as one of these elders for the last few years of his life. I know that he was happy to help people with life’s problems, but would rather have taken a beating than discuss the new carpet color.

It seems to me that the first century shepherds were those honored as leaders because of their age and wisdom. They were local but may have served several house churches in a city. Those of you from my tribe will easily recall that every time we are ready to select elders, the preacher gives a lesson or two from 1Timothy 3. However, have you ever heard Acts 20.13-38 exegeted as a model for shepherds? Listen to a few lines from Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders:

“served with great humility and tears” [v.19]

“preaching and teaching” [v.25-27]

“help the weak” [v.35]

Paul concluded by saying that, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of Jesus himself, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’.” [2] Paul is saying that he served as an example of a shepherd for them.

In his book, They Smell Like Sheep, Lynn Anderson makes the case that what we have labeled qualifications would be better thought of as qualities. [3] While that may sound like quibbling over semantics, I believe his point is that just checking off a qualification list does not automatically equate with being a good shepherd. Instead, shepherds should be recognized – not elected. Jesus said, I am the good shepherd and my sheep know my voice and follow me. [JOH 10.1-5] Look around; who has a voice that people follow? Is that person a disciple of Jesus and someone who has the qualities found in 1Timothy 3 and Acts 20?

John goes on to say that the sheep will not recognize the voice of a stranger. In fact, they will run away. [JOH 10.5] Ezekiel 34 tells of false shepherds who “have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the crippled, brought back the strays or sought the lost. With force and harshness you have ruled over them.” [34.4] The LORD declared that He was against the shepherds and that He would gather his sheep and feed them in good pasture. The LORD said, “I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. [34.23]

It is not an office but a calling of servant-leadership. The word “office” of 1TIM 3.1 is not in the original Greek but was added to imply an official position in line with the church hierarchy of the King James translators. Three Greek words are found in the NT discussions of elders or shepherds. The word presbuteros refers to the character of the man, an older, experienced and respected person. The other two original words poimen (shepherd) and episkopos (overseer) refer to what the person does. My tribe has lumped all of these into one role. The validity of that practice is beyond the scope of this article.

Next time you are asked to consider someone for this leadership role, ask yourself, “Who is already serving in this way?” It seems odd to me that we sometimes choose people, albeit good people, who lead quiet and private lives, but not well known by the flock, and then expect these people to be our shepherds. How often have we been guilty of forcing a square peg into a round hole?

May God Bless
Mike Toole
Lori Moores, ed.

1. Malcolm Muggeridge, born in 1903, he was one of the notable Christian apologists of the twentieth century.

2. Trivia: Paul only quotes Jesus twice; this is one. Do you know the other quote?

3. Lynn Anderson, They Smell Like Sheep, Howard Publ. Co., West Monroe LA, 1997
This is still the watershed work on shepherds. It is an easy to read book, written for the laity. Volume two is now available.