John 10:11 – “I am the
good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life to the Sheep”
A sheep is an animal seen as one of the
dumbest animal in the world. It is disorganized, dis- oriented, confused,
frightened and incapable of finding its way back to the flock when it goes
astray. It is unable to ward off predators and is easily helpless without a
shepherd.
Therefore, Jesus
calling us sheep implies that without Him as a shepherd, we are helpless. There
is no finer leader than our Lord Jesus Christ.
Works of a Shepherd
The shepherd is one that:
·
Feeds, Leads, Nurtures, Comforts, Corrects
and Protects the sheep.
Likewise the Shepherd of the Lord’s
flock should shepherd by modeling godliness and righteousness on his own life
and encouraging others to follow his example as Paul stated in 1Corinthian
11:1. The Christian leader is one who follows Jesus Christ and encourages
others to follow Him as well.
Comfort
As Christians in the world today, we
suffer a lot of injuries to our spirit and we need the leader of compassion,
love and patience towards us and to encourage us with the word of God. A
Christian leader should there have the character and spirit of comforting as
the shepherd cuddles and comforts the broken and wounded sheep.
Protector
The lax shepherd always loses sheep
to the predator who prowls around or sometimes among the flock. The predators
are those who tend to love the sheep through false doctrine, dismissing the
bible as old-fashioned, insufficient, unclear, not the only way to the truth
and you can have control over your own destiny in life. We have been warned by
the good shepherd, Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:15. A good leader must protect his
flock from these false teachings by feeding them with the right bible-based
pasture (word of God).
Nourisher
The Christian leader is also a nourisher
of the sheep. The ultimate sheep food is the word of God. As the leader leads
the flock to the right pasture he ensures also the right growth, strength and
flourishing of the sheep. The word of God is the only diet that can produce
healthy Christians. As a Christian leader, how much of the food do you know
yourself? Do you taste it daily to know it is good for the sheep? Do you feed
them the right diet of quantity and quality that the always yearn for more? Is
your food making them weak, strong or mere truants? A leader should also
correctly divide the word of God. Can
you correctly handle the word of God and be able to use it for 2Timothy
3:16-17.
Discipline
Just as the Shepherd uses his hook to
pull a wandering sheep back into the flock, so also the Christian leader should
discipline those in his care when they go astray with a gentle spirit and not
in hostility (Galatians 6:1). A leader must correct according to scriptural
principles not man’s principles. Correction or discipline is not a sweet/pleasant
experience for both parties, but a leader who fails in this area is not showing
love for those in his care (Proverb 3:12).
Characteristics of a Christian Leader
The
characteristics and requirements of a spiritual leader require more qualities
than a natural leader. Other forms of leadership can be easily attained through
change in style or method unlike spiritual leadership. Most people you are
leading are there because they chose to and not being forced, therefore they
can leave anytime for various reasons (like offences or disagreements).
Spiritual leadership is not about how well you speak or present yourself but
how you live. Characteristics of a Spiritual leadership therefore require:
i.
Courage:
You need to do what is right in the sight of God and not what people say.
Gideon was asked to reduce his army to 300 men and that should be it. Saul was
asked to destroy everything at war and that should be it and not what you or
others think otherwise. What the Lord asks can be sometimes counter intuitive,
does not make sense but you know that it is from the Lord. It is then your
courage that will help you to follow through. Be courageous and trust the voice
within.
ii.
Boldness:
Boldness means to be confident in what you do or say. Whiles courage speaks of
character, boldness relates to your personality. In Acts 4, the apostles spoke
with boldness after they have been filled with the Holy Spirit. You speak
boldly when you know what you are saying comes from the Lord and this occurs
when you have spent time building your life on the word of God, the Holy Spirit
and prayer.
iii.
Strength:
People follow leaders who are stronger than they are. A growing spiritual life
is constantly filled with stress and pressure, and it takes a stronger person
to go through it. The growth of a flock depends on the personal spiritual
growth of the leader. If the leader is not strong in facing challenges, the
flock ceases to grow well.( read Josh.1:6; 1corin.16:13 and Eph. 6:10)
iv.
Holy
Spirit- filled: Unlike natural leader, every spiritual
leadership requires the touch of God in your life because it is not your natural
strength or speaking that will give you leadership. It is the anointing of the
Holy Spirit that helps you lead the flock. Believers who are discerning will
sense the presence of God when you are leading the church and it is the
presence of the Holy Spirit that gives you the authority to speak and
continually speak into their lives. Without the presence of God, your words
will be empty and your sermons become more like a classroom or a motivational
seminar with no power to change lives. (acts 2:37-41).
v.
Integrity:
Prov. 22:1 says good name is better
than riches. You have to be known as a man of integrity if you want to lead
people with authentic spiritual leadership’. (1Tim. 3). Being a man of integrity
means you do what is true and not just speak it (as the Pharisees and Sadducees
did). Without integrity you lose credibility with your flock. A man of
integrity watches his words carefully and makes sure what he preaches, he has
already achieved. If you preach generosity, you should be a man with a generous
heart.
vi.
