Good Shepherds: More Guidence for the Gentle Art of Pastoring

By David Fleer and Charles Siburt

A rich, accessible, and practical resource for church leaders -- for week study sessions, leadership retreats, personal study, and dialogue with the next generation of leaders. A sequel to the popular "Like a Shepherd Lead Us."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leafwood Publishers
• Release date: Jul 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9780891129059

David Fleer

David Fleer's devotion to preaching first found expression through a long-tenured pulpit ministry with the Vancouver Church of Christ in the state of Washington. His Ph.D. in Speech Communication at the University of Washington moved him into teaching, where he is currently Professor of Religion and Communication at Rochester College. Co-editor of the current series on preaching, David's work is characterized as a thoughtful and passionate attempt to walk afresh in the world of Scripture so that readers and listeners may experience the reality of the Gospel of God.

Book preview

1

INTRODUCTION

David Fleer and Charles Siburt

Recent conversations about elders’ function focus almost exclusively on two polarities—managing or shepherding. The experience of many elders, however, is that such contrasting extremes are far too simplistic to capture the full range of their responsibilities.

After reflecting upon the biblical literature examined in this volume, we believe that the elders’ role includes several salient features. A fuller theological description embraces teaching and preaching the faith,¹ shepherding the congregational flock,² consoling those in any affl iction,³ encouraging Christian formation,⁴ building congregational community,⁵ equipping Christians for ministry,⁶ and facilitating reconciliation.⁷

This refreshing image underscores the robust and multidimensional nature of the elder’s task and provides an attractive alternative to the limited manager verses shepherd argument. On the other hand, this expanded job description brings to mind Paul’s question, Who is sufficient for these things? (II Cor. 2:16). Repeatedly, we have heard numerous elders answer with a resounding, Not me. We don’t blame them for feeling inadequate for such an important ministry. After all, what conscientious person, without formal training, embraces with enthusiasm such sky-high expectations and risks the feelings of inadequacy that may well follow?

Our own experience has created within us a deep respect for elders who serve with conscientious and focused courage. For exam- ple, every week Charles receives phone calls or e-mails from elders inquiring about resources, requesting advice or a consultation visit. Their calls are cries for help to understand, discern, and respond with propriety to sensitive situations. These godly servants are honest enough to know their limitations and humble enough to ask for help. Years ago someone asked Charles’s younger son, What does your father do? His son replied, My daddy is a church doctor, and he makes church calls on the weekend. The description remains true. Because of his heart’s desire to help churches and their servants, Charles spends weekends responding to calls for help.

When Paul lists the kinds of people God gives to the church to accomplish its purpose, he describes these people as gifts; some of these are pastors and teachers [who] equip saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4: 11-13). Our churches’ leaders are intended to be gifts from God. Yet these upon whom so much depends receive little training for their service. Desiring to be good shepherds, they have few developmental resources and opportunities. This need is precisely the motivation for this book. With contributions from skilled scholars and multi-talented practitioners of ministry, reflecting years of service to churches, this volume addresses the elders’ kaleidoscope of tasks, offering practical theological guidance to those who desire to serve as good shepherds. Hoping to provide preventative medicine while proactively responding to calls for help, we offer this book as a gift to those who are gifts to God’s people.

We divide these chapters into three parts, by which we distinguish their movement. The first section contains engaging theological reflections from specific locations (Carl Holliday in Acts and James Thompson’s fresh look at Paul the Pastor). These two chapters lay the groundwork for serious biblical and practical dialogue among church leaders.

The second section moves the discussion deep into the life of the church, through a lively interaction with Randy Harris and the challenging quadrants into which Jeff Childers places all church members, guaranteed to create the most stimulating and constructive dialogue.

This final segment takes us to places we would rather not go, or wish not to discuss: among the terminally ill and the sexually abused.

Church leaders will be forever grateful for the graphic insights and wise counsel these veteran leaders provide. The book concludes with the most encouraging chapter any elder might conceive, a vivid and passionate description of effective elders, penned by a worthy companion and…young preacher.

The volume provides the kind of resource church leaders hunger for, usable in any number of venues: from weekly study sessions, to leadership retreats, personal study, and dialogue for worthwhile conversations with the next generation of leaders, encouraging us to be good shepherds.

The editing process for this book—the close readings such a task requires—has been the most encouraging experience imaginable. The theologically serious and practically helpful productions from each chapter have challenged us to live and work differently.

We trust that you, too, will experience the writers’ powerful ethos and insightful material. We are thrilled that this contribution is in your hands—and that through your hearts it will enrich the life of your congregation.

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1 This includes promoting healthy belief and believers (I Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:9) while guarding the gospel against heresy (I Tim. 6:20).

2 We have in mind protecting the church from exploitive wolves (Acts 20:28ff), ensuring good nutrition (I Pet. 5:1-5), managing with caring authority (I Tim.

3:4,5; I Thess. 5:12).

3This includes facilitating the ministry of Christians who care for one another (I Cor. 12:25; Rom. 13:8; I Thess. 3:12; 4:9), and gentle care, as a nurse for her children and like a father with his children (I Thess. 2:7, 11).

4 We are thinking here of gentle nurturing as Christ is formed within believers (Gal. 4:19), enabling all believers to grow into the fullness of Christ (Eph.4:14-15), and leading believers toward maturity (Heb. 6:1).

