Another difference between undershepherds of local churches and the other types of shepherds under consideration in Dr. Laniak's book (God, political leaders, prophets, and caretakers of the actual fluffy white animals) is the matter of authority. Literal shepherds have rods--and wolves--to keep the sheep in line. Political leaders have police and military forces at their disposal. Moses worked some attention-grabbing miracles. Various foreign invaders lent the prophets a commanding I-told-you-so. And God has His own impressive array of carrots and sticks (see biblical references to Heaven and Soddom). But undershepherds of congregations? Their arsenal of persuasion can pretty much be reduced to various forms of begging. Church sheep are far less aware of lurking dangers than the bleating kind, are aware of other shepherds luring them away to join their flock in a green pasture, and enjoy the unique prerogative of firing and replacing their shepherd.
So, from where does the effective undershepherd get his authority? And how is it conscientiously exercised?
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