Dependability:
He must be a man who can handle his own affairs as well as that of others and
must be reliable, only then will they entrust their lives to him- sharing their problems and looking to him
for advice.
vii.
Humility: Humility
is an essential quality to a church leader. Jesus says that he who desires to
be the greatest in the kingdom, should learn to serve (Matt. 20:27). Humility
is the acknowledgement that all the abilities and gifts you have are gifts from
the Lord. A leader who understands this will not be proud or boastful but
thankful and serve always. You may be smarter and able to speak better, but it
doesn’t make you a better person in the eyes of God; It is God who gave them to
you as HE is no respecter of persons (Rom.2:11; 1Corin. 1:27-29). Humility is
also that you recognize your strengths and weaknesses and not afraid to reveal
them before your flock.
viii.
Vision:
Prov.
29:18a says that “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. A leader must
always be ready to give direction to his followers. Most people are not sure
about what God wants them to do or why they are part of the church. But a true
leader will constantly give direction to his people through visions and goals
so they will not forget about their purpose in God and why they are part of the
church.
ix.
Generosity: A
true leader is generous with his time and money. John 3:16 says that “For God
so loved the world that He gave”. A man can give without loving but he cannot
love without giving. A leader must set example through giving. Giving of your
time through visiting and exhorting/ counseling them and giving them financial
aid when they are in need.
x.
Spirituality: A Christian leader
should be spiritual. Spiritual not in terms of quoting bible verses off your
head or experienced in leadership but simply your relationship with God. A good
leader teaches his followers how to seek God for themselves, which means that
he himself should be in love with Jesus. A leader who speaks from his own
wisdom and knowledge burdens his flock but when he speaks from a true
relationship with Jesus, he creates thirst and hunger in his followers to run
to God themselves.
Hindrances to Good leadership
i.
Distraction: Read
Acts 6:1. Addiction to TV, video games, friends can distract us from achieving
our goals. Read 1Pet. 4:3-4. Solution:
(a) create a “daily to- do- list” (b) be self-disciplined by separating from
some friends who will not let you grow in the Lord; (c) select TV programmes
that will encourage you in the faith in Jesus Christ.(d) wake-up early to do
spiritual exercises.
ii.
Discouragement: Sometimes
caused by fear of the unknown which leads to giving up on the promises of God. Read 1kings 17 (Elijah’s), 2corin. 12
(Paul’s). Solution: (a) persevere (b) know God is in control.
iii.
Bitterness:
cause
by offences of people around you. Know that where there are interactions, there
are offences. Conflicts and bitterness can lead to making wrong decisions and
worse life because you think about retaliation. Solution: (a) let it go (b) forgiveness (Matt. 18:21-22)
iv.
Guilt:
Guilt
of former sin can destroy the confidence of a leader, which can lead to failure.
Guilt is a weapon of Satan, the accuser of the brethren. Solution: (a) resist
the guilt (b) fast- which gives victory
of spirit over flesh.
A
leader should also learn and educate himself beyond his job scope. Read the bible,
educative books and videos. 2Pet.1:5-8
Negatives
The negatives of shepherding should
be erased from the leadership style of the good shepherd. These negatives give
the shepherd a false and superiority outlook.
Some of these styles include:
·
Pharisee-ism and Sadducee-ism i.e. very
hypocritical. Always believing in the religious acts rather than the holy
character to please God rather than men.
·
Being covetous and extorting to increase
their possessions (2Peter 2:2-3)
·
Creating fear and dismay/ panic among the
flock.
·
Nicholaitanism- always suppressing. That
without them you (the sheep) are nothing. But the leader should not forget that
it is a responsibility to create leaders as well as encourage the gifts in the
church.
A Leader
Under God’s plan,
those who want to be leader or lead the flock should:
· Be
humble not proud
· Be
in ministry not management
· Not
be governing monarchs
· Be
servants and not be served
· Not
be slick celebrities but laboring servants.
· Learn
sacrifice, devotion, submission and lowliness.
Where
are the leaders who once took care of the church as a shepherd and his flock?
Where are the leaders who prayed and fasted day and night out of burden for the
flock of God? Where are the leaders who visited and rebuked their wandering
flock out of love? Where are the leaders who toiled day and night to make
leaders out of their flock? Are you the leader who loves to work for mammon
rather than God? The day of accountability is at hand. Where is the flock God
left in your care? Have they increased hundred fold or negative 100 fold? Are
you the leader God wants you to be? Are you the leader with that kind of anguish
for God’s church?
Jesus
is coming, and the day for accountability is near. Are you ready to give a good
account of your leadership! Amen!
Memory verse: 1Peter 5:2-4
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