In John 10, Jesus describes a typical sheep fold, and states “I am the door,” then describing how the sheep and shepherd alike use that door in terms of security and access to food and water.
While Jesus’ next analogy, that of the Good Shepherd, can be assigned to Jesus alone, the role of shepherd in the the first parallel is applied not only to Jesus specifically, but to any shepherd of God’s people who is attempting to lead in a godly manner. So when the church is beginning the process of appointing elders, it’s important to start by ensuring that the elders understand what it means to emulate Jesus in their leadership, and how they should “use the door” the way Jesus describes.
The eldership is not a new concept in the Lord’s church, and in fact it predates the church going all the way back to the Israelites in Egypt. Israel had always been led at the city level by appointed elders, and this concept was clearly God’s plan for the church as well. In Jeremiah 23, the prophet condemns the leaders of his day, prophesying about the time when God would appoint godly shepherds to watch over his people, led of course by the chief Shepherd, which was Christ.
We see four basic takeaways from this parallel that elders must model in their own leadership:
- A true shepherd uses “the door:” He is a servant first and foremost of Jesus Christ, and everything he teaches, every action he takes with respect to the flock must be done by the authority of Jesus.
- A true shepherd leads the sheep: He doesn’t have to prod or drag, he doesn’t lead by coercion as the Pharisees had been doing in the previous chapter. He is an example, and when the church sees Christ in him, they hear the voice of Jesus, and they follow.
- A true shepherd practices “sheep shepherding:” Elders often get caught up in “flock shepherding,” which involves thinking about concepts at a group level, while sometimes neglecting the decisions they need to make about helping individuals – whether it’s encouragement, involvement, teaching, or correction.
- A true shepherd focuses on the safety and well-being of the sheep: An elder has no other job but to guard the people under his care from spiritual harm. He is tasked with protecting the flock from evil influences on the outside and inside of the church, and must see his responsibility as vital, knowing that he will answer to Jesus, the “chief shepherd.”
Ultimately, as Jesus was called to lay down his life for the sheep, a true elder of the Lord’s church does exactly that for his own flock. He gives his life in service to his brothers and sisters in Christ.