The Shepherd as a Sheep

[Chaplain Cline]

"Israel's kings had to understand that being a member of the flock of God was more fundamental than being an appointed shepherd over the flock " (pg. 114).

If I were honest, most of my time and effort in ministry has focused on being the "under-shepherd" rather than one of the sheep. Dr. Laniak's observation challenges that focus by reminding me of the dual role: we are both a shepherd and a sheep. Just as the sheep need food, water, and rest in a safe place, the shepherd needs these elements as well. As he points out "Members of the church are not only sheep but also emerging shepherds who will become like their leaders in serving others" (footnote 43, pg. 234).

Jesus frequently took time for personal prayer and he encouraged the disciples to withdraw from the people to rest. "Every shepherd leader is first and always a sheep who relates to God as `my Shepherd' (page 248). Pastors can never take the role of being a sheep first for granted.

"Preventing Ministry Failure" (Wilson and Hoffmann, 2007) addresses the needs and rehabilitation of ministers who experienced burnout and failure. Could it a contributing factor is ministry burnout be ministers nelglected their role as sheep and focusing exclusively on shepherd? Perhaps if ministers accepted their role as sheep as Dr. Laniak suggests the rate of moral failure and burnout would decline.

[westonw]

I agree that if more shepherds took time to embrace their role as a sheep that we would see less burnout. Another benefit of pastors understanding their role as sheep would be a greater humility in the pastorate. Laniak discusses the terrible abuses that Israel suffered from her "under shepherds" in the section on Ezekiel. Some of the abuse undoubtedly took place because these shepherds viewed themselves as above the flock and thereby entitled to benefit from (extort) them. How many ministers today abuse their position and authority because they have failed to see that they area a sheep along with their flock?
This is not to say that proper perspective fixes everything, some people are still just bullies. Laniak goes on to discuss this when he pursues Ezekiel's writings further to find abuse within the flock itself. The stronger, faster, male-er, are taking advantage of the weak sheep.
What is the guard against this? It's God himself. What a chilling thought for some that "God himself will come looking for his lost sheep." And, what a beautiful thought it is to those who have suffered at the hands of those they trusted.

[navychap]

I agree that it is easy to be focused so much on being the shepherd that we forget we are part of the flock. I forget which reading it was, but I am reminded that one of the largest obstacles that pastors/chaplains have to spiritual health is the work of the ministry. Busyness replaced devotion.