The Chief Shepherd's Assignment

"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." - 1 Peter 5:4 (NKJV)

Peter uses this remarkable phrase—"Chief Shepherd"—to remind us of something powerful: any human pastor should be serving under the leadership and guidance of Jesus Himself. He recognizes all the flocks that He has all around the world, and you know what He's doing? He's appointing people to serve in various capacities in those different places.

This isn't about human ambition or church politics. When Peter writes, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you," he's making it crystal clear—this church is not my church. He says "the flock of God" (verse 2). I know what we mean when we say "this is our church." There's a sense of ownership, but we must never forget that this is His church. First and foremost, this is His church. We are His flock. He is the Chief Shepherd.

I remember October 22, 2018, when I began leading Mount Vernon Baptist Church (www.mountvernon.church). It was even before my first sermon that Sunday—early Monday morning, in the dark, before anyone else arrived. I walked the entire facility, including not just the building, but also the grounds. The phrase that I said over and over in my prayer was, "Jesus, this is Your church. Jesus, You are the Chief Shepherd of this church. What You say You want to do, we will do. We will follow Your leadership."

That's not just a statement that I made once and moved on from—we have continued to strive to do that. Every decision, every direction, every ministry initiative goes back to that foundational prayer: "What You say You want to do, we will do. We will follow Your leadership." We show that Jesus is our Lord by how we handle and approach His Word.

We don't just sit around and talk amongst ourselves about what kind of church we want. No, we should get into God's Word and find out what church He has designed, and then follow that pattern. He is the Chief Shepherd. He places men and women where He desires.

Reflection Question: How does knowing that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd change your perspective on authority and leadership in your own life and church?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the Chief Shepherd who appoints and oversees all who serve in Your Church. Help me to remember that any position of leadership or influence I have comes directly from You. Give me the humility to serve under Your authority and the wisdom to follow Your guidance in all things. May I never forget that this is Your church, Your people, and Your work that I'm privileged to be part of. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Ideal for Servant Leaders" (1 Peter 5:1-4): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/wbzxn7b/22-god-s-ideal-for-servant-leaders-1-peter-5-1-4