Shepherding ministry in the church is about tending to the welfare of Christ-followers by watching over, nurturing, and guiding them. The needs of the flock are great and consequently shepherding is a big investment of time and effort into the lives of people. It will take a network of shepherds to best facilitate shepherding so people don’t fall through the cracks.
Shepherding by Pastors and Elders
Obviously people in the position of pastor would be included. But, the pastoral staff cannot possibly provide personal and consistent care for each member of the Body. And, God never intended for a single pastor, or two, to adequately care for everyone, which is why we find this command given to elders:
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Pet. 5:2-3)
The congregation could be divided among the elders, or other designated persons, to help ensure that everyone in the Body has a shepherd. However, unless the span of care for each shepherd is small enough and the shepherd is willing, and able, to consistently be available, contacts will tend to be infrequent and therefore care will still be less than adequate in many cases on an ongoing basis.
Further Expanding the Network of Shepherds in the Church
God gave elders the role of shepherds but that doesn’t mean they must do it all themselves. They do, however, need to make sure it gets done. So, they, along with pastors, need to encourage and equip others in the Body to do their part in shepherding those in their spheres of influence.
Sometimes churches will relegate this responsibility to the small group ministry of the church. While that would help, those who aren’t members of a small group will probably get overlooked.
The best approach may be to expand the network even further. In addition to pastors, elders, and small group leaders, think about how Sunday School teachers, facilitators of support groups, ministry team leaders, equippers, mentors, and disciplers can help shepherd people in their sphere of influence. And, let’s not forget the role of parents in shepherding their own children.
In addition to content similar to what you find in this post, the Shepherding Ministry Manual includes a list of five benefits churches can experience when shepherding comes from a variety of sources as opposed to one shepherd over all.