Shepherding Ministry Venue: Parenting

God's plan for shepherding ministry begins when people are young, from birth, the primary responsibility for it being given to parents.

Shepherding is a Parents' Job Description:

Scripture clearly describes the role of parents as those of a shepherd.

  • Deut. 6:4-9 - "These commandments . . . Impress them upon your children. Talk about them . . . Tie them as symbols . . . Write them on . . . " --- training that is constant, consistent, deliberate, both modeled and spoken
  • Prov. 13:24 - "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." --- training that is corrective and rooted in love, that is proactive not reactive
  • Prov. 22:6 - "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." --- training that is personalized and relevant
  • Eph. 6:4 - "Bring them up in the training (Greek word: paideia - instruction, nurture, correction) and instruction (Greek word: nouthesia - putting in mind, admonition) of the Lord" --- training both by action and by words

Parents' God-given role closely aligns with the ministry duties of shepherds.
 
Also Read: Parents' Role of Shepherding Children

Parental Authority Comes Under the Chief Shepherd:

Parenting is no exception to the way shepherds should act. Just as through any other venue of shepherding ministry, parents are not to exercise control. They are responsible for their children and therefore have a stewardship or entrustment for them . . . but that is not control. They are to train them, discipline them, admonish them, instruct them, and chastise them . . . but that is not to be done as a means of control.

The source of parental authority is in God Himself. When truly grasped, parents understand their mission to be that of helping their children line up under the authority of the Chief Shepherd, not under their control.

The Shepherding Ministry Manual provides some additional thoughts about shepherding versus parental control along with the content on this page and some questions for further reflection and evaluation to help personalize this teaching.
 

Parents Who Know the Condition of their Flock Tend to do Better at Shepherding:

Proverbs 27:23-24 says, "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever and a crown is not secure for all generations." Replace the word "flocks" with "children" and you will see the value of keeping informed as a parent and of being sensitive to the unique needs and bents of the children. Their future well-being is at stake.

Also Read: Tips for Parents to Effectively Shepherd Their Children

How easy it can be for parents to simply apply Band-aids rather than deal with the root issues and problems. How common it can be for parents to apply a "one size fits all" mentality in child rearing rather than tailor what they do to the child as an individual different than a sibling or different from the parents when they were growing up.
 

A Network of Shepherds may be Helpful in a Child's Life But Parents Maintain Primary Responsibility:

God gave parents the primary responsibility of shepherding their children. While the church, teachers, coaches, babysitters, grandparents, and others may influence children, they are not the ones to whom God gave the entrustment of nurture.

The African proverb that "it takes a village to raise a child" has some merit, but it must be kept in perspective and it must not be used as an excuse for parents to neglect their God-given responsibility.

  1. The "village" should only be seen as a supplement to the parents.
     
  2. The "village" is not filled with all good influences.

Parents must help children process the teaching and world views they encounter out in the "village" to discern between truth and error, to distinguish what is worldly wisdom and what it godly.

Children will come under many influences. Parents who take their shepherding role seriously must seek the cooperation and alliance of the other significant people in their children's lives.

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