5 Such a characteristic builds believers into a household of faith (1 Cor. 3:10-18), facilitates the one another ministries of Christians which include mutual edifi - cation (Rom. 14:19), acceptance (Rom. 15:7), service (Gal. 5:13), hospitality (1 Pet. 4:9), encouragement (1 Thess. 5:11, 14), and assists believers in using their gifts for the common good (1 Cor. 12:4-7).

6 This feature equips Christians for their God-given ministries (Eph. 4:12), enables each part of the body to be knit together and work properly (Eph. 4:16), and assists Christians in being good stewards of their gifts (1 Pet. 4:10).

7 Elders promote oneness of mind through humble, gentle, patient devotion to the interests of others (Phil. 2:1-5), help others avoid those who cause dissensions and offenses (Matt. 18, Rom. 16:17), and offer wise judgment to con-flicted Christians (1 Cor. 6:1-6).

Chapter 2

DEEPENING THE CHURCH’S SENSIBILITIES

Reflections on Acts

Carl R. Holladay

Luke’s story of the church’s beginning and expansion, which continues the story of Jesus unfolded in the Gospel, has served as a foundation narrative throughout the centuries. Acts may not have been embraced by Christian readers as early or as enthusiastically as some of the other New Testament writings, but eventually it achieved wide recognition. Eusebius of Caesarea drew heavily on Acts in compiling his account of ecclesiastical history. By the fourth century, Acts was regularly included in lists of canonical writings, usually as a bridge document between the four Gospels and the writings of Paul. By featuring Peter and Paul as major representatives of early Christian preaching, Acts helped ensure their status as pillars of the church. This perspective is graphically represented when Peter and Paul are paired iconographically in Orthodox church architecture.

Over the years Luke’s story of the church has been appropriated in different ways and remains instructive for us. In modern lectionaries, readings from Acts are concentrated in the weeks following Easter to illustrate the continuing impact of Jesus’ resurrec- tion. A variety of conversion stories comprise lectionary readings during this period, enabling listeners from different social locations to find themselves within the narrative. Samples of early Christian preaching also remind modern readers of the core convictions on which the church’s faith is based and how the Christian gospel can be formulated to fit different contexts and audiences.

Apart from supplying sample cases of conversion or summaries of early Christian preaching, Acts is also instructive in cultivating certain senses or sensibilities within the church. Partly, these senses reflect the instincts and priorities of the author. But they also inhere within the story itself. As we try to discern how the narrative develops our ecclesial senses, we should not automatically link them with authorial intent. The narrative may have an effect on readers that goes well beyond what the original author or editor intended.

A SENSE OF HISTORY

Although Luke nowhere describes his work as history, he has rightly earned the title the first Christian historian. Luke is regularly compared with notable Greek and Roman historians, but within this impressive company is still best seen as a minor Hellenistic historian. His work resonates strongly with Old Testament historical writings, but also belongs to the same tradition as contemporary Jewish historians, most notably Flavius Josephus. In what sense Luke’s two-volume work should be understood as history is a matter of continuing scholarly debate. But that it reflects genuine historical instincts is scarcely contested.

Even the most superficial reading of Luke-Acts reveals the author’s historical interests. Especially prominent is his penchant for anchoring episodes in the Gospel within a larger historical framework (Luke 2:1-3; 3:1-2). In Acts we are introduced to numerous Jewish historical figures (e.g., Gamaliel) and Roman officials (e.g., Sergius Paulus and Gallio) which help connect Luke’s story with the external history of the Roman world. This recurrent feature of the narrative creates historical realism. Major characters, especially Peter and Paul, along with minor characters, such as Philip and Stephen, do their work within realistic rather than fantastic settings—the temple, synagogues, and urban centers. The gospel spreads through the real world.

Reading Acts we quickly discern Luke’s fascination with history. And yet the narrative is more than a collection of interesting historical curiosities. It cultivates a sense of history at another level. The story of Jesus and the church is told as the outgrowth, and natural sequel, of the biblical story of Israel. Luke adopts a literary style in the birth and infancy narrative (Luke 1-2) that echoes biblical history, especially I and II Samuel. We are introduced to childless, aging parents who remind us of Sarah and Abraham or Hannah and Elkanah. So are we reminded of God’s original promise to Abraham, and we are shown how this newly unfolding story beginning with John the Baptist and continuing with Jesus reveals a faithful God who is making good on that ancient promise. Historical continuity is reinforced by the genealogy, which traces Jesus’ lineage to Adam (Luke 3:23-38). High expectations are set in the opening prologue as we are informed that the events to be unfolded are of things that have been ful-filled among us (Luke 1:1). Luke’s elaborate scheme of promise and fulfillment, introduced early in the narrative (see Luke 4:21), is developed on a grand scale that reaches from Jerusalem to Rome and covers two large volumes.

By writing the church’s history, Luke gives the church its own history—something no one had done before. The Christian movement may have been perceived within the Roman Empire as something new (Acts 17:21), but Luke is eager to show that the church is linked with ancient times, indeed has deep historical roots. By the end of Acts, readers would have been introduced to a story of their origins that linked them directly, and closely, with the story of Israel, all the way back to Adam. They would see that the biblical story, rather than ending abruptly during the Persian or even Hellenistic period, continued through the ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. Rather than reading Israel’s story, Jesus’ story, and the church’s story as three separate stories, they would read them as one continuous story. What’s more, they would see this story as a narrative in which God has been present and active. Rather than seeing their story as a series of disparate, loosely connected events, however well organized and arranged, readers of Luke-Acts would possess a theologically coherent narrative that nurtures a carefully refined sense of history.