Hope Beyond Religion: A Job Description for Shepherds, Part 2

Last time on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll shared one of his favorite quotes. When describing the demanding role of a local pastor, Chuck warned leaders against people pleasing behavior.

After all, too many leaders are naturally inclined to keep congregants happy. And so Chuck shared this quote. He said, Pastor, be who you is, because if you ain't who you is, then you is who you ain't. Well, during today's program, we'll continue the message that Chuck started last time. We're looking at 1 Peter 5 verses 1 through 4.

Chuck titled his message Hope Beyond Religion. Now in the passage before us, we have a section of scripture that sort of stands on its own regarding the pastor. Therefore, I exhort the elders among you as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God among you, not under compulsion, but voluntarily according to the will of God and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness. I find right off the bat in verses 1 and 2, two effective principles for the minister. The first is this.

Pride of position must be absent. Now the second is that a heart of a shepherd must be present. Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you. One must have a shepherd's heart, which certainly includes teaching and it certainly includes exhortation, but it also includes love and tolerance, patience, understanding, even a little wobble room so as to make room for those who don't measure up. Over the years in the pastorate, I have learned that the seasoning comes. I look back with a sigh 20 years, 25 or more years ago, those early years in ministry when I had everything so carefully charted. I've often said answers to questions no one was asking.

I was so sure of myself. There were hundreds of truths I would die for. I'm not nearly so quick to die for so many things, though the few things I now would die for, I think I would die immediately for them if necessary.

But the longer I live, the longer becomes the tether and I think the greater my understanding of the struggler. Maybe that goes with shepherding a flock over the years. Following these two effective principles, which I hope you won't forget, something must be absent, the proud attitude that often is seen among those in public places, and something must be present, and that is the heart of a shepherd. Don't forget those things. Following those, we have three all important attitudes set forth in verses 2 and 3 that have been worked over, I'm sure, in most churches so there's no reason to linger here needlessly.

Let me have you notice if you were studying on your own that you'd be able to point them out. Each begins with a negative as regarding the attitude. Shepherd the flock of God among you, number one, not but. Number two, end of verse two, not but. And number three, verse three, nor but. See the phrases as they appear in the text, it's very simple for you to observe that, and those are red flags, those are signals that go off in my mind when I'm reading through the scriptures and looking for a sort of a guideline or for a chart or for an outline.

Let's take them in that order. Shepherd the flock of God among you with these three attitudes. Attitude number one is an attitude of willingness. Not under compulsion but voluntarily. Compulsion simply means to be compelled by force. Like you have to get your teenager out of bed early in the morning to go to school.

That is compulsion. The kid wakes up and has to get breakfast and has to get off to school perhaps by 7.15 or catches the bus by 7.30 and you've got to work at getting him out of bed. I heard a cute joke not long ago, it was a young man sleeping in, it happened to be Sunday morning, his mother came in and said, wake up son, you've got to get up. Time's getting past us and you've got to get out of bed. And he said, will you give me three good reasons why I have to get up. And she said, well first of all it's Sunday morning and it's only right that we be in church. And second, because it's only 40 minutes until church starts so we don't have much time.

And third, you're the pastor and you ought to be there. Paul writes in his swan song to be ready in season and out of season. To stay at it in season and out of season. One of the things that characterizes burnout in ministry is a lack of eagerness. That's why I encourage our staff every week to take a day off.

If possible a day and a half or two days if possible. To replenish your soul, to refresh your spirit and never ever to miss taking your vacation time. To get away, to get away with your mate.

To spend time in refreshment and romance and enjoyment of one another and of life and of nature and of God's beautiful handiwork all around us. I see many a frowning face when I go to these pastors conferences and I think of all the groups that I minister to none is more depressed than a group of pastors. They are overworked, usually underpaid and almost without exception underappreciated.

Though some of them are doing a remarkable piece of work. There are mild depressions that also come that keep us from this sense of willingness. You can't explain some of those depressions. Spurgeon writes of many reasons I was reading to Cynthia the other day.

She was in the kitchen working on some things and I walked over and I said you've got to hear this and I read her about three pages of lectures to my students and he described some of the reasons for what we would call burnout in ministry. He even admitted to depression in his own life. Often before a great success. Often after a great success. Often because of a note or a letter from someone. Often because of something he couldn't explain.

He couldn't even find out reasons why. He calls this chapter the minister's fainting fits and if you would indulge me another paragraph. Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous and the joyous not always happy. There may be here and there men of iron but surely the rust frets even these.

Men of iron but still rust must fret them. I'm back to my comment on tolerance. Be very tolerant with your pastor. Be very understanding. Try your best not to be too demanding. Multiply your request by however many there are in your ministry and you'll have long patience with the shepherd of the flock. Be very understanding. Remember that if you write a letter that would bring your spirit down there probably are dozens of others doing the same. Think before you write such a letter because he will tend being a shepherd to take it seriously and he will be able to quote that letter a year later long after you even forgot that you wrote it.

