Jan. 31 - Feb. 1 - How Not To Be A Pastor

From the First Lessons for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 which comprise the entire chapter of Ezekiel 34

There's a recurring theme in some movies and TV shows in which an aspiring writer or musician or actor has their talent discovered by a great agent or celebrity. They get all excited about anticipating fame and fortune only to discover that their work, which is great in their own eyes, is being used by the agent or celebrity as a lesson: Don't let this happen to you.

Neither the humor nor the irony of this lesson is lost on me as I consider my call to be a pastor ("shepherd") in God's Church. I can't tell the number of times I've left Church or a meeting or a visit or a counseling situation to feeling like a complete failure. In many ways, I have felt that my ministry has been a perfect example of that lesson: Don't let this happen to you.

Ezekiel directly cites the failures of the "shepherds" of Israel:
"Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them."

In other words: Don't let this happen to you! Feed yourself while the flock starves. Don't spend time with the wounded sheep, only with the A List sheep. Forget about the lost sheep - nothing's going to save them anyways. Don't be afraid to lean on them a little; they need it. And by all means, if the Church across town builds a gym or a coffee shop or a food pantry or a day care center or a youth center, you'd better get on the ball to keep up, or you'll lose people to them.

There are consequences to this behavior by pastors:
Verse 8 - The flock becomes prey and meat to every beast of the field...
Verse 10a - [The Lord is] against the shepherds. He will require His flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock
Verse 10b - The shepherds [won't] feed themselves any more

The trouble is, many pastors won't listen. Ezekiel puts it this way: "[God will] judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? ...as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet... I will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad..."

God will deliver His flock from the so-called "shepherds."

He will send a Good Shepherd to His flock, His Divine Son Jesus Christ (John 10:11-18). Ezekiel gives a pattern for good shepherds, which he foretold of the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. Ezekiels' list:

Verse 11 - God Himself "will both search my sheep and seek them out."

Verse 12 - God Himself "will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day."

Verse 13 - God Himself "will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them"

Verse 14 - God Himself "will feed them in a good pasture [where] they shall lie in a good fold and in a fat pasture"

Verse 16 - God Himself "will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick"

Verse 23 - God Himself "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."

The job of the shepherd becomes clear:

1) Feed the flock first. I know and hear of pastors who spend so much time in their own "spiritual feed bag" that they don't get around to feeding the Church. They rationalize: "I can't feed the flock if I don't take care of my own spiritual needs." Balderdash. They are so focused on their education, their professionalism, their church-politicking, their need to be in control, they neglect the sheep. A shepherd who feeds the flock well will be well taken care of in return - not by men, but by God.

2) Feed the flock good food. There are pastors who barely use their Bible in preaching. Some sermons sound more like a plug for a book deal or a plea for money than nourishment to souls. "Good spiritual food" comes from the Word of God, from pastors who spend time in the presence of God, from those who pray for the flock.

3) Souls are healed. God is faithful to His flock if the shepherd is willing to work. Tending broken sheep isn't pretty. When we had sheep (years ago), I learned that they would sooner step on you than let you help them; but without help, they would get infected and worse. Sheep are dirty, smelly, and lack foresight. If the shepherd isn't getting dirty or smelly, he's not doing his job.

4) The wanderer is welcomed back. I know from experience that the Church is much better at getting rid of people than it is in restoring them. It is much easier to keep the Church looking 'churchy' than to bring in those beat up by life. I know wanderers... they don't look or act churchy. But Church is where they need to be.

5) Go after the lost. Where are people who don't know God? The obvious places are in dens of sin, places that flout God and morality. However, I suspect more people are lost in their own place, lonely men and women who find themselves in unhappy relationships, in cold homes and lacking meaning and purpose in life. That is where the real lost are.

6) Shepherds lead with grace, not force. I work with a woman who belonged to a very strict Church. When she and her husband broke the rules, was she taken care of with grace? No. I've seen the excommunication letter: she was whacked with a stick of words that made me nauseous. Most Churches aren't that flagrant, but there are plenty of ways that the cruelty of gossip and the force of social status have done as much harm.

7) Shepherds seek unity with other Christians. Ezekiel describes the flock as "scattered." As long as pastors act like shop keepers competing for business, the flock will remain scattered. Are members of various Churches encouraged to serve together, to worship together, to break bread together? None did search or seek after them. As long Christians are denied Communion with one another, expected to profess loyalty to men, and burdened by denominational hierarchy, they can't truly seek unity with their brothers and sisters in Christ.

With Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, and good shepherds as pastors of God's flock, there are promises to be fulfilled.

A Covenant of Peace (v. 25). God will give evil to cease and the flock will dwell in safety and sleep in peace.

Blessing (v. 26). Because they will be in God's Presence, they will be blessed by Him. As the old hymn says, "there shall be showers of blessing."

Provision and Protection (v. 27). The showers of blessing will yield fruit. Protection comes just in knowing God is Lord and that He has
"broken the bands of the yoke."

Truth (v. 28). Ezekiel says "they shall no more be a prey to the heathen." The way to fend off heathenism, with its fables and fantasies, is Truth.

Lord, I have failed Thee in so many ways as a pastor. Please lead me to the Good Shepherd, and may I follow Him, that I may be a better pastor of Thy flock. Amen.