What Is The Spiritual Gift Of Shepherding

When a teammate has the ball or is heading for it, or when the ball is about to bounce past the goal or out of bounds, a player can impede an opponent from getting to it.

What is the gift of leadership?

If we have the gift of leadership, Scripture says we should lead with zeal. Zeal comes from the Greek word zelos, which signifies enthusiasm and eagerness. We should lead with care, according to another version. We must act quickly. Let's get started! Anyone who has been given the gift of leadership should take it seriously. There is a duty to be fulfilled. Let's all take responsibility for our actions. Make the most of your contribution by assisting in the construction of the body of Christ.

The gift of leadership is a gift given to the church by the Holy Spirit. Relationships and duties go hand in hand with this gift. You must have a caring heart for the people and a desire to help them progress. This necessitates leadership. Pray and ask God if you have this gift, and if you do, how you might utilize it to make a difference in God's kingdom. The Spiritual Gift of Leadership is a blessing from God.

Is pastoring a gift?

The Church, according to 1 Corinthians 12:12, is a body of interdependent individuals upon whom the Spirit bestows His various and varied gifts. The Holy Spirit grants select members of the church of Christ the grace, power, and authority to act as pastors, according to Ephesians 4:11. As a result, serving as a pastor is first and foremost a spiritual calling rather than a job. As a result, an ecclesiastical body does not have the authority to decide who receives what spiritual gift(s). Spiritually gifted people have amazing abilities that come from the Holy Spirit, who then guides them “distributes them to each person as he sees fit” (1 Cor. 12:11). I see 1 Cor. 12:11 as a call to humility in acknowledging the Holy Spirit's sovereignty over the distribution of spiritual gifts to Christians, as well as a warning not to interfere with the Holy Spirit's work in anyone's life.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that certain spiritual gifts are only given to certain genders. In the New Testament, anybody who: (1) repents and is baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38); (2) obeys God (Acts 5:32); and (3) understands and appreciates spiritual matters can receive the Holy Spirit and any of the gifts He bestows (1 Cor. 2:13-14; Eph. 4:17-24). The Holy Spirit or any of His gifts are not conditional on a person's gender. Because Paul had previously included both men and women as members of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-27), bestowing spiritual gifts on them was a natural next step “The phrase “every one” in 1 Corinthians 12:11 is gender agnostic. Why do some Christians think that women have not been called to serve as pastors, despite the fact that the Holy Spirit chooses who receives what spiritual gift(s) in the body of Christ? Should a woman, called by God and endowed by the Holy Spirit, be denied any role of ministry or leadership in the church just because she is a woman, if no spiritual talent is gender-specific?

Ellen White, a female pioneer and recognized prophetess of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was convinced of her own and other women's calling to the gospel ministry. She believed that “there are women who should labor in the gospel ministry” because “the cause would suffer great loss without this kind of labor.” The Lord has repeatedly showed me that women teachers are just as important as men in carrying out the work to which they have been called” (1990, p. 325). Ellen White apparently saw no viable distinction between men and women acting as pastors when she recommended that the tithe (which was used in the Old Testament to care for the all-male Levites and priests) be used to compensate women in pastoral ministry (1990, p. 324). Both men and women have the right to serve as spiritual Levites and priests. (1)

I think that not only will Christians be held accountable to God for how they used their spiritual gifts, but that anyone who, for whatever reason, stops others from faithfully stewarding their spiritual gifts will also be held accountable to God. Pharaoh Necho advised King Josiah not to interfere with what God was accomplishing through him (Necho), or God would destroy him (Josiah). Unfortunately, excellent King Josiah perished as a result of his sins “did not pay attention to Necho's words from God's lips” (2 Chron. 35:20-24). I also think of Gamaliel, who advised his Sanhedrin colleagues when the disciples were punished for preaching Jesus “Consider carefully what you propose to do to these men… Because their aim or activity will fail if it is of human origin. If it is from God, however, you will not be able to stop these men; instead, you will find yourself fighting God” (Acts 5:34-39). If the amazing work that many women undertake in pastoral ministry is a gift from God, then preventing them from fully utilizing their gift of pastoring is a losing struggle; with God on their side, no one will be able to stop these women.

