My wife Tammy and I began attending the church we belong to in December, 1994. I became an elder at the church in March, 1996. We were a small church back then, with attendance of approximately 80 for worship each Sunday. Over the years, we’ve seen slow, steady growth and now we have approximately 400 in attendance each Sunday morning, and are in the process of adding an additional site in our community as a result of the Lord’s blessing; we have outgrown our current facilities.
Whether you are a large church with thousands of members or you are a church with less than one hundred, the challenge of how to care for your members remains. Timothy Witmer’s book The Shepherd Leader is helpful in doing this.
Our church is part of a conservative Presbyterian denomination (PCA). We have men who serve as pastors, elders and deacons. Witmer tells us that the fundamental responsibility of church leaders is to shepherd God’s flock. He writes that shepherding is at the very heart of the biblical picture of leadership, but unfortunately this emphasis is missing in many churches. Witmer’s book is a practical guide to convince the reader that shepherding provides a comprehensive framework for what church leaders need to be doing, and to provide a practical guide to help you start a shepherding ministry among your people, or to improve the one you already have.
For many years, our church has had “Flock Groups”, families or individuals aligned to an elder. Witmer writes that each person in the church should know who their elder is. My flock group consists of those in our small group that meets twice a month (with a break during the summer) to have fellowship, discuss that morning’s sermon and pray for each other. By being in a flock or shepherding group, you can establish deep relationships with each other. This results in everything from social gatherings to visiting members of your group when they are hospitalized.
Witmer also recommends that a flock group contain a deacon, which is something we have done. One of the responsibilities of our deacons is to provide financially to those in need within the church. Being a part of a flock or shepherding group allows our deacon to be aware of such needs, as well as other needs that they can be praying for.
Leaders, do the members of your church know who their elder is? (or deacon, if you do not have elders)? I highly recommend Witmer’s book as a path toward establishing effective shepherding in your church, so that you can better watch over their souls, as those who will have to give an account (Hebrews 13:7).
What would you add to the idea of establishing effective shepherding in your church?
