In today’s ministry landscape, many pastors find themselves working in established churches, shepherding congregations that hired them. While this model may seem practical, it often feels like it diverges from the biblical example of ministry. For those seeking a return to the original vision of pastoral leadership, church planting can be a powerful, transformative calling. Here, I’ll discuss why becoming a church planter can fulfill the true role of a shepherd, addressing the issue of congregations hiring pastors and emphasizing the shepherd’s responsibility to seek out and lead the flock.
The Backwardness of Hiring Pastors
In many traditional church settings, congregations hire pastors in much the same way as any organization would hire an employee. The congregation, often through a committee or board, interviews, evaluates, and selects the pastor they believe will best suit their needs. The pastor is seen as someone hired to maintain the church, conduct services, and provide support. While this process has its place, it can sometimes lead to a backward understanding of the shepherd’s role.
The concept of a congregation hiring a pastor can create a dynamic where the pastor is beholden to the congregation’s expectations, preferences, and demands. This often leads pastors to become more like employees seeking approval rather than shepherds leading a flock. The pastor’s mission becomes driven by satisfying those who hired them, rather than fulfilling the higher calling of ministry as led by the Holy Spirit.
Here’s where church planting shines: it’s not about grasping for power or control. When you plant a church, you’re not creating a position to dominate or a platform to elevate yourself. Instead, it’s about allowing God to lead, trusting in His guidance, and submitting to His purpose rather than the whims and preferences of people. Church planting frees you from being governed by the desires of a congregation and places you directly in God’s hands, fully dependent on Him.
The Biblical Role of the Shepherd: Seeking Out the Sheep
Consider this: in all of nature, we don’t see sheep actively seeking out a shepherd. Sheep naturally follow their shepherd, and it is the shepherd’s role to seek out, gather, and guide the sheep. A shepherd goes out to find those who are lost, those who need guidance, and those who are not yet a part of the fold. The shepherd leads, protects, and nourishes the sheep, offering them direction and purpose.
Jesus’ ministry embodied this principle. He did not wait for people to come to Him. He went out and sought His followers, calling His disciples to join Him in His mission. He modeled active pursuit, seeking out those who were lost, broken, and in need of His message. In the same way, the church planter takes up the mantle of a shepherd, stepping out of the familiar and comfortable to build a new flock, to reach the unreached, and to guide people into a deeper relationship with God.
Why Church Planting Restores the Shepherd’s Role
1. Empowering Authentic Ministry.
Church planting is a return to the shepherd’s true calling. By starting a church, you initiate a ministry that allows you to lead without the constraints of fulfilling someone else’s expectations. You follow God’s calling to build His kingdom in a unique way, taking on the responsibility to lead, nurture, and grow a congregation from the ground up.
2. Taking Ownership of the Mission.
Church planters are deeply invested in their congregations because they are the ones who’ve gone out to build them. When you plant a church, you become responsible for the spiritual growth and health of the people who come. You’re not hired to sustain an existing body; you’re called to create and nurture one. This fosters a stronger connection between the pastor and the people, encouraging genuine community, trust, and discipleship.
3. Actively Pursuing the Lost.
Unlike a pastor hired by a congregation, a church planter actively seeks out those who are not yet part of a church. You look for the lost, the wandering, and those who are spiritually hungry but haven’t found a place to call home. Church planting is about reaching beyond the walls of established churches, seeking out those in need of a spiritual home, and inviting them into a new family of faith.
4. Demonstrating Faith and Leadership.
Church planting requires a step of faith, vision, and leadership. By answering the call to plant a church, you declare your commitment to God’s vision rather than a congregation’s job description. You become an example of faith to your congregation, showing them what it means to step out in obedience to God. Your role as a church planter is to go first, to break ground, and to create a space where others can come and grow in their walk with Christ.
5. Building a Community with Purpose.
One of the greatest benefits of church planting is that it allows you to build a community from the ground up with a clear, purposeful vision. You can create a culture that aligns with biblical values and fosters authentic relationships. As a church planter, you can guide the congregation toward a deeper understanding of God’s Word and build a foundation that will sustain the church for generations to come.
Conclusion: Embrace the Shepherd’s Call
Being a church planter allows you to fulfill the role of the shepherd as God intended it. It’s not about waiting for the sheep to come to you; it’s about going out, finding the sheep, and bringing them into the fold. As a church planter, you have the freedom to pursue God’s mission with passion, to serve without constraint, and to lead people into a transformative relationship with Christ.
By stepping into this calling, you embrace the responsibility and privilege of leading God’s people. You break free from the limitations of congregational hiring practices and embrace a ministry that is vibrant, dynamic, and grounded in the biblical example of a shepherd’s love for his flock. If you feel the call to go beyond maintenance and to ignite a movement, then church planting may be your path to a fulfilling, God-driven ministry. Answer the call, and become the shepherd who seeks out the sheep, allowing God, not man, to be the guide.
Episcopal Desk Of:
Apostle Martin Wilson
Add comment
Comments