Why are pastors called shepherds?

Pastors are often described as brilliant communicators and visionaries who encourage us to “get on board” with what their own churches are doing these days. Anyone may listen to their favorite preachers and professors on podcasts, follow them on social media, watch them online, and read their books in this day and age. And the “greatest thing” is that you may do all of this without them ever knowing who you are, holding you accountable, correcting you, or giving you any specific life direction. You can just move on to a more agreeable teacher if they say something convicting that you don't agree with. “How cool is that?” you could be thinking. You can learn from them while maintaining your anonymity. You can customize the teaching and leadership in your life in the same way you can customize your phone, music, and cuisine.

Problems with the “Internet Pastor”

Some Christians, particularly in our anti-institutional age, are prone to thinking in this manner. We believe we may grow spiritually while avoiding the unpleasant components of biblical accountability and discipleship. To put it another way, we don't see the necessity to be dedicated to, and under the guidance of, a specific pastor (or pastors) in a local church, with all the ramifications that entails.

Don't get me wrong: we can (and should!) benefit from godly men who use their ministry to reach out to the people with outstanding biblical teaching. There is absolutely a place in the global church of Jesus Christ for learning from other good believers. However, having the “online pastor” as your sole or primary source of instruction and care has a number of serious drawbacks. You can't submit to their leadership for two reasons: first, they can't hold someone they don't know accountable, and second, they can't hold someone they don't know accountable (Acts 20:28). Worse worse, there are many fraudulent teachers on the internet today who look to be successful and popular yet preach dubious theology at best and heresy at worst!

So, what's the answer? I believe the remedy is to have a shepherd (or shepherds) to whom you are completely devoted and dedicated. Someone who is committed to understanding you, nourishing you, leading you, and, most importantly, safeguarding you, as Timothy Witmer so succinctly states.

But, once again, I'd like to know if this is scriptural. The answer is YES, according to the Bible. In fact, I believe this is God's intended intention for the New Testament church that he formed.

Shepherds Shepherd the Flock

So, what does it mean to be a shepherd? Someone who shepherds or cares for God's flock is known as a shepherd. Pastors are what we call them in our churches nowadays. Our English word “pastor” derives from the Latin word pastor, which means “shepherd,” and is not found in Scripture. Pastors, in other words, are your shepherds. “Shepherd-teachers” (Eph. 4:11), “elders,” and “overseers” are some of the Bible's other names for the men we call pastors in our churches (Titus 1:5-9 & 1 Tim. 3:1-7). In reality, in multiple places in the New Testament, these are synonyms and overlapping names for the same office:

• “And he gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers,” Ephesians 4:11 says.
• 20:28 (NASB) “Pay close attention to yourself and the rest of the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you to care for the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.”
• 1 Peter 5:1-2a (NASB) “As a fellow elder and witness of Christ's sufferings, as well as a sharer in the glory that will be revealed, I admonish the elders among you to shepherd the flock of God that is among you.”

These shepherds must be men who will recognize you as their sheep, feed you, lead you, and protect you. This is a shepherd's identity and how he or she shepherds.

A Brief Biblical Picture of Shepherds and Sheep

We are the sheep, since these persons in charge are called shepherds in the Bible. Shepherds and sheep are shown frequently in both the Old and New Testaments. We view God as the Shepherd of his people in the Old Testament (Psalm 23; 77:20; Ezek 34:11-16), promising to one day release his people free “under a new covenant (Ezek 34:23; Isa 40:11), and promising to send up many shepherds to care for his people (Ezek 34:23; Isa 40:11). (Jer 3:15; Jer 23:1-4). The Lord Jesus Christ, as the genuine servant David, then takes on the function of God the Chief Shepherd in the New Testament (John 10:11-18; Heb 13:20; Rev 7:16-17), commissioning his disciples to feed his sheep (Matt 10:6; John 21:15-17).

