Session 3 'The pastor's heart' - The Good shepherd

In the 34th Chapter of the book of Ezekiel God rebukes the neglectful shepherds of Israel through the prophet " Woe to the shepherds of Israel" He lists the duties of a good shepherd as...

• Feeding & tending the flock
• Strengthening the weak
• Healing the sick
• bandaging the wounded
• bring back the strays
• seeking the lost

I encourage you to read the 34th chapter of this book, as God speaks in the strongest terms about his concern for the flock. In it we find a great 'template' for pastoral care - As a pastor its one of my favourite chapters & my most frightening, as I realise that one day I will be held accountable for my care of God's people! Its a great parallel passage to our portion in John.

Lets turn together to John 10 verses 7-10
"I assure you I am the door of the sheep, All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them; I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy, I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance." (HCSB)

We have a 'Verily, verily' statement or a 'double amen' (Heb 'awman' faithful & reliable -a pillar truth) He has alluded to this in his first attempt to communicate his point, now he states it directly and plainly! "I AM the door of the sheep." prefaced by the 'double amen' there could be no stronger affirmation of this key truth. Astoundingly he repeats himself AGAIN! 'I AM THE DOOR' - do you get the feel Jesus is wanting to make sure we don't miss this? Notice he dosn't say 'I am the door TO the sheep' - but that he is 'the door FOR the sheep'? Don Flemming comments on this: "To explain further, Jesus likened himself to a door, by which people could come to God and so find life, freedom, protection and provision. The Jewish leaders, instead of leading people to God, exploited and oppressed them" (Bridge Bible Handbook on John 10 p118) Jesus is our point of entry to the abundant life of the Kingdom. We as leaders are pointing people to him, and making sure they have safe access in/out of the fold. The Religious leaders were opportunistic & prevented people from relationship with the shepherd of their souls. As a thief comes to exploit and ravish the flock without a care to its welfare, to contrast, Jesus comes as the safe door to kingdom abundance. The reality is that each of us must pass through Jesus to find this quality of life. We are under shepherds guiding people through to 'greener pastures' in Christ. I consider this to be the absolute priority of pastoral work. How are you bringing others into this in your small group?

Next week Session 3 'The pastor's heart' - 'Wolves & Hirelings' or 'good help is hard to find!'
Have a great week in God.
Ps Rhett

Accountability

Being accountable to someone gives us more incentive to be even more like Christ. One of the reasons we slip in our christian walk is that generally we answer to no-one.
We must choose carefully who we are accountable to. Proverbs 13:20 says, He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
An "Accountability Partner" is someone who can ask us questions, and we are able to give them true answers.

Even though God knows every sin we've committed and will do in the future, God loves us enough to provide for our salvation through Christ - and He continues to love us. But He will still hold us accountable for our actions.
Accountability is essential for us to grow and produce godly character and fruit. Acountability allows us to be answerable to one another. We give an answer for what we do, and understand where we need help in areas where we are weak and struggling, and to be encouraged. "Mind your own business" shouldn't be in our vocabulary. We're called to be involved in each other's lives. If we know someone is wavering spiritually, it's our responcibility to go after them and bring them back into fellowship.

In accountability, the goal is our spiritul formation which is christian maturity, growth and character derived from God working in us and our working out our faith with one another.
Accountability is not about confrontation. We may, at times, need to be confronted and to confront one another, but accountability is more about challenging one another to grow in Christ. Accountability is essential for every christian to help reach his or her full potential, it is mandate to those in leadership and ministry.
Accountability is not just for those who are weak, needy, or for whimps; it is for the strong who want to become stronger, and for the unconnected who need to be connected.

Accountability helps us in our freedom in Christ, because we give up on our self-will and focus on His will. Accountability is letting Christ drive. Accountability becomes the map to keep us moving on His road to His destination; if we throw away the map, then we go in the wrong direction, we will never get to the destination, and perhaps crash.
When we are accountable to others we learn of one another's battles which helps us with ours, and ours helps with theirs. Being accountable will promote healing and growth in all aspects of your life.

When looking for an accountability partner, or are accountable to someone, remember:

To look for someone who you respect, trust, are mature in their faith and character, and from whom you can learn, so you can develop closeness and share shortcomings.