Be a reason that the man is able to shepherd the flock not under compulsion but voluntarily according to the will of God. Now look at the second an attitude of eagerness not just willingness but the next phrase describes an attitude of enthusiastic eagerness. Look how he words it. Not for sordid gain but with eagerness. The old King James Bible called it filthy lucre.

That's not a bad word is it? Be sure that your ministry is not motivated from the external benefits of the money. I challenge many preachers and I have done it through the years not to do a wedding because you get fifty dollars to do a wedding or whatever you may get. Not to do a conference because they give you an honorarium of a couple or three hundred dollars.

That's not a good reason. Don't be in ministry and change because the next place will pay you more money and that is really the reason you're changing churches. Watch out for the motive. When I was in seminary my sister made me a small sign. It was about eight and a half by five and I put it up in front of my desk where I studied. I've lost the sign. I wish I had it.

I'd love to set it up on my desk to this day. It simply read, what's your motive? Now it's a searching question and every shepherd needs to ask that question on a weekly basis. What is my motive?

Motive must forever be examined. The positive side of this is that there is nothing quite as exciting and delightful to be around as a shepherd with enthusiasm. I'm sort of overworking the spurge in quotes today but I must add one more. Someone asked him about enthusiasm and he was always surprised that someone would struggle with enthusiasm because he had such a zeal.

He said all you've got to do is pour a bucket of kerosene over yourself and set fire and people come watch you burn. I mean if this thing has gotten into your soul there's something incredibly zealous about the declaration of it and your zeal is contagious. Your love for the scriptures becomes the flocks love for the scriptures. Your zest for life becomes the congregations zest for life. Your commitment to leisure and enjoyment of life becomes their commitment to leisure and enjoyment of life along with commitment to obeying God.

They go together and there must be balance or there will be a breakdown. My heart saddens when I find a person who is nothing but intense. Intense about everything. Everything expecting full commitment.

I worry about fellas like that. That's not eagerness. That's an intensity that is too extreme. Now there's a third attitude and it's what I'll call an attitude of meekness. Nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge but proving to be examples to the flock. Lording it over those allotted to your charge. It's the idea of exercising undue authority over others. We as shepherds must learn to hold our congregations loosely.

Hold them loosely. We must watch our tendency of gaining dominion over them. Thinking of them as underlings.

No, think of yourself as a servant not as sovereign. Give the flock room to disagree. Assure them that they are to think on their own and to become personally convinced of the convictions that you perhaps have.

But guard against foisting and requiring your opinion from them. I've just finished listening to a tape because one of our staff told me this is something that I really should take the time to listen to. And while I listen to this dear man who has been in ministry for years, I heard another Jim Jones as he preached and I ached for that church. Here is a man who has gained the mastery over the flock and they remind me of little trained dogs who follow in his steps and at his snapping of fingers they jump into line.

Friend, that is not the flock of God. That is the manipulation of a man. The pastorate brings an enormous amount of authority and not even elders as powerful as they may be can take your place in the pulpit. It is a place where you can wield incredible authority.

Don't abuse it. It is a great tendency to do that. Well then you say, how do I get the authority that I ought to have as a minister of the gospel?

You've already forgotten maybe what we just read. Proving to be examples to the flock. There is something convincing about a model. Just model the truth.

Just live the life. And you may remember Moses at the end of his life was said to have been the meekest man on the face of the earth. Here is a man who pastored, may I use that word, millions of people, but he despised the fame. He cared nothing for the applause of the public.

He refused to manipulate the people. In fact, broken hearted before God, he even said, just take me out of the way. This wonderful section of scripture is a good reminder that as important as it is to be an authority, it is never appropriate for us to lord it over those allotted to your charge. No extra charge for this little comment, but it's been my observation that that is a mark of insecurity. Those who must have full agreement from everyone are terribly insecure people in ministry. The simplest teacher who lives out his lessons in daily life becomes a mighty power. Isn't it interesting that Christ Jesus never demanded his disciples to write anything down. Never once exhorted them to memorize one thing. What he told him most of all was, do not be afraid. That was his most frequent command. Do not be afraid.

And the other was given by implication, watch me and follow my model. And no one has ever had the authority over a flock like Christ. There is one eternal reward, you can read it for yourself in verse four. When the chief shepherd appears, isn't this beautiful? When the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

I've talked about crowns before, but I've not mentioned this crown because I knew we would get to this before long, and this is an exclusive crown. The crown of life is for those who suffer. There are other crowns that anyone may receive in the day when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, but only those who minister before a flock are able to receive the unfading crown of glory. Notice when Christ appears as a result of fulfilling these examples, these attitudes, shepherding the flock, there will be made available to you the crown of glory.

Let me wrap up my comments by speaking very, very briefly to two different groups of us. First, those who are engaged in ministry, that is in occupational Christian service, vocational Christian service, and then those who are being led or ministered to by those in such positions. My word to those of us engaged in ministry is keep a healthy balance. If you teach, also remain a good student. Be teachable. Read, listen, learn, observe, be ready to change, and change. Admit wrong where you were wrong.

