“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away,” 1 Peter 5:1-4.
There are three main moves of God for the people/ church that is a must with Him and mankind.
- Relationship
- Calling
- Desire
Relationship — This personal relationship with Christ is coming to a place where you understand and accept that the word of God is true and Christ is real. You make it real in your life. A personal relationship is a private relationship where we put our faith in Him in this new life. We are saved from our personal and private sin to a life of communion with the saver.
Calling — A practical calling is an invitation from God for a greater spiritual growth for His kingdom. It’s a call to overcome fear with faith and to learn the importance of humility as we surrender completely to the Lord’s will. The practical call is to serve others in the kingdom and carry out the duties of God as we respond to God. This is allowing our love for the Lord to flow into the world as we build the body of God. It’s involves a powerful desire to please Christ.
We have a spiritual mind to go forth in Him, for it is God who works in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
Peter only has three things to say to the church leaders.
The pastor should be a caring and wise leader of the flock. He is the keeper who is to have charge over you to guard, to protect, and feed the sheep with knowledge and understanding.
“We ask you to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Give you spiritual guidance,” 1 Thessalonians 5:12.
Paul releases a word to the Elders of the church in Ephesus. “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that is among you which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. The pastors and saints are not to take this work lightly where you enter it haphazardly. Lacking wisdom and understanding, not called by God to this responsibility of keeping the flock. If you are called by God the first spiritual endowment He gives you is vision,” Acts 20:28.
The vision for the church (the people of God) must come out of the heart of the leader. This is God leading you to a place of fullness in the word, making the gospel the center of the vision. Discipline the world for the kingdom of God (Matthew 28: 18-20).
We must reach a multi-generational, multi-cultural (all ethnic groups), multi-class (rich, middle class, and the impoverished), and multi-ethnic groups for Jesus Christ.
The aim is to build a people through the word of God and have practical caring ministries that represent the kingdom and the will of God. A fiery trial (test of our faith) will come on the church to see if we are committed to Christ.