Make sure you use God's word, it is your standard for faith, and practise it.

Make sure no-one dominates. Have equal airtime so all can be involved.

Be willing to be flexible and surrender your time when another person needs extra time and care.

Respect the feelings and time of others, and speak the truth in love.

Seek those who can help you adhere to God's standards rather than the worlds standards.

Be committed.

What you do not want is people disciplining you who are prideful, who only care about themselves, or who are irritable.

Do you need to be accountable to someone this week?

Michelle Cozins 

Session 2 'The pastor's heart' - I hear voices!

Hi incredible leaders & influencers,
Leo Harris, author of 'Operation outreach' makes this observation in Chapter 8 entitled: 'Ministries in the New Testament church' (which is an analysis of the Ephesians 4:8-11 five fold ministry giftings list.)
"Here (in Ephesians 4) the Greek word is 'poimen' meaning 'a shepherd' The pastor is a shepherd who cares for and feeds the flock of God."  Under the heading of 'Teachers' Ps Harris comments; "The Greek is 'didaskalos' meaning an instructor, there is a close relationship between the ministry of Pastor and Teacher suggested in the structure of the text - Moffat translates this verse thus; "He granted some to be evangelists, some to shepherd & teach."
Intrinsic then to the Pastoral 'gifting' is the concept of a shepherd who both guards & guides the flock. If this is your gifting (ordained or lay; paid or volunteer) there will be a strong desire & demonstrated ability to function in this way. Closely akin to this may be the gifting to instruct & teach (and these two distinct giftings can often appear together i.e. the Pastor/teacher)

As small group leaders its important to understand that your primary ministry 'gifting' is for the church to care for and guide God's people and can be developed, expanded, and added too with further individual gifts of the spirit to enhance your effectiveness. Our prayer as a leadership & pastoral team is that each of our leaders (us included!) minister in our primary ministry gift, and that we all go on to grow, develop & add to this with a greater effectiveness in our local church.

Lets now turn our attention to John 10 vs 1-3
 (you can read this in your daily use bible, in my bible it has the title 'the ideal shepherd')
"I assure you anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens it for him..." (HCSB)
We understand that there is a proper entry to the flock; the ancient 'fold' had high walls and a narrow entry enclosed by a gate and attended by a 'gatekeeper', or in the case of the remote fold, the shepherd himself would lie across the entry and become both gate & keeper himself. There were those who sought illegitimate access to the fold & the sheep to steal them away for profit. The shepherd however approaches in the right way, is known to the gatekeeper and to the sheep on an intimate basis. His access is 'frontal' and his interest with the sheep is to further their care and provide protection & guidance to them. I have observed over the years individuals make a illegitimate approach to the flock (usually by infiltrating small groups or 'under the radar' through relationships outside the corporate meeting) for the purpose of exploiting them for their own ends. Stop Thief! Robber! That is why we have a pathway for the identification & appointment of known, credible and trusted shepherds for our small groups. These ones rarely if never approach leadership or Pastoral staff, and avoid any interaction with them - be assured the "gatekeepers' of the church watch continually for 'hands on the wall tops' and Intel from watchful sheep about who is in the fold and what they are there for.

Vs 3-5 "and the sheep hear his voice; he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them."
Often in these mixed folds, several flocks may be gathered, requiring the shepherds to call to their flocks, (sometimes individually) to lead them out to pasture. In the 'mixed' flock of the church world - it is comforting to know that we have Pastors and leaders devoted to our care, and they know many of their flock by name, and are acquainted with them personally. Once outside the fold the Eastern Shepherd, went out ahead of his own leading them to food & water. Shepherd leadership requires us to 'know the way, show the way & go the way' In one sense Jesus leads us, and brings us to a predetermined destination; As leaders ourselves we provide much needed direction and security for people who trust that we know were we are going, and that it is not an aimless wander in the wilderness, hoping to chance upon food.

