Session 02 Points
- Shepherding involves ministering life to people and
requires a change in one's disposition, not just making a decision to do it. It
requires love, interest, burden and prayer for people.
- To shepherd, one must first spend time with the Lord to
consecrate oneself anew to this service. This involves being dealt with by the
Lord regarding one's preferences and disposition.
- A shepherd must have an open ear to hear from the Lord,
like a slave who is instructed by his master. By receiving a word from the
Lord, the shepherd can sustain and encourage the weary ones.
- Shepherding flows out of having people in one's heart, not
just giving advice or prophecies. It requires opening one's heart to others
like the apostle Paul did.
- Four practices are given: 1) Have adequate contact with
the Lord, 2) Learn to be dealt with by the Lord, 3) Pick up a burden for
specific ones, and 4) Pray desperately for them with a loving and genuine
concern.
Proper shepherding requires inner transformation and depends
on receiving grace and words from the Lord to care for people with genuine love
and burden.
1. Having adequate contact with the Lord: To minister
life to others, we must first purposely spend time with the Lord Himself, the
chief Shepherd. We need to go to Him with a clear purpose, open to Him about
our desire to be a shepherd, and allow Him to shepherd us in this matter.
2. Dealing with our natural disposition: Shepherding
requires a change in our disposition. We tend to contact people who match our
taste, but to invite and care for people effectively, we should not have a
particular taste. We must receive believers as the Lord receives them, which
requires us to deal with our selective disposition through prayer and exposure
in the Lord's presence.
3. Caring for people as the basic need in church service:
While there are many practical things to do in the church, the primary thing is
our care for people. The essential elements of proper shepherding are love for
people, interest in them, burden for them, and adequate prayer. When these
elements are present, we can effectively visit, contact, invite, and spend time
with others.
4. Being instructed by the Lord to sustain others: To
be a proper servant of the Lord, we must be instructable and teachable, like a
slave with an open ear to hear what the Master has to say (Isaiah 50:4). By
receiving instruction from the Lord, we can know how to sustain the weary ones
with a timely word that brings Christ to them, reviving, comforting, inspiring,
encouraging, and strengthening them.
The practice and application of shepherding involve a
personal revolution through contact with the Lord, dealing with our
disposition, prioritizing care for people, and being instructed by the Lord to
minister life to others effectively.
Q1: What are the four main points of practice for
shepherding others?
A1: The four main points of practice for shepherding others
are: 1) Having adequate contact with the Lord, 2) Dealing with our natural
disposition, 3) Caring for people as the basic need in church service, and 4)
Being instructed by the Lord to sustain others.
1)
Having adequate contact with the Lord
o Receiving the Lord's shepherding: By going to the Lord with a clear purpose and opening up to Him about our desire to be a shepherd, we allow Him to shepherd us first. This enables us to experience His care, guidance, and empowerment, which equips us to shepherd others effectively.
o Being filled with the Lord's life: Spending time in the Lord's presence helps us to be filled with His life. As we are nourished and supplied by Him, we have the divine life to minister to others. This is essential because shepherding is not merely about giving advice or solving problems, but about imparting Christ's life to those we care for.
o Receiving the Lord's burden: As we spend time with the Lord, He can impart His burden for people into our hearts. This God-given burden is what compels us to care for others genuinely and sacrificially. Without this burden, our shepherding may lack the necessary motivation and endurance.
o
Being instructed by the Lord: In our contact
with the Lord, we can receive His instructions on how to shepherd others. Like
a slave with an open ear (Isaiah 50:4), we need to be teachable and receptive
to the Lord's speaking. As we are instructed by Him, we will know how to
sustain the weary ones with a timely word.
Having adequate contact with the Lord is
the foundation for effective shepherding. It enables us to receive the Lord's
shepherding, life, burden, and instructions, which are indispensable for
ministering life to others. Therefore, we must prioritize spending time with
the Lord and allowing Him to shepherd us first, so that we can shepherd others
according to His leading.
2)
Dealing with our natural disposition
Dealing with our natural disposition is a vital aspect of shepherding others effectively. Our natural disposition refers to our inherent preferences, tastes, and tendencies that influence how we interact with and care for people. To be effective shepherds, we must allow the Lord to touch and transform our natural disposition.
o Recognizing our limitations: We must acknowledge that according to our natural disposition, we tend to contact and care for people who match our taste. This selective preference limits our ability to shepherd others broadly and effectively. Recognizing this limitation is the first step towards allowing the Lord to deal with our disposition.
o Opening to the Lord: We need to open ourselves to the Lord and allow Him to expose our natural disposition. This involves spending time in His presence, asking Him to shine on us, and reveal any hindrances or biases in our care for others. As we pray, "Lord, shine over me, within me, and through me," He will expose areas that need to be dealt with.
o Receiving the Lord's dealing: As the Lord exposes our natural disposition, we must be willing to receive His dealing. This may involve confessing our limitations, repenting of our biases, and asking the Lord to transform our hearts. It requires humility, openness, and submission to the Lord's work in our lives.
o Embracing the Lord's love: To overcome our natural disposition, we need to experience and embrace the Lord's unconditional love for all people. As we spend time with Him and allow His love to fill our hearts, we will find our capacity to love and care for others expanding. His love will enable us to receive believers as He receives them, without partiality.
o Practicing to care for all: Dealing with our natural disposition involves practicing to care for all kinds of people, not just those who match our preferences. This requires stepping out of our comfort zone, reaching out to those we may not naturally gravitate towards, and learning to appreciate the unique value in each person. As we practice this, our disposition will gradually be transformed.
