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In the epilogue of Shepherds after My Own Heart, Laniak invites and challenges readers to find dynamic equivalents of the shepherd metaphor that capture the essence of pastoral imagery for their contemporary context. I agree that a mix of metaphors is needed “to convey the same set of interrelated n...

According to the five-fold ministry model, local church leadership should be comprised of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, as listed in Ephesians 4:11. But if the office of pastor corresponds to the office of elder in the NT (as the evidence indicates), and if pastors/elders a...

The survey of pastoral traditions and leadership in the Bible presented by Laniak demonstrates that metaphorical shepherding was a multi-faceted endeavor. In contrast to reductionist understandings of shepherding as, for example, strict accountability or pastoral care among the sick and needy, Lania...

Laniak notes that the elders are instructed to “shepherd” (poimano) the church/flock of God in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2. The infinitive and imperative verb forms of the term are used in these instances, indicating that elders are individuals whose responsibility is to shepherd/pastor those under t...

In the ANE and OT, leaders were often likened to shepherds (Hebrew raah). Laniak’s discussion makes it clear that though the term is most often associated with kings, prophets, and priests are also considered shepherds. This background information suggests that the metaphorical role of a shepherd in...