"The sheep follow him because they recognise his voice. They will never follow a stranger, instead they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers."
The reason sheep follow a shepherd? relationship. intimacy. trust. (in that order!)The voice of a leader who is known and knows them. Pastoral work requires a huge investment of time & care - but it involves investing yourself into other people. A tip! this will not always be appreciated, regarded or reciprocated! the effective shepherd however cannot withhold himself from these relationships if they want the flock to follow their lead. The answer to safe guard our flock from 'stranger danger' is to invest more of ourselves in them - at the end of the day ministries come & go, strange voices come and go - but you will have 'relational currency' with people and they will trust you - many times keeping them from strange ideas and strange people! (usually the ones who bring the strange ideas!) your ability to develop this rapport is crucial for the safety of the sheep.

Vs 6 "Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand what he was telling them."
I love this! Shepherd life was well know to the people of the day as it was a very contemporary illustration of everyday life. However the disciples had a 'block' and couldn't seem to get to point of his story and apply it to either Jesus or to themselves! Surprised? don't be. In every generation however clear God is speaking to his people - we will all have to deal with 'spiritual block' In the next session we will look at Jesus second attempt to get through to his disciples..
verse 7 says "So Jesus said again"  - I'm so glad God does not give up after the first attempt to open our understanding! - I think that this is such a key understanding that he earnestly restates and clarifies further this shepherd/sheep analogy, as it would become a so important to the disciples when they later led the growing NT church.

Next week 'The Pastor's heart' Part 2 "The good shepherd"
John 10:7-13
Be baaaaaack soon!
Ps Rhett

'The Pastors Heart' introduction

Hi incredible leaders & influencers,
I want to introduce a new series entitled "The Pastor's heart" primarily we will be looking at John chapter 10 in depth, and one of the most profound 'I am' statements of Jesus; "I am the good shepherd" John 10:11 is embedded in this portion. As we know with all metaphor, limitations apply. But in relation to how the Savior relates to his church he chose to reveal through the lens of scripture the relationship between sheep & a shepherd. We will try not to cross the boundaries of what scripture reveals here, but from chapter 10 verse 1 to 30 we have much to consider. There are many other examples Jesus uses as to who he is, and how he relates with us, and us with him - each of them provide a facet or composite revelation of the nature of this unique & astounding relationship. I have chosen to highlight this particular understanding because it is the foundation of Pastoral ministry, both lay & ordained, paid or volunteer - and is the priority need within the church, historically, present & future; and especially as it concerns our small groups within our local congregation.


Throughout the scriptures God has used many 'known' and contemporary examples of who he is and how he wished to be understood by the people he was communicating with. The 'known' to reveal the 'unknown' What is God like? How does he feel & think towards us? can we know him? can we have relationship with him? what form will that relationship take? Through the Prophets God was in constant communication with his people unfolding, revealing, defining and redefining himself. In the person of his Son, he reveals himself and makes complete the demonstration of his nature in bodily form.


The first mention of God as a shepherd I find in Gen 49:24
"But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)"


Another allusion to this is found in Numbers 27:17
"who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."


Again in 2 Sam 5:2 (See also 2 Sam 7:7 - the same sense applies)
"Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.'"


1 Kings 22:17 says this:
Then he said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.'"


From the Psalms:
"A Psalm of David. THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Ps 23:1
"Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever." Ps 28:9"A Contemplation of asaph. O GOD, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?" Ps 74:1
"But He made His own people go forth like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock;"  Ps 78:52
"From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance." Ps 78:71
"So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations." Ps 79:13
"To the Chief Musician. Set to "The Lilies." A Testimony of asaph. A Psalm. GIVE ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth!"  Ps 80:1
"For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice:" Ps 95:7
"Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Ps 100:3

'It is clear that this shepherping paradigm was to be the primary way God wanted to relate to his people; and the primary way God wanted his people to think about themselves.'

As leaders we are about to embark on a journey of discovery regarding the intimate heart of God, and the true reality and identity of ourselves as leaders and shepherds in the midst of God's flock, his church, the individuals he has draw to himself.
Join me next week for Part one. "I hear voices!" John 10:1-6
Ewe all keep safe till then!
Ps Rhett.

Fulfil your ministry

Everyone should be in full time ministry because we are not part time christians.

Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo; I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

In Mark 16:15 it says, and he said tothem, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

It doesn't matter if you go overseas or just across the street. The bible says 'all nations' this includes your own.
Mission is not an optional extra for those who like that sort of thing. It should be a way of life. Christ's body are God's agents and representitives.

