ShepherdLeader.com

As a shepherd that has a passion for feeding little sheep (students), I can resonate with how my sheep seem to always get into “poisonous plants and eat weeds that provide only empty calories�. I want my students to be sustained by the Word of God. It’s all about relationships. There are two things I love doing as a shepherd and do well – build relationships and communicate the Gospel. Teens need to know you care about them the way Jesus cared about his sheep. Jesus is the Great Shepherd and we are his sheep. Students are looking to be fed and want someone who will be in their life for the long haul. Teens know when your “faking� it. If an opportunity presents itself to build an authentic relationship over pizza, bowling, Mexican food, etc., I’ll take it! We can still reach the un-church teens by evangelism. However, evangelism is not salesmanship of the Gospel, but an authentic display of the joy that is found in Jesus. Leading others to Christ through the Gospel is the only way to feed the sheep. We are called to make disciples and I believe we do that by going out into all places, and guiding the sheep back to the Lord. Getting to know people and inviting them to have a personal relationship with Christ is the sole job of the shepherd. It’s the moment you can see that the lights are turning on and they are beginning to understand.