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In his devotional book While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks, Tim Laniak comments on the importance of knowing and naming the flock. “Naming is a powerful, tangible expression of the shepherds intimate bond that begins at birth and grows through an animal’s tenure with a flock. Once you begin to fa...

Psalm 23 is one of the most recognizable Psalms that utilizes the shepherding metaphor. In this Psalm David reflects on the confidence one can find in the good shepherds care, even in times of deep darkness. Reflecting on this psalm Laniak notes that “even in the deadly shadows that fall at dusk i...

The nourishment and protection of the flock is one of the most powerful applications we can gleam from the shepherding metaphor. Laniak argues that ‘the good shepherd knows where to find pastures that are not only lush but safe enough for his flocks to rest in peace…it is the skilled shepherd wh...

In biblical literature “one evidence of God’s blessing [within the context of shepherding] was the -multiplication of flocks.� Now, like any metaphor the correlation breaks down at certain points. As we consider the metaphor of shepherd in light of the pastorate it is important to note that nu...

The meaning of the metaphor of shepherd, from which we get our word pastor, is important for understanding the reality of pastoral ministry. Laniak argues that shepherd is the primary metaphor by which the biblical authors conceptualized leadership. The ancient cultural realities of animal husbandry...