God, via Christ Jesus, is actually our great Shepherd, and we are his sheep, according to the Bible (Ezek 34:16; Luke 15:8). But, as we saw in the previous chapters concerning elders/overseers, this shepherding picture goes even farther. Furthermore, Jesus entrusted his disciples, who in turn entrusted the early church, with the job of shepherding God's flock (John 20:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-2a; Acts 20:28). These passages, along with many others, provide everything we need to know about how to lead the Church in a faithful and biblical manner today.

This is how John Piper says it: “This is the picture that God has ordained: flocks exist, shepherds exist, shepherds have accountability for a certain flock, and flocks should willingly submit to their specific shepherd. “No podcasting pastor will ever be able to replace this structure.”

Sheep Need Shepherds

Do you have a shepherd? Even though you listen to sermon podcasts and follow a lot of pastors on social media, do you have one? Do you know who he is, and does he know who you are? Is there a method to identify yourself as a sheep and recognize the pastor as your shepherd in a formal way? We call this membership in many churches, including ours, and while the word membership does not appear in the Bible (as does the phrase “Trinity”), we believe it is a biblical notion. In other words, without true commitment to a local church, you cannot completely achieve your function and position as a believer in this sheep/shepherd connection, and membership is our best biblical endeavor to see that happen.

As Christians, we must conduct our lives and lead our churches in accordance with Scripture. We don't have the option of dismissing our Lord and Shepherd's biblical mandates as unneeded or insignificant. If you're reading this and aren't already a member of a local church, submissive to the shepherds of that flock, or a part of a church led by biblically trained elders (1 Tim 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-8), I encourage you to do more research and seek to obey what Scripture says.

What is the biblical meaning of leadership?

Christian leadership is not based on worldly standards of success, such as a desire for wealth or power. When Jesus lectured about the necessity of serving others, he warned against this.

However, Jesus drew them all to Himself and said, “You are aware that the Gentile rulers lord it over them, and the powerful wield dominance over them. However, it shall not be so among you; rather, anyone aspires to be famous among you, let him serve you. And whomever wants to be first among you should become your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Leaders are not to use their authority to oppress and overwhelm others, as the Gentiles did. Leaders, on the other hand, serve others, as Jesus demonstrated “He made Himself of no renown, taking the form of a bondservant and appearing in human form. And when He was discovered in the form of a man, He humbled Himself and became submissive to the point of death, even death on the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).

Is leadership a gift or talent?

It's tough to argue with the idea that certain people are born with certain talents and characteristics that make them more suitable for various positions, especially because it's becoming more and more real.

Researchers from University College London, Harvard University, New York University, and the University of California, San Diego discovered in 2012 that an inherited DNA sequence known as “rs4950” is a specific genotype linked to the desire to be in a position of leadership.

According to their findings, people in positions of leadership are 24% more likely to produce children that are predisposed to leadership roles.

These findings support the views of Peter Drucker, the founder of management, who said, “Talent is required for leadership. This is a unique present. The best managers are few and far between in the field of management, and the leaders among them are many times fewer.”

Despite the fact that leadership is partly a genetic feature, the researchers point out that additional research is needed to confirm the genotype's role in the development of leaders. In other words, a deeper knowledge of how parenting influences the development of leadership qualities.

What is the purpose of discernment?

The word can have numerous connotations in Christianity. Discernment can refer to the process of finding God's will in a circumstance or for one's life, or it can refer to determining the true character of a thing, such as deciding if it is good or bad, or it can even refer to transcending the confining concept of dualism. It depicts, in large part, the internal search for a solution to the question of one's vocation, namely, discerning if God is calling one to marital life, single life, consecrated life, ordained ministry, or any other calling.

The term “discernment of spirits” is used in both Roman Catholic and Charismatic (Pentecostal) Christian theology to describe the process of evaluating various spiritual agents for their moral influence.