Rachel's Place

What does it mean to be a pastor? This is basically what I have been trying to discover over the past three years. Getting a Master of Divinity degree prepares us for "pastoral ministry," which begs the question, what does it mean to be a pastor?

Often times in seminary, at least my seminary, it seems to be related to the role of the pastor as preacher. Preaching ministry becomes the central focus of the gospel ministry of the church. I have been prepared in my time at seminary to be a preacher. But does that mean I am ready to be a pastor? I don't really think so. At least, not entirely.

What does it mean to be a pastor? Pastors are shepherds. There is a lot said in scripture about sheep. It is actually kind of interesting to note the uses of shepherds in major Bible stories. Shepherds saw the angels announcing the Christ child. Amos the prophet was a shepherd. And Rachel was a shepherd. She cared for her father's sheep just as any other shepherd would.

But what does it mean to be a shepherd? David gives us a picture. Even the great King David was first and foremost a shepherd. The man who was raised up by God to lead his people was trained as a shepherd. Psalm 78 tells us that he led the people with integrity of heart and skillful hands. Those were shepherds hands. As a shepherd David knew how to care for his sheep. He knew how many there were and if even one was missing and needed to be found. He knew the good pastures and the quite waters he speaks of in Psalm 23. He would have trained his sheep to hear his voice so that they would follow as he led them to good places and away from danger. He knew how to protect the sheep from the lion and the bear. It was there, among his sheep on the hills of Judea, that David gained the skillful hands that were necessary to lead the people of God.

And Jesus also is a shepherd. He is the one who ultimately cares for the flock of God. And we who serve as pastors care for the sheep who are a part of Jesus' flock. This is the commission Jesus gave to Peter after the resurrection. "Take care of my sheep," he said. So he is the good shepherd, and that makes us undershepherds, I suppose.

So what does it mean to be a pastor?

To be a pastor means to steer the sheep in the direction of safety. Jesus said he is the gate to the sheepfold and only those who enter through him can come in to the safety of the fold. That is what a pastor wants for people. For all people. This is our theology of evangelism.

To be a pastor means to teach the voice of the good shepherd to his sheep. Jesus said his sheep know his voice. He desires to lead us to good pastures and protect us from dangers. So he made his voice known in his Word. As pastors we are to help others to recognize the voice of the Shepherd through his Word. This is our theology of preaching.

To be a pastor means to care for the injured of the flock. It is not by accident that the Good Shepherd has a sheep on his shoulders in all those pictures. The hurting sheep who needs special care, who cannot walk along with the rest of the flock for a time because of an injury or illness will not be left behind by the good shepherd. Instead, knowing that at times we all must be carried in order to experience rest and healing the good shepherd bears us upon his shoulders. The pastor carries those who are in need and raises the sheep up to be born on the strong shoulders of their ultimate shepherd. This is our theology of pastoral care.

To be a pastor means to guide the sheep as a flock, teaching them to mind their feet that they don't trample the grass or muddy the waters of others (Ezekiel 34). As a single flock the shepherd helps the sheep learn how to live as part of a family or a body if you will. This is our theology of spiritual formation.

Our role as pastors, as shepherds, is to reflect the model of the good shepherd. Like the shepherds who heard from the angels, we have been given the message that the Messiah has come. Like Amos we have a message from God to share with his people. Like David we are to work with integrity of heart and skillful hands. Like Peter we are to feed the sheep. And like Rachel we are women given the responsibility of caring for our Father's sheep. This blog is contributed to by all those serving as Rachel did. We are women. We are pastors. We are shepherds of our Father's flock. And this is our place to belong as we learn what it means to be a pastor.