Shepherding the Young Church

Starting and building a church requires that the servant of God be proficient in a variety of ministries. In a church that is well established, the pastor can perhaps enjoy the luxury of specializing in some areas of ministry while letting others care for the rest. The church planter, however, has to be able to do it all in the early stages, and know how to train others to replace him as the work develops.

A church planter must be a visionary, evangelist, motivator, teacher, administrator, and a mentor. But since the church is composed of people, with all of this he must know how to feed, protect and lead God’s flock.

It has been said that the ministries of the pastor and the church planter are different and require different skills. But the fact is, every church planter must know how to shepherd the flock entrusted to him. (The converse is also true, that every pastor would benefit from thinking more like a church planter.)

in the beginning of a new work, of necessity the church planter will focus much of his efforts on making contacts, building relationships and sharing the gospel. At what point does he shift from being just an evangelist to also being a pastor? As soon as the first person accepts Christ! At that point he must know how to care for the new believer, whose spiritual life and health are at stake.

One can be a pastor without building the church, but he cannot build a church without being a pastor. The development, growth and strength of the church will depend on the shepherding skills of the church planter.

Where would we go to learn how to better shepherd God’s flock? Look with me in the Scriptures to see what God would teach us.

In Acts 20:28-30 God talks to the “Elders.” This is one of the terms used in the New Testament to describe the pastoral office (the others are “bishop, pastor and minister”). As in this text, these terms and concepts are generally linked (see also Titus 1.5-7 and 1 Peter 5.2), and together they teach us that the pastor must be an example to, take responsibility for, serve and care for the flock of God.

God commands His servants to “Feed” the flock (supervise, tend or watch over) which He has purchased at great price, and as the church planter, I have a key role to play. This is not just an enterprise or a church-planting project of which I am in charge. I may be planting the church, but the church is not mine to do with as I please. I must be aware that each person to whom I minister is valuable to the Savior. These are the Master’s sheep for which He will hold me accountable.

This passage also tells us that the flock is in danger. In every local church setting the pastor is charged with protecting the flock from dangers both outside as well as from within the flock. There will be those who want to tear up the flock, teach false doctrine or seek to draw disciples after themselves.

In a church plant, the role of the shepherd is not less important than in an established church – it is even more significant. Remember that in church planting my goal is not to find mature sheep who may be looking for greener pastures with another flock, but to seek out the “Other sheep” which the Savior would bring into the fold (John 10:16). God may indeed send in some mature believers along the way, but my goal should always be to win the lost and make disciples. Because the young church is likely to have a higher percentage of new-born, baby Christians, there will be more tender lambs who are easy prey for wolf. And because the collective body has less maturity and experience, it faces even greater danger from those who would “Draw away disciples after themselves.”

The care of the flock is not something to be taken lightly. God sovereignly gives this responsibility to the overseer (bishop). As a church planter setting out to serve Christ and establish His church, by the very nature of what I am doing I am accepting the responsibility of a shepherd. So Acts 20:28 applies directly to me. I must give careful attention to the needs of the flock, to my own heart and spiritual condition, and to the way I care for the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.