Stand firm where you know you were right. Since you were called to be a leader, follow well. We're back to that comment about servanthood. When you lead, put yourself in the follower's shoes and think about what it would be if you were sitting there listening to you say those things. Neither underestimate your importance or exaggerate your role. You are called of God.

You represent him, his message, his vision. You can become whipped by a congregation. It happened to me once.

It will never, by the grace of God, happen to me again. If you fall under the sway of a strong board, you will find that the blow is taken from your voice. Something tragic happens to a leader who has lost his drive and his determination. You cannot do it all, so delegate. You have a big job to do. Let others help you do it, and when they do it well, give them credit. You have a serious work, so keep a good sense of humor. I often say, take God seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously.

Laugh often, and don't be afraid even to laugh at things you once said. I do that once a year. You see, tapes are made of all my messages, which is sort of a frightening thought to begin with, isn't it? And at the end of the year, those who produce our tapes and do our work of putting them on the radio, give me a cassette, and on the cassette are all the things they took out during the year. Part of a Christmas gift. And some have even had the audacity to play this tape at a Christmas party for hundreds to hear and enjoy. I cannot believe the dumb things I have said in that given year.

It is enough to really reduce one to the size of an ant. It's remarkable. If that could be done for every minister, it would be a wonderful thing for your pride, I'll tell you. Or maybe I should say, for your humility. It is remarkable what the ear forgives through the year. And if I haven't said it recently, I need to say it today.

Thank you for understanding those times that I have made massive mistakes. Not long ago on a Sunday morning, I made the comment, and this is the last time that man is recorded in all of scripture. Now let's look at chapter 7. So we turn to chapter 7, and the same man speaks in chapter 7.

I mean, I just want to go, well, you know, goodnight, Swindoll. You just read where you got it in there. Not a soul wrote me. Not a person said. You dummy. You just read. That was the last time.

Learn to laugh at yourself. If they wanted a perfect man, they'd have to call back the Son of God, because he's the only one that qualifies. And anyone else who thinks he's in that category is disqualified. So that means we're all in the category of sinners and people who fail. Now second to those of you being led, may I encourage you to be a reason for rejoicing?

What an assignment. Listen to this. Hebrews 13, 17. Obey your leaders. Submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls.

And those who will give an account, as those who will give an account, let them do this with joy, and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. If you are being led in a ministry, be a reason for rejoicing. Think of ways to encourage the leader. Pray often for him. Model gratitude and love. Defend the leader whenever possible.

And when you can't tell him to his face and no one else your concern, do it briefly, graciously, and forgive quickly. Try to imagine being in the shoes of the one who lives with the burden of the whole flock and never is free of that. And finally, think of how it would be if everyone else in the flock were just like you.

I think it would do a lot to help us with our tolerance for the shepherd. You're listening to Insight for Living. Chuck Swindoll assigned a very descriptive title to his message today, Hope Beyond Religion, a job description for shepherds. Please stay with us.

You'll hear Chuck's closing prayer in just a moment. To learn more about this ministry, you can visit us online at insightworld.org. Well, for the few moments we have remaining, all of us here at Insight for Living would like to express our combined thanks for the outpouring of generous responses that were sent our way.

We were deeply encouraged by your gifts and especially your comments. At times like these, we're reminded that the wisdom of God's word is timeless. We know that's true because of the stories you tell us about personal life change. For instance, we often hear from friends who describe their spiritual grace awakening because of something they heard on Insight for Living. Some tell us they had lost all hope until God restored their hope through the promises of his word. Well, God is the source of their renewed hope, and that's also the topic of Chuck's very practical book on First Peter.

It's called Hope Again. This book is a great read because it walks you through the entire letter of First Peter, and Chuck draws out the prevalent themes in Peter's letter and shows you how to apply those principles to your life today. To purchase a copy of Chuck's book called Hope Again, give us a call. If you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or visit our website at insight.org slash store. These daily programs are made possible not through the purchase of resources, but through voluntary donations from grateful listeners like you. To give a contribution today, call us.

If you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or you can visit us online at insight.org. And now let's pause and reflect on what we learned today as Chuck leads us in prayer. For the next few moments, I would like us to bow our heads and close our eyes and prepare ourselves for a time of personal worship. This is an occasion for us to reflect on our ways, to check our lives, to be certain that we claim Christ as Lord, that we are indeed a part of the family. This is a perfect opportunity for any who do not know the Lord to pause and give him your heart. Our Father, enable us in these next few moments to be removed from the cares and the intensities of our lives and take us back to the cross, where our salvation was affected, where the payment was paid, where the Savior died. And having brought us there, show us again the agony and the cost of his obedience. And Lord, as we search our hearts, reveal to us any area that may be displeasing to you, an area of recurring weakness where there must be repentance, there must be confession. Cleanse us, refresh us, bring us to the cross, our Father. And for these moments, meet us there. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. I'm Bill Meyer, inviting you to join us next time when Chuck Swindoll identifies how to overcome dissatisfaction with life.

That's right here on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Hope Beyond Religion, a Job Description for Shepherds, was copyrighted in 1989, 1990, 1996, 2006, 2011, and 2023. And the sound recording was copyrighted in 2023 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.