2 Timothy 4:5
But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangalist, fulfil your ministry.
God has given every christian the ministry of sharing their faith with others and to lead people to Christ. God wants all His children to fulfil their ministry.
All christians should develop their spiritual skills and confidence to share their faith.

Witnessing isn't an activity, it's a way of life. Witnessing is looking at Jesus and then telling others what you've seen.

We are called to share. As in the courtroom, we're called to be a witness for the gospel. We're not the lawyer, judge, or jury. We need to leave that up to God.

Philemon 1:6
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith.

We need to step out in faith and not be afraid to be seen as imperfect or weird.

God knows what can be accomplished with the little that we have to offer him. God has called us, we are answerable to him with what we do.

The strongest way to be a witness for Christ is to walk in His ways and live in His freedom.

Michelle Cozins

Doing Good Works

If we don't have to "earn" our salvation, why do our actions matter? Why do good works?
Before salvation, we are foolish, selfish and hateful. But when we are saved, the Holy Spirit begins His work of cleansing us and making us new. As He transforms us, we choose to live what we believe by obeying laws, serving our community, honoring our relationships, respecting the church, and working hard for our employers. Through these actions our lives become a testimony that reveals the nature and character of God to others.

In some instances, words are as effective as deeds in doing good, especially as a means of encouragement and comfort.

Too much of even the best can be a bad thing. All commitments take emotional energy. All obligations take time and effort. We need to know our own limitations when it comes to time, skill and emotional energy. Many spend too many hours at work or in the ministry to the neglect of their families or their own health or well being. Output always needs to be balanced with input.

We must distinguish between doing good works for the honor of the Father and doing good works for our own honor.

Throughout scripture we're taught to do good
1. We are to do good to all people whether they are christians or not. Galations 6:9-10
2. Doing good should be a natural result of our salvation. Ephesians 2:9-10
3. Doing good involves what we say as well as what we do. Ephesians 4:29
4. Employee-employer relationships help give us unique oppurtunities to do good. Ephesians 6:5,7-8
5. Our prayer, like Paul's, should be that we bear fruit in every good work. Colossians 1:10
6. A christian should repay evil with good. 1 Thessalonians 5:15

What good  works are you doing this week?

Michelle Cozins

Walking in the fullness of who you are

To walk in the fullness of who you are, and be the person God created you to be, you must first deal with those things that are holding you back from your own potential.

Cleaning out, sorting or repairing the damage in your inner self is much like cleaning out a damaged basement. It's hard work. Nobody else may see or appreciate what you are doing, but it is hugely beneficial. When you fully embrace and grow in your awareness of God's love for you, you are set free to explore all that you might do and become.

You didn't become who you are in a day. You won't fully understand yourself in a day. The discovery process never ends, and it should never be hurried.
You cannot conquer what you don't confront.

We cry when we hurt, but what we often fail to recognise is, that God is using our tears to flush out the "old" from our lives and prepare us for the new thing He has ahead for us. Tears are part of the healing process. Tears are intended to cleanse us of emotional wounds deep within. We need to cry freely, but in our tears, we need to listen to God's voice.

The cleansing of your mind is like water flowing over rocks in a river. Over time, the rocks rough edges become smooth. Over time, God renews and refines your thinking.

Every person needs some degree of renewal. There's always room for more change, more development, and more improvement. You will never be fully perfected, but you can put yourself in a position to experience greater perfection, which means there is continual room for growth and expansion. God renovates in a way that brings about your best future.

Don't be afraid to get to know the real you. God made you exactly the way you are and has a unique plan and purpose for your life. Strive to understand who you are, why you do the things you do, and why you think the way you think. Understanding the authentic you is  life long journey. Along the way, you will find there are challenges, opposition, mundane moments, times of exhilaration, and seasons of great oppurtunity. Keep exploring, keep learning, keep asking yourselves the tough questions and seeking the best answers. Keep believing, loving and reaching to become all God created you to be. Enjoy the journey and appreciate the beauty in each moment, realizing that your life is a gift given by God with a specific design unique to you.

If something stretches you, it will change you so that you grow in confidence, self-respect, and faith. If you are willing to trust God, you can go into any situation, any place in the world, and be yourself and give what you have to give.

Are you walking in the fullness of who you are?

Michelle Cozins