He praises the church for distinguishing between true and false apostles (Revelation 2:2). Jesus gives a letter to the messenger (lead shepherd) of the church in Ephesus. True shepherds protect the flock against false ministry gifts. They never allow a spirit of favoritism to creep into the church because it can create an idolatrous celebrity culture that destroys an authentic Christ-centered culture in a congregation.ħ. True shepherds love and treat all people equally. In today’s church, this could also include showing favoritism to the rich and famous above all others in the congregation. True shepherds protect the flock against favoritism.Īs a true shepherd in the church, the apostle James warns the church against favoring the rich over the poor (James 2:1-9). Consequently, a true shepherd calls out those who wish to exert unbiblical control over the flock of God.Ħ. John says that he will call attention to what this person is doing when he comes to that church (verse 10). In 3 John 1:9-11, the apostle John warns against a man named Diotrephes who was exerting unlawful control over a house church. True shepherds protect the flock against the spirit of control. We see this in his command to Titus (Titus 3:10-11).ĥ. Paul expects church shepherds to carry out this task of protecting the church from dividers. Hence, putting a mark on a person indicates to the general public the status of a person in the eyes of God and His church (Genesis 4:15). To “mark” means to let the whole church know who to avoid and who to be wary of. Paul, the apostle, encourages the church to mark those who cause division in the church (Romans 16:17). True Shepherds guard the church against division. Hence, true shepherds are called to help the church discern between true and false prophetic utterances (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, 1 John 4:1).Ĥ. Consequently, the context indicates that true shepherds should protect the flock from the misleading influence of both false shepherds and prophets. They didn't represent the mind and heart of God. One of the concerns of this chapter is regarding prophets who only speak out of their spirit.

Jeremiah 23 warns against false shepherds and calls upon true shepherds to rise and care for the flock. True Shepherds protect the flock against false prophecies. (This includes female deceivers such as we see in Revelations 2:20.)ģ. (False brethren are those who have infiltrated the Church with false teachings or with an agenda or vision different from the purpose, vision, and teachings of Scripture.) Consequently, the job of a true Shepherd is to protect the flock against false brethren. This is likely because he preached the truth and called out those in the church but who were not really of the church. By implication, this means that he was a threat to them. Paul, the apostle, said that he was in danger from false brothers (2 Corinthians 12:27). Shepherds protect the flock against false brethren. 'The Faith' refers to the Apostle's doctrine that contains the elementary principles of the faith that Christianity is built upon (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 4:4-6, Hebrews 5:12-6:4).Ģ. This means there will be attacks against the faith with deceptive teachings that either water down or pervert the apostles' doctrine (Acts 2:42). Jude 3 teaches us to diligently contend for 'the faith' that was once for all delivered unto the saints. One of the primary responsibilities shepherds have is knowing and ensuring that the church remains rooted and grounded in the faith. Shepherds guard against false doctrines in the church. The following are seven ways true shepherds protect the flock:ġ. Hence, a shepherd’s calling also involves being a warrior who protects the flock, not just feeding and comforting them. The prototypical Old Testament archetype shepherd is King David, who killed the bear, lion, and Goliath while protecting both sheep and God’s people (1 Samuel 17). The rod is to fight off wild animals who desire to devour the flock, and the staff is meant to gently tap the sheep to keep them on the correct course. This is why the shepherds have both a rod and a staff. Part of that role involves guarding and protecting the flock against adversaries, wolves in sheep’s clothing, and other challenges.

Shepherds are called to oversee the flock that was purchased with the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28-30). A herd of sheep graze on a pasture in the town of Al Wazzani, near the Lebanese-Israeli border, in southern Lebanon January 5, 2016.

Shepherds flocks