ShepherdLeader.com

I found it interesting how the author combined the ministry of Moses and the shepherd leadership of Yahweh of the people of the exodus. It had not occurred to me that this was a prototype of the way the church would be led in the chief-shepherd/under-shepherd pattern to occur later. The author drew out a biblical theological observation rich with insight for me, that just God led his people both directly (fire and cloud) and indirectly (through Moses), the church would be led directly (through the Spirit of Christ) and indirectly (pastors and leaders).

I too found the “undershepherd� theme, starting with Moses but carried throughout scripture, to be one of the richest insights of the book. Seeing just how much it is woven into the narrative and teaching of the Bible raised made clear just how critical the identify of undershepherd must be to any minister. I realized that I am blessed to be in a church context where I am constantly mindful of the fact that while I am ultimately an undershepherd to the Chief Shepherd, I am also an undershepherd to my own mentors who were the original founding pastors of the church. I minister with a sense of indebtedness to those who suffered and sacrificed to build this church, and to Jesus Christ who laid down his life for us. Laniak’s point that a bad or false shepherd is the one who forgets whose flock he serves is a poignant and practical warning to remember and remain humble.