In summary, dealing with our natural
disposition is a process that involves recognizing our limitations, opening to
the Lord's exposing, receiving His dealing, embracing His love, and practicing
to care for all. As we allow the Lord to touch and transform our disposition,
we will become more effective shepherds, able to minister life to a wider range
of people according to God's heart.
3)
Caring for people as the basic need in church
service:
Caring for people is the basic need in church service, as it is the primary focus and responsibility of believers in the church life. While there are many practical aspects of serving in the church, such as cleaning, maintaining facilities, and organizing events, the most essential and fundamental aspect is the care for people. Here are some key points to understand the importance of caring for people in the church service:
o The church is people: The church is not primarily a building, an organization, or a set of activities. The church is the people, the believers in Christ. Therefore, the primary focus of the church service should be on caring for and ministering to the needs of the people.
o Christ's example: As the Good Shepherd, Christ set the pattern for caring for people. His earthly ministry was characterized by His compassionate care for the needs of others, both physical and spiritual. As His followers, we are called to continue His shepherding ministry by caring for His sheep.
o The need for nourishment: Just as physical bodies need food to grow and be healthy, believers need spiritual nourishment to grow in the divine life. Caring for people involves ministering Christ as the life supply to meet their spiritual needs. This requires getting to know people, understanding their struggles, and ministering to them with a timely word.
o The need for relatedness: People need to feel connected, loved, and supported in the church life. Caring for people involves building relationships, showing genuine interest, and being there for one another in times of need. As we care for people, we foster a sense of belonging and community in the church.
o The impact on the church: When people are genuinely cared for, it impacts the overall health and growth of the church. It leads to a more vibrant and loving church life, attracts others to Christ, and facilitates the building up of the Body of Christ. Conversely, a lack of care for people can lead to a cold, indifferent, and stagnant church life.
To practice caring for people in the church service, we need to develop a genuine love for others, a burden for their spiritual welfare, and a willingness to spend time and energy ministering to their needs. This involves getting to know people, praying for them, visiting them, and being open to the Lord's leading in how to care for them.
In summary, caring for people is the basic
need in church service because the church is people, and people need spiritual
nourishment, relatedness, and support to grow in Christ. As we follow Christ's
example and prioritize the care for people, we contribute to the health,
growth, and testimony of the church.
(4) Being instructed by the Lord to sustain others.
Being instructed by the Lord to sustain others is a crucial aspect of effective shepherding. It involves being teachable and receptive to the Lord's speaking, so that we can receive His wisdom, guidance, and supply to minister to others. Here are some key points to understand the importance of being instructed by the Lord to sustain others:
o The need for divine wisdom: Shepherding others often involves complex situations, diverse needs, and personal struggles. Our natural wisdom and understanding are limited in effectively ministering to these needs. We need the Lord's divine wisdom to know how to handle each situation and person according to His will.
o The example of the slave with the open ear: In Isaiah 50:4, the Lord's servant is described as one who has an open ear to hear the Lord's instruction, so that he can sustain the weary with a word. This illustrates the importance of being teachable and attentive to the Lord's speaking, so that we can receive His timely words to minister to others.
o The Lord's specific guidance: Each person we shepherd is unique, with their own background, personality, and struggles. To effectively minister to them, we need the Lord's specific guidance for each individual. As we spend time with the Lord and bring each person to Him in prayer, He can give us specific insights, words, and ways to care for them.
o The supply of life: Ultimately, what sustains others is not just wise words or helpful advice, but the impartation of the divine life. As we are instructed by the Lord, He fills us with His life and enables us to minister that life to others. This life supply is what truly nourishes, refreshes, and strengthens those we care for.
o
The impact of a timely word: A word spoken in
season can have a profound impact on a person's life. As we are instructed by
the Lord, He can give us the right word at the right time to meet a specific
need. This timely word can bring encouragement, comfort, guidance, or
conviction, depending on what the person needs at that moment.
To practice being instructed by
the Lord to sustain others, we need to cultivate a habit of spending time in
the Lord's presence, listening to His speaking, and seeking His guidance for
those we shepherd. This involves setting aside time for prayer, reading His
Word, and being open to His leading. As we do this, we will find ourselves
being more attuned to the Lord's instructions and better equipped to minister
to others.
In summary, being instructed by
the Lord to sustain others is essential for effective shepherding. It enables
us to receive the Lord's divine wisdom, specific guidance, life supply, and
timely words to minister to the unique needs of each person we care for. As we
learn to be teachable and receptive to the Lord's speaking, we will become
channels of His sustaining grace to those around us.
Q2: Why is it important to purposely spend time with the
Lord in order to shepherd others?
A2: To minister life to others, we must first be shepherded
by the Lord Himself. We need to go to Him with a clear purpose, open to Him
about our desire to be a shepherd, and allow Him to shepherd us in this matter.
This personal contact with the Lord is crucial for effective shepherding.
Q3: How does our natural disposition affect our ability
to shepherd others?
A3: According to our disposition, we tend to contact people
who match our taste. However, to invite and care for people effectively, we
should not have a particular taste. We must receive believers as the Lord
receives them, which requires us to deal with our selective disposition through
prayer and exposure in the Lord's presence.
Q4: What are the essential elements of proper
shepherding?
A4: The essential elements of proper shepherding are love
for people, interest in them, burden for them, and adequate prayer. When these
elements are present, we can effectively visit, contact, invite, and spend time
with others.
Q5: How can we be instructed by the Lord to sustain
others?
A5: To be a proper servant of the Lord, we must be
instructable and teachable, like a slave with an open ear to hear what the
Master has to say (Isaiah 50:4). By receiving instruction from the Lord, we can
know how to sustain the weary ones with a timely word that brings Christ to
them, reviving, comforting, inspiring, encouraging, and strengthening
them.