Pastor and Christian Leadership Resources

Act now to share the love of Christ in the Middle East

Pastor, Abandon Not the Flock

  • Ben Simpson Pastor, West Main Baptist Church
  • Published Aug 21, 2012
Pastor, Abandon Not the Flock

The stillness of the night is shattered by the howl of a hungry wolf, making the wool of the sheep stand on end in terror like an electric shock just ran through it. Those little sheep really have nothing to fear as long as their brave and strong shepherd stands watching, ready to defend his sheep with his very life. The shepherd, who is a stalwart specimen of manhood, eyes the darkness to see from which way the wolf might come and then picks up his staff to ... run the other direction?! Hey, wait ... where's ... where's the shepherd going? What about your sheep?!

That man by anybody's standard would be a bad shepherd. He might feed the sheep, water the sheep, and interact with the sheep, but to abandon the sheep in their greatest moment of need nullifies the good he had done.

Jesus seemed to think so, as well, as He figuratively spoke of Himself as a shepherd and of people as sheep. He called Himself the Good Shepherd and defined that label as a shepherd who cares so much for the sheep that he puts his life on the line for them instead of running away (John 10:11-13).

Undoubtedly, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and will one day personally shepherd His flock when He returns, but for the meantime, He has placed men over His flock who are supposed to be good shepherds, as well. These "pastors," a word derived from the Latin word for "shepherd," are ultimately measured by Jesus' definition of a good shepherd.

I have been a pastor now for a decade and long very much to be a good shepherd. Yet, I have to be honest and admit that I am often tempted -- when the wolf howls -- to grab my things with haste and run. The wolf takes many forms for pastors: conflict in the church, financial issues, egregious sin in the lives of congregants, discouragement over personal shortcomings or the shortcomings of the church body, difficult people, discontent with your leadership or preaching. 

But before you jump up and run away into the night for safety and ease, consider:

1. Your leaving should only be by the permission of God.

Paul told the Ephesian elders to "be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood," (Acts 20:28). You have been called and placed by God where you are. Since this is true, it's not up to you when to leave. He called you go there, and He will call you to leave there. Until then, stand and persevere against the wolf!

2. Your leaving very well may cause you to miss something glorious that God is doing.

The 16th-century Reformers rallied around the slogan "after darkness, light." Scripture and history prove that saying to be wise. It's often the darkest of hours that precede glorious days of light. Stay put and rest in the sovereignty of God who "causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). Light is coming!

3. Your leaving could erode the trust of the sheep for the next shepherd. 

In a field, when you leave the sheep to the wolf, he likely will get a few of them, but those that remain will still be vulnerable even after they have a new shepherd because they won't trust him. They'll expect him to run when the wolf comes, leaving that next pastor an uphill climb to gain the trust of the sheep, which will cause ministry to be greatly hindered. Step back, and look at the long-term, big picture. What effect will your leaving the sheep to the wolf have on the church for years to come? 

4. Your leaving might say something about your pastoral motivation.

Jesus says that hirelings run away when the wolf appears (John 10:12). They are shepherding primarily for selfish reasons -- what they can get out of it -- and when the wolf shows up, a quick cost-benefit calculation leads the hireling to decide that the sheep and the benefits aren't worth the trouble of dealing with the wolf. "They don't pay me enough to mess with that!" the hireling says. In contrast, Jesus wasn't concerned about what He was getting, but whom He was serving. In fact, Jesus came not to be served but to be serve (Mark 10:45), and that caused Him to be willing to face the wolf even if it meant death. He was that concerned for the sheep! Is that same mentality in you? Ask yourself why you are pastoring and why you are thinking about leaving your flock. What motivation surfaces? Is it Christ-like?

5. Your leaving might be based on what you can do instead of what God can do.

We look at situations and say in our flesh, "it's hopeless," but is that declaration ever true in light of the God of the Bible? No way! We who walk by faith and not by sight say with Jeremiah, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, ... nothing is too hard for You!" (Jeremiah 32:17). We often run away because we think that the wolf is too much for us, the whole time being right but forgetting that God will face the wolf with us. Alone, the wolf wins, but with God, the wolf loses. Don't base your decision to leave upon what you can do. Keep in mind what God, the one with whom all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), can do.

Brother Pastor, when the wolf howls outside the sheepfold, abandon not the flock. May you stand firm against him and endure for the sake of the sheep and the glory of Christ, the Chief Shepherd.

Ben Simpson is pastor of West Main Baptist Church in Alexandria, Tenn. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter, Facebook, and in your email.

(c) Baptist Press. Used with Permission.

Publication date